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Software · head to head

Culture Amp vs Oyster

Culture Amp logo

Culture Amp

Software

Build a better workplace with employee experience data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Oyster logo

Oyster

Software

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oyster has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Culture Amp no price is published, and cost depends on employee count, product chosen and service tier; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Culture Amp covers Employee engagement surveys, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Culture Amp and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where Culture Amp and Oyster differ
AttributeCulture AmpOyster
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20092020

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Culture Amp

  • Employee engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Performance management
  • Goal tracking
  • 360-degree feedback
  • Analytics & insights
  • Action planning
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in Oyster

  • Global Employment
  • Payroll
  • Benefits
  • Compliance
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • Greenhouse

Both cover

  • Slack
  • BambooHR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Culture Amp

  • Employee engagement surveys and analysisnot Oyster
  • Performance reviews and development planning across an organisationnot Oyster

Oyster

  • Hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entitynot Culture Amp
  • Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot Culture Amp
  • Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot Culture Amp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Culture Amp

  • No price is published, and cost depends on employee count, product chosen and service tier
  • All products are billed annually
  • Support level is banded by organisation size, with additional support starting at 200 employees and enterprise treatment at 1,000, so smaller customers get less for the same product

Oyster

  • Employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • A refundable deposit is required before an EOR engagement starts
  • Contractor management is free for 30 days then $29 per contractor per month
  • HR advisory through People Partner Services is billed at $300 per hour on top of the subscription
  • A currency conversion fee applies when you pay Oyster in a currency other than the contract currency
  • Payments are accepted only by direct debit or wire in USD, EUR, GBP or CAD

Pricing, plan by plan

Culture Amp

On request
  • Engage$undefined/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Action planning
  • Perform$undefined/month
    • Goal tracking
    • Performance reviews
    • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Develop$undefined/month
    • Skills development
    • Career paths
    • Learning integrations

Oyster

Free
  • Contractor$29/month
    • Contractor Payments
    • Compliant Contracts
    • Invoicing
  • Employee$599/month
    • Global Employment
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

Which should you pick?

Choose Culture Amp if

  • You need employee engagement surveys.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want pulse surveys.
Culture Amp review

Choose Oyster if

  • You need global employment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want payroll.
Oyster review

Questions people ask

Is Culture Amp or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. Culture Amp starts at On request and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Culture Amp or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Culture Amp and Free for Oyster.
Does Culture Amp or Oyster run on more platforms?
Culture Amp runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Oyster for free?
Yes. Oyster has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Culture Amp starts at On request.
What is Culture Amp best used for?
Culture Amp is most often used for employee engagement surveys and analysis, performance reviews and development planning across an organisation. Of those, employee engagement surveys and analysis and performance reviews and development planning across an organisation are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
What can Culture Amp do that Oyster cannot?
Culture Amp covers Employee engagement surveys, Pulse surveys, Performance management, Goal tracking. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle Slack, BambooHR.
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