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Software · head to head

GlossGenius vs Oyster

GlossGenius logo

GlossGenius

Software

Beautiful booking for beauty pros

From
$24/month
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: GlossGenius card payments are charged at a flat 2.6 percent, and instant payouts cost a further 1.8 percent; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: GlossGenius covers Custom booking pages, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GlossGenius and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where GlossGenius and Oyster differ
AttributeGlossGeniusOyster
Starting price$24/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20162020

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 GlossGenius

  • Custom booking pages
  • Payment processing
  • Client management
  • Automated reminders
  • Marketing tools
  • Website builder
  • Reports & insights
  • Gift cards

Only in Oyster

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

GlossGenius

  • Appointment booking and calendar management for salonsnot Oyster
  • Card payments and tipping at the chairnot Oyster
  • Client records, forms and waiversnot Oyster
  • Memberships and prepaid packagesnot Oyster
  • Medspa charting and photo markup on the clinical plansnot Oyster

Oyster

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

Where each one falls short

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

GlossGenius

  • Card payments are charged at a flat 2.6 percent, and instant payouts cost a further 1.8 percent
  • Forms and waivers, waitlists and Google booking need the Gold plan at $56 a month
  • Team analytics, custom commissions and unlimited team members require Platinum at $168 a month
  • The medspa plans start where the beauty Platinum plan does, at $168 a month, rising to $298 for the full clinical suite
  • Payroll is a separate add-on at $40 a month plus $6 per staff member

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

GlossGenius

$24/month
  • Standard$24/month
    • Custom booking site
    • Unlimited appointments
    • Client management
  • Gold$48/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Marketing suite
    • Advanced analytics

Oyster

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

Which should you pick?

Choose GlossGenius if

  • You need custom booking pages.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want payment processing.
GlossGenius 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 GlossGenius or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. GlossGenius starts at $24/month and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GlossGenius or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for GlossGenius and Free for Oyster.
Does GlossGenius or Oyster run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Oyster for free?
Yes. Oyster has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GlossGenius starts at $24/month.
What is GlossGenius best used for?
GlossGenius is most often used for appointment booking and calendar management for salons, card payments and tipping at the chair, client records, forms and waivers, memberships and prepaid packages. Of those, appointment booking and calendar management for salons and card payments and tipping at the chair are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
What can GlossGenius do that Oyster cannot?
GlossGenius covers Custom booking pages, Payment processing, Client management, Automated reminders. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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