Payroll · head to head
Justworks vs Oyster
Justworks
Payroll
Professional employer organisation with published per-employee pricing and a separate payroll-only tier
- From
- $8/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Justworks the published per-employee fee is the platform charge, not your cost; health insurance premiums and workers' compensation are billed on top and are usually several times larger, so the transparent price is transparent about the smaller number.; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
- They diverge on capability: Justworks covers Co-employment PEO, Oyster covers Global Employment.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Justworks and Oyster actually diverge.
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Payroll).
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 Justworks
- Co-employment PEO
- Large-group benefits
- Payroll and filings
- Workers' compensation
- Compliance support
- Standalone payroll
- International contractors
- HR consulting
Only in Oyster
- Global Employment
- Payroll
- Benefits
- Compliance
- Contractor Management
- Time Off
- Expenses
- BambooHR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Justworks
- A twenty-person US startup that wants health insurance comparable to a large employer without an insurance broker relationshipnot Oyster
- A company hiring across several US states that does not want to register as an employer and file taxes in each of themnot Oyster
- A founder replacing a bookkeeper-run payroll with something that will not produce a state tax penalty noticenot Oyster
- A team that wants payroll and benefits administration only, without co-employment, at the $8 per employee tiernot Oyster
Oyster
- Hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entitynot Justworks
- Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot Justworks
- Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot Justworks
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Justworks
- The published per-employee fee is the platform charge, not your cost; health insurance premiums and workers' compensation are billed on top and are usually several times larger, so the transparent price is transparent about the smaller number.
- Leaving a PEO is a project, not a cancellation: you must source your own health plan, obtain your own state employer registrations and unemployment accounts, and time the switch to a plan year, which typically takes months.
- Coverage is United States only, so the moment you hire your first employee in another country you are running a second system and Justworks handles them only as a contractor.
- PEO Basic looks like a cheaper way in but excludes the Justworks health plans, which is the main reason companies choose a PEO at all, so most buyers end up on Plus.
- Benefit plan choice is constrained to what Justworks has negotiated, and a company with strong preferences about carriers or network coverage in a specific region may find the options do not fit.
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
Justworks
$8/month- Payroll$8/month
- Plus a $50 monthly base fee
- Payroll, tax filing and benefits administration
- No co-employment, so no access to Justworks health plans at PEO rates
- PEO Basic$79/month
- Full co-employment PEO
- Payroll, tax filing and compliance
- Does not include access to Justworks-sponsored health plans
- PEO Plus$109/month
- Everything in Basic
- Access to Justworks health, dental and vision plans
- Premiums are billed separately and are the larger cost
- Dedicated HR consulting$30/month
- Add-on to PEO plans
- Named HR adviser support
Oyster
$29/month- Global Contractors$29/month
- Instant contracts in 180+ countries
- Contractor payments in 120+ currencies
- Identity verification
- Employer of Record (EOR)$699/month
- Compliant employment in 120+ countries
- Multi-country payroll in 120+ currencies
- Automated expenses, time-off, and reports
Which should you pick?
Choose Justworks if
- You need co-employment peo.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want large-group benefits.
Choose Oyster if
- You need global employment.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want payroll.
Questions people ask
- Is Justworks or Oyster better?
- Neither clearly leads. Justworks starts at $8/month and Oyster at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Justworks or Oyster?
- Justworks starts at $8/month and Oyster at $29/month.
- Does Justworks or Oyster run on more platforms?
- Justworks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- What is Justworks best used for?
- Justworks is most often used for a twenty-person us startup that wants health insurance comparable to a large employer without an insurance broker relationship, a company hiring across several us states that does not want to register as an employer and file taxes in each of them, a founder replacing a bookkeeper-run payroll with something that will not produce a state tax penalty notice, a team that wants payroll and benefits administration only, without co-employment, at the $8 per employee tier. Of those, a twenty-person us startup that wants health insurance comparable to a large employer without an insurance broker relationship and a company hiring across several us states that does not want to register as an employer and file taxes in each of them are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
- What can Justworks do that Oyster cannot?
- Justworks covers Co-employment PEO, Large-group benefits, Payroll and filings, Workers' compensation. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Justworks: What does co-employment actually mean?
Justworks becomes the employer of record for payroll tax and benefits purposes while you retain full control over hiring, management and day-to-day work. It is a legal arrangement, not an outsourcing of your team.
Oyster: How much does Oyster charge for Employer of Record services?
Oyster charges $699 per employee per month for EOR services, with annual discounts available. Setup, onboarding, and offboarding are included with no additional charges.
SourceJustworks: Is the $79 figure my total monthly cost per employee?
No. It is the platform fee. Health insurance premiums, dental, vision and workers' compensation are additional and typically dwarf it.
Oyster: How much does Oyster charge for Global Contractors?
Oyster's Global Contractors tier costs $29 per contractor per month after a free 30-day trial. The plan covers instant contracts in 180+ countries, payments in 120+ currencies, and contractor management tools.
SourceJustworks: Can Justworks employ people outside the US?
No. It can pay international contractors, but it is not an employer of record abroad.
Oyster: What discounts does Oyster offer?
Oyster offers discounts for nonprofits and B-corps through its 'Oyster for Impact' program, startup savings of up to $1,200 on EOR subscriptions, and discounted or waived pricing for refugee support programs.
SourceJustworks: What is the difference between the Payroll plan and the PEO?
The Payroll plan handles payroll and benefits administration under your own EIN at $8 per employee per month plus a base fee. The PEO adds co-employment and pooled large-group insurance at $79 or $109.
Oyster: What payment methods does Oyster accept?
Oyster accepts payment by direct debit, wire transfer, and auto-withdrawal. The platform supports multiple currencies including USD, EUR, GBP, and CAD, with fees applied only when paying in a currency different from the contract currency.
SourceRelated pages
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