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Software · head to head

Kudos vs Oyster

Kudos logo

Kudos

Software

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/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: Kudos kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021); Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kudos and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where Kudos and Oyster differ
AttributeKudosOyster
Starting price$5/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102020

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 Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

Only in Oyster

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

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot Oyster
  • Culture buildingnot Oyster
  • Employee engagementnot Oyster
  • Retention improvementnot Oyster
  • Values reinforcementnot Oyster

Oyster

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

Where each one falls short

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

Kudos

  • Kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)

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

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced analytics

Oyster

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Kudos if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.
Kudos 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 Kudos or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. Kudos starts at $5/month and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kudos or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Kudos and Free for Oyster.
Does Kudos or Oyster run on more platforms?
Kudos 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. Kudos starts at $5/month.
What is Kudos best used for?
Kudos is most often used for employee recognition, culture building, employee engagement, retention improvement. Of those, employee recognition and culture building are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
What can Kudos do that Oyster cannot?
Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle Slack.
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