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Software · head to head

Nifty vs Oyster

Nifty logo

Nifty

Software

The operating system for your workflow

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: Nifty the free plan allows 100 MB of storage and 2 active projects; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Nifty covers Tasks, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nifty and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where Nifty and Oyster differ
AttributeNiftyOyster
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierNoYes
Founded20172020

Identical on both: 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 Nifty

  • Tasks
  • Milestones
  • Docs
  • Chat
  • Time tracking
  • Google Workspace
  • Zoom
  • SOC 2

Only in Oyster

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Nifty

  • Project management with milestones, docs and team chat in one workspacenot Oyster
  • Tracking client projects with guest access and time trackingnot Oyster

Oyster

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

Where each one falls short

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

Nifty

  • The free plan allows 100 MB of storage and 2 active projects
  • The standard plans are flat monthly fees with hard member caps, at 20 on Pro and 50 on Business, so the 21st member forces a jump from $79 to $124 a month
  • Active projects are capped at 100 on Pro despite the flat fee
  • Time tracking, custom fields and workflow automations all require the Pro plan
  • Microsoft SSO is Business only and SAML is Unlimited only, at $399 a month
  • White labelling and IP restriction are Unlimited only

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

Nifty

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 2 projects
    • Basic features
  • Starter$5/month
    • 40 projects
    • Roadmaps
    • Time tracking

Oyster

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Nifty if

  • You need tasks.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want milestones.
Nifty 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 Nifty or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. Nifty 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, Nifty or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Nifty and Free for Oyster.
Does Nifty 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. Nifty starts at On request.
What is Nifty best used for?
Nifty is most often used for project management with milestones, docs and team chat in one workspace, tracking client projects with guest access and time tracking. Of those, project management with milestones, docs and team chat in one workspace and tracking client projects with guest access and time tracking are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
What can Nifty do that Oyster cannot?
Nifty covers Tasks, Milestones, Docs, Chat. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle Slack, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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