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HR · head to head

Breathe HR vs Oyster HR

Breathe HR logo

Breathe HR

HR

Simple HR software for SMEs

From
£13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Oyster HR logo

Oyster HR

HR

Global employer of record and contractor payments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Breathe HR pricing is banded by headcount, starting at £24 per month for 1 to 10 people, £44 per month for 11 to 20 and £99 per month for 21 to 50; Oyster HR no published pricing for Benefits package add-on
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Breathe HR and Oyster HR actually diverge.

Attributes where Breathe HR and Oyster HR differ
AttributeBreathe HROyster HR
Starting price£13/monthOn request
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

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 Breathe HR

  • Employee Database
  • Absence Management
  • Document Storage
  • HR Reporting
  • Performance Management
  • Training
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

Only in Oyster HR

Nothing recorded that Breathe HR does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Breathe HR

  • Holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a UK small businessnot Oyster HR
  • Storing HR documents, contracts and e-signaturesnot Oyster HR
  • Performance reviews and onboarding workflows for small teamsnot Oyster HR

Oyster HR

  • Global employment compliancenot Breathe HR
  • Multi-country contractor managementnot Breathe HR
  • International payroll processingnot Breathe HR

Where each one falls short

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

Breathe HR

  • Pricing is banded by headcount, starting at £24 per month for 1 to 10 people, £44 per month for 11 to 20 and £99 per month for 21 to 50
  • Plans are capped by band up to 151 to 200 people, so it is not sold to organisations above that range on the published ladder
  • The free trial is 14 days
  • Health and safety, e-learning and other modules are sold as add-ons on top of the core HR plan
  • Pricing is quoted in pounds and the product is marketed to UK SMEs

Oyster HR

  • No published pricing for Benefits package add-on
  • No published pricing for Visa sponsorship
  • No published pricing for Salary Insights tool or Oyster Shell subscription
  • Add-on features require separate quotes

Pricing, plan by plan

Breathe HR

£13/month
  • Core$13/month
    • Employee Database
    • Absence Management
    • Documents
  • People Management$18/month
    • All Core features
    • Performance
    • Goals

Oyster HR

On request
  • Employer of Record (EOR)$699/month
    • Per employee pricing
    • Compliant employment in 120+ countries
    • Multi-country payroll in 120+ currencies
  • Global Contractors$29/month
    • Per contractor pricing
    • First 30 days free
    • Instant contracts in 180+ countries
  • People Partner Services$300/hour
    • Project-based HR advisory
    • Support for EOR and own entities
    • Flexible scope from advice to full execution

Which should you pick?

Choose Breathe HR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want absence management.
Breathe HR review

Choose Oyster HR if

Nothing in the data separates Oyster HR from Breathe HR on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Oyster HR review

Questions people ask

Is Breathe HR or Oyster HR better?
Neither clearly leads. Breathe HR starts at £13/month and Oyster HR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Breathe HR or Oyster HR?
Breathe HR starts at £13/month and Oyster HR at On request.
Does Breathe HR or Oyster HR run on more platforms?
Breathe HR runs on Web, Ios, Android. Oyster HR runs on Web.
What is Breathe HR best used for?
Breathe HR is most often used for holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a uk small business, storing hr documents, contracts and e-signatures, performance reviews and onboarding workflows for small teams. Of those, holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a uk small business and storing hr documents, contracts and e-signatures are not what Oyster HR is typically brought in for.
What can Breathe HR do that Oyster HR cannot?
Breathe HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Storage, HR Reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Breathe HR: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, Breathe HR offers a free trial with no credit card required to get started.

Source
Oyster HR: How much does Oyster EOR cost?

Oyster Employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month in USD. This includes compliant employment in 120+ countries, multi-country payroll, automated reporting, onboarding/offboarding, and local expert guidance. Annual discounts apply, and a refundable deposit is required.

Source
Breathe HR: Are there long-term contracts required?

No. Breathe HR explicitly states there are no long-term contracts, no hidden costs, and you have the freedom to cancel anytime.

Source
Oyster HR: What is the cost of Oyster Global Contractors?

Oyster Global Contractors costs $29 per contractor per month after a free 30-day trial. Includes instant contracts in 180+ countries, multi-currency payments, identity verification, and invoice management. No minimum team size.

Source
Breathe HR: What company sizes does Breathe HR support?

The software is designed to support businesses with up to 250 employees. Organization size options mentioned include 1-10, 11-50, and 51-250 employees.

Source
Oyster HR: What currencies and payment methods does Oyster accept?

Oyster accepts USD, EUR, GBP, and CAD. Payment methods include direct debit and wire transfers. Currency conversion fees apply when paying in a currency different from the employment contract currency.

Source
Breathe HR: Are there different features for different plans?

Yes, flexible subscription-based plans exist with some features like Polls & Surveys available only for regular and above plans. The page does not specify plan names or detailed feature breakdowns.

Source
Oyster HR: Does Oyster offer discounts for nonprofits or startups?

Oyster for Impact provides discounts for nonprofits and B-corps. Startups can save up to $1,200 on EOR subscription fees. Refugees receive no-cost or discounted access to employment services.

Source
Breathe HR: What happens if I want to cancel my subscription?

You can cancel anytime without worrying about hidden costs. Breathe HR emphasizes no long-term commitment and the freedom to leave whenever your needs change.

Source
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