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Software · head to head

Oyster HR vs CharlieHR

Oyster HR logo

Oyster HR

Software

Global employer of record and contractor payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

Software

HR software built for small businesses

From
£5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oyster HR has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Oyster HR employer of Record plan is priced per employee per month at USD 699, not a flat team rate; CharlieHR limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Oyster HR and CharlieHR differ
AttributeOyster HRCharlieHR
Starting priceFree£5/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: 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 Oyster HR

Nothing recorded that CharlieHR does not also cover.

Only in CharlieHR

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off Management
  • Onboarding
  • Performance Reviews
  • Team Engagement
  • Company Directory
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

Where each one falls short

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

Oyster HR

  • Employer of Record plan is priced per employee per month at USD 699, not a flat team rate
  • Global Contractors plan is free for only the first 30 days, then USD 29 per contractor per month
  • A separate currency conversion fee applies whenever payment currency differs from contract currency
  • People Partner Services are billed at USD 300 per hour on top of the platform subscription

CharlieHR

  • Limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms
  • Pricing structure geared toward UK and Europe, with limited localization for other regions
  • Add-on services like Charlie Recruit and Charlie Advice incur additional costs
  • Smaller employee base (approximately 30 people) compared to enterprise HR competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster HR

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Oyster HR review.

CharlieHR

£5/month
  • Core HR (Teams 1-4)$5/month
    • Employee onboarding
    • Time off management
    • Document storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Oyster HR if

  • You want to start without paying.
Oyster HR review

Choose CharlieHR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android).
  • You also want time off management.
CharlieHR review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster HR or CharlieHR better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster HR starts at Free and CharlieHR at £5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster HR or CharlieHR?
Oyster HR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Oyster HR and £5/month for CharlieHR.
Does Oyster HR or CharlieHR run on more platforms?
Oyster HR runs on Web. CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android).
Can I use Oyster HR for free?
Yes. Oyster HR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CharlieHR starts at £5/month.
What can Oyster HR do that CharlieHR cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR offer a free plan?

CharlieHR does not have a free plan, but offers a 7-day free trial without requiring a credit card. Pricing starts at £5/month for teams of 1-4 employees.

Source
CharlieHR: What are CharlieHR's core features?

Core features include employee onboarding, time off tracking, performance reviews, document storage, employee engagement tools, and benefits management with access to 30,000+ discounts.

Source
CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR integrate with payroll systems?

CharlieHR integrates with major HR tech stacks and offers add-on services like Charlie Recruit for hiring automation. Payroll integration capabilities depend on the specific payroll provider you use.

Source
CharlieHR: Is CharlieHR GDPR compliant?

Yes. CharlieHR is GDPR-compliant and ISO 27001-certified, providing strong data security and privacy compliance for European businesses.

Source
CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR support multi-currency?

CharlieHR's pricing is primarily in GBP (British Pounds). International users can access the platform but currency and localization options may be limited.

Source
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Related pages

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