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Employment Hero vs Oyster HR

Employment Hero logo

Employment Hero

HR

Australian HR, payroll and recruitment platform for employment management

From
Free
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

  • Only Employment Hero has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Employment Hero hR plans require minimum of 10 users; Oyster HR no published pricing for Benefits package add-on
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Employment Hero and Oyster HR actually diverge.

Attributes where Employment Hero and Oyster HR differ
AttributeEmployment HeroOyster HR
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

What people use each for

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

Employment Hero

  • HR and payroll management for small to medium businessesnot Oyster HR
  • Recruitment and candidate screening using AI video interviewsnot Oyster HR
  • Leave management and compliancenot Oyster HR

Oyster HR

  • Global employment compliancenot Employment Hero
  • Multi-country contractor managementnot Employment Hero
  • International payroll processingnot Employment Hero

Where each one falls short

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

Employment Hero

  • HR plans require minimum of 10 users
  • Custom pricing required for HR Elite and Employment Unlimited tiers
  • Currency is AUD only, may require currency conversion for non-AU customers

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

Employment Hero

Free
  • Free Tier (Recruitment)Free
    • Candidate scoring and ranking
    • 50 complimentary AI video interviews (one-time)
  • HR Essentials$10/month
    • Leave management
    • Employee records
    • Document management
  • HR Engage$14/month
    • All HR Essentials features
    • Recruitment
    • Performance management
  • Pro 50 (Recruitment)$199/month
    • 50 AI video interviews (24/7)
    • Full ATS pipeline
    • Candidate scoring

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 Employment Hero if

  • You want to start without paying.
Employment Hero review

Choose Oyster HR if

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

Oyster HR review

Questions people ask

Is Employment Hero or Oyster HR better?
Neither clearly leads. Employment Hero starts at Free and Oyster HR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Employment Hero or Oyster HR?
Employment Hero has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Employment Hero and On request for Oyster HR.
Does Employment Hero or Oyster HR run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Employment Hero for free?
Yes. Employment Hero has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Oyster HR starts at On request.
What is Employment Hero best used for?
Employment Hero is most often used for hr and payroll management for small to medium businesses, recruitment and candidate screening using ai video interviews, leave management and compliance. Of those, hr and payroll management for small to medium businesses and recruitment and candidate screening using ai video interviews are not what Oyster HR is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Employment Hero: How much does Employment Hero cost per employee?

HR plans cost from $10 per employee per month for HR Essentials, $14 per month for HR Engage. Add-ons like managed payroll cost $20 per employee per month. All prices are in AUD with a minimum of 10 users per company.

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
Employment Hero: Is there a free trial or free version of Employment Hero?

Yes, the Recruitment module offers a free tier with candidate scoring and 50 complimentary AI video interviews (one-time). HR plans do not include a free tier but start at $10 per employee monthly.

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
Employment Hero: What is the minimum commitment for Employment Hero?

HR plans require a minimum of 10 users. The initial HR contract is billed based on the greater of the minimum commitment or actual billable employees. Add-ons have minimum monthly costs, such as $20 for Chat and $40 for Rostering.

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
Employment Hero: Does Employment Hero include add-on fees beyond the base plan?

Yes, add-ons include Chat ($2 per employee/month, minimum $20), Rostering ($4 per employee/month, minimum $40), Managed Payroll ($20 per employee/month, minimum $400), and other services with separate pricing.

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
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