Softwr

Software · head to head

Oyster HR vs Personio

Oyster HR logo

Oyster HR

Software

Global employer of record and contractor payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Personio logo

Personio

Software

All-in-one HR software for SMEs

From
$5/employee-per-month
Rated
-

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; Personio payroll processing only available in Germany, UK, and Ireland, limiting multi-country deployment

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Oyster HR and Personio differ
AttributeOyster HRPersonio
Starting priceFree$5/employee-per-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 Personio does not also cover.

Only in Personio

  • HR Management
  • Recruiting
  • Payroll
  • Time Tracking
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Offboarding
  • Slack

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

Personio

  • Payroll processing only available in Germany, UK, and Ireland, limiting multi-country deployment
  • Recruiting module lacks advanced reporting and LinkedIn integration functionality
  • Limited reporting customization requires manual exports and workarounds
  • Mobile app has reduced capabilities compared to desktop experience

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster HR

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Oyster HR review.

Personio

$5/employee-per-month

No published plan breakdown. See the Personio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Oyster HR if

  • You want to start without paying.

Choose Personio if

  • You need hr management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
  • You also want recruiting.

Questions people ask

Is Oyster HR or Personio better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster HR starts at Free and Personio at $5/employee-per-month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster HR or Personio?
Oyster HR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Oyster HR and $5/employee-per-month for Personio.
Does Oyster HR or Personio run on more platforms?
Oyster HR runs on Web. Personio 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. Personio starts at $5/employee-per-month.
What can Oyster HR do that Personio cannot?
Personio covers HR Management, Recruiting, Payroll, Time Tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Personio: Does Personio offer payroll processing in my country?

Personio provides native payroll support in Germany, UK, and Ireland, with limited support in other European markets through integrations. Coverage varies by country.

Source
Personio: What is Personio's pricing model?

Personio uses a per-employee-per-month (PEPM) model starting at $5-15/employee/month depending on the plan and features. There is no public pricing page, and exact pricing requires a sales consultation.

Source
Personio: Can Personio integrate with other tools?

Yes. Personio provides a public API and maintains a marketplace of pre-built integrations. The Core Pro plan is required for API access and custom integrations.

Source

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