Softwr

Payroll · head to head

Oyster vs Papaya Global

Oyster logo

Oyster

Payroll

Hire globally, compliantly

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Papaya Global logo

Papaya Global

Payroll

Global payroll and payments platform

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing; Papaya Global the AWS Marketplace listing is by the vendor but carries no published rate, offering pricing only through a Private Offer with a promotional discount off recurring fees
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, Papaya Global covers Global Payroll.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and Papaya Global actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and Papaya Global differ
AttributeOysterPapaya Global
Starting price$29/month$12/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20202016

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

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

  • Global Employment
  • Payroll
  • Benefits
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • Lever
  • QuickBooks

Only in Papaya Global

  • Global Payroll
  • Payments
  • Workforce Management
  • Analytics
  • EOR Services
  • Workday
  • SAP
  • Oracle

Both cover

  • Compliance
  • BambooHR
  • Greenhouse
  • NetSuite
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Oyster

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

Papaya Global

No use cases recorded yet. See the Papaya Global review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Papaya Global

  • The AWS Marketplace listing is by the vendor but carries no published rate, offering pricing only through a Private Offer with a promotional discount off recurring fees

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster

$29/month
  • Global Contractors$29/month
    • Instant contracts in 180+ countries
    • Contractor payments in 120+ currencies
    • Identity verification
  • Employer of Record (EOR)$699/month
    • Compliant employment in 120+ countries
    • Multi-country payroll in 120+ currencies
    • Automated expenses, time-off, and reports

Papaya Global

$12/month
  • Payroll Plus$12/month
    • Global Payroll
    • Compliance
    • Analytics
  • Full Service$undefined/month
    • All Payroll Plus features
    • EOR
    • Benefits

Which should you pick?

Choose Oyster if

  • You need global employment.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want payroll.
Oyster review

Choose Papaya Global if

  • You need global payroll.
  • You also want payments.
Papaya Global review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or Papaya Global better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at $29/month and Papaya Global at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or Papaya Global?
Oyster starts at $29/month and Papaya Global at $12/month.
Does Oyster or Papaya Global run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. Papaya Global runs on Web.
What is Oyster best used for?
Oyster is most often used for hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entity, onboarding and paying international contractors, getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teams. Of those, hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entity and onboarding and paying international contractors are not what Papaya Global is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that Papaya Global cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Contractor Management. Papaya Global covers Global Payroll, Payments, Workforce Management, Analytics. Both handle Compliance, BambooHR, Greenhouse, NetSuite.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Oyster: How much does Oyster charge for Employer of Record services?

Oyster charges $699 per employee per month for EOR services, with annual discounts available. Setup, onboarding, and offboarding are included with no additional charges.

Source
Oyster: How much does Oyster charge for Global Contractors?

Oyster's Global Contractors tier costs $29 per contractor per month after a free 30-day trial. The plan covers instant contracts in 180+ countries, payments in 120+ currencies, and contractor management tools.

Source
Oyster: What discounts does Oyster offer?

Oyster offers discounts for nonprofits and B-corps through its 'Oyster for Impact' program, startup savings of up to $1,200 on EOR subscriptions, and discounted or waived pricing for refugee support programs.

Source
Oyster: What payment methods does Oyster accept?

Oyster accepts payment by direct debit, wire transfer, and auto-withdrawal. The platform supports multiple currencies including USD, EUR, GBP, and CAD, with fees applied only when paying in a currency different from the contract currency.

Source
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