Softwr

Software · head to head

Oyster vs ProtoPie

Oyster logo

Oyster

Software

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ProtoPie logo

ProtoPie

Software

Create advanced interactive prototypes

From
Free
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; ProtoPie the free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and ProtoPie actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and ProtoPie differ
AttributeOysterProtoPie
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android
Founded20202013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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

  • Global Employment
  • Payroll
  • Benefits
  • Compliance
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • BambooHR

Only in ProtoPie

  • Interactive prototyping
  • Data binding
  • Advanced interactions
  • Animation
  • Collaboration
  • Cloud sharing
  • Device testing
  • Code export

Both cover

  • Slack

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 ProtoPie
  • Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot ProtoPie
  • Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot ProtoPie

ProtoPie

  • Building high fidelity interactive prototypes without codenot Oyster
  • Prototyping multi device and hardware interactionsnot Oyster
  • Sharing prototypes with stakeholders for testingnot Oyster

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

ProtoPie

  • The free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
  • Free prototypes carry a watermark and shareable links require the Basic plan
  • Saving prototypes locally requires the Pro plan
  • Team libraries and handoff recordings require the Pro plan
  • Basic caps storage at 500MB and prototypes at 20
  • Single sign on, private servers, custom fonts and custom hardware integrations are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise requires a minimum of 3 seats and is priced by quote
  • Connect Core is a paid add on at $20 per user per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster

Free
  • Contractor$29/month
    • Contractor Payments
    • Compliant Contracts
    • Invoicing
  • Employee$599/month
    • Global Employment
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

ProtoPie

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited prototypes
    • Cloud storage
    • Basic sharing
  • Professional$25/month
    • Unlimited prototypes
    • Advanced interactions
    • Collaboration
  • Enterprise$75/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Team features
    • Advanced security

Which should you pick?

Choose Oyster if

  • You need global employment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want payroll.
Oyster review

Choose ProtoPie if

  • You need interactive prototyping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want data binding.
ProtoPie review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or ProtoPie better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at Free and ProtoPie at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or ProtoPie?
Oyster starts at Free and ProtoPie at Free.
Does Oyster or ProtoPie run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. ProtoPie runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Oyster for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 ProtoPie is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that ProtoPie cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping, Data binding, Advanced interactions, Animation. Both handle Slack.
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Related pages

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