Softwr

Payroll & Benefits · head to head

Oyster vs Time Doctor

Oyster logo

Oyster

Payroll & Benefits

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Time Doctor logo

Time Doctor

Productivity

Employee time tracking and productivity monitoring

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oyster has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing; Time Doctor historical tracking data retention is capped by plan: 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard, versus 2 years on Premium and Enterprise
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and Time Doctor actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and Time Doctor differ
AttributeOysterTime Doctor
Starting priceFree$4/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
CategoryPayroll & BenefitsProductivity
Founded20202011

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

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 Time Doctor

  • Time tracking with timer
  • Activity monitoring
  • Screenshots
  • GPS tracking
  • Webcam monitoring
  • Reports and invoicing
  • Mobile apps
  • Team management

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

Time Doctor

  • Productivitynot Oyster
  • Collaborationnot Oyster
  • Task managementnot Oyster
  • Organizationnot 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

Time Doctor

  • Historical tracking data retention is capped by plan: 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard, versus 2 years on Premium and Enterprise
  • HRIS and Payroll native integrations are paid add-ons at $200 per integration per month
  • Software Cost Insights add-on costs $3 per user per month on top of the base plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster

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

Time Doctor

$4/month
  • Basic$4/month
    • Time tracking
    • Reports
    • Mobile apps
  • Standard$6/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Activity monitoring
    • Screenshots
  • Premium$10/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • GPS tracking
    • Webcam snapshots

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 Time Doctor if

  • You need time tracking with timer.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want activity monitoring.
Time Doctor review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or Time Doctor better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at Free and Time Doctor at $4/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or Time Doctor?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Oyster and $4/month for Time Doctor.
Does Oyster or Time Doctor run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. Time Doctor runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use Oyster for free?
Yes. Oyster has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Time Doctor starts at $4/month.
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 Time Doctor is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that Time Doctor cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, Screenshots, GPS tracking.
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