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Payroll · head to head

Oyster vs Wagestream

Oyster logo

Oyster

Payroll

Hire globally, compliantly

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wagestream logo

Wagestream

Payroll

Financial wellbeing platform with flexible pay, savings and coaching for UK and US employers

From
On request
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; Wagestream employees pay a flat fee of around 1.95 pounds per transfer, so frequent users pay a meaningful annual sum to access wages they have already earned.
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, Wagestream covers Stream pay.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and Wagestream actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and Wagestream differ
AttributeOysterWagestream
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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
  • Compliance
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • BambooHR

Only in Wagestream

  • Stream pay
  • Build savings
  • Track
  • Coaching
  • Employer subsidy
  • Rostering integration

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

Wagestream

  • A care provider with thousands of shift workers using flexible pay to fill unpopular shiftsnot Oyster
  • A retailer under ESG scrutiny that wants to subsidise the transfer fee and evidence a genuine benefitnot Oyster
  • An employer whose staff use payday lending and who wants a cheaper alternative inside payrollnot Oyster
  • A logistics operator wanting savings-from-pay alongside early access rather than advances alonenot 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

Wagestream

  • Employees pay a flat fee of around 1.95 pounds per transfer, so frequent users pay a meaningful annual sum to access wages they have already earned.
  • Employers who do not subsidise the fee are, in effect, offering a benefit funded by their lowest-paid staff, which is an awkward position when unions or ESG reporting examine it.
  • Transfers are capped at a share of earned wages, commonly around half a month, so it does not resolve a genuine income shortfall and can delay someone seeking real debt help.
  • It needs accurate payroll and rostering feeds; employers with legacy or multiple payroll systems face long integrations before launch.
  • Uptake concentrates in a minority of staff who use it repeatedly, so headline adoption figures overstate how broadly the benefit is felt across a workforce.

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

Wagestream

On request
  • Wagestream$undefined/year
    • Employer platform fee quoted, commonly per employee per month
    • Employee pays roughly 1.95 per wage transfer unless subsidised
    • Employer can part-subsidise or fully fund the transfer fee

Which should you pick?

Choose Oyster if

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

Choose Wagestream if

  • You need stream pay.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want build savings.
Wagestream review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or Wagestream better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at $29/month and Wagestream at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or Wagestream?
Oyster starts at $29/month and Wagestream at On request.
Does Oyster or Wagestream run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. Wagestream runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Wagestream is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that Wagestream cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Wagestream covers Stream pay, Build savings, Track, Coaching.

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
Wagestream: What does an employee pay?

A flat fee of roughly 1.95 pounds per transfer, unless the employer subsidises part or all of it.

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
Wagestream: Is it a loan?

No. It is access to wages already earned, netted off at payroll, so there is no interest and no credit agreement.

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
Wagestream: Can employers cover the fee?

Yes. Employer subsidy is a standard option and is the difference between a genuine benefit and a cost passed to staff.

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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