Softwr

Software · head to head

Oyster vs When2meet

Oyster logo

Oyster

Software

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
When2meet logo

When2meet

Software

Find the best time to meet

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; When2meet no calendar synchronization capability
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, When2meet covers Visual availability grid.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and When2meet actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and When2meet differ
AttributeOysterWhen2meet
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20202003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 When2meet

  • Visual availability grid
  • No account required
  • Drag-to-select availability
  • Group overview
  • Shareable links

Both cover

  • 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 When2meet
  • Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot When2meet
  • Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot When2meet

When2meet

  • Schedulingnot Oyster
  • Appointment bookingnot Oyster
  • Time trackingnot Oyster
  • Resource managementnot Oyster
  • Team coordinationnot 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

When2meet

  • No calendar synchronization capability
  • No automated reminders to participants
  • No dedicated mobile app, web-only access
  • No integration with calendar systems or other tools
  • Requires manual entry of availability rather than auto-sync from calendar

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster

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

When2meet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited events
    • Visual availability
    • No account needed

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 When2meet if

  • You need visual availability grid.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want no account required.
When2meet review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or When2meet better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at Free and When2meet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or When2meet?
Oyster starts at Free and When2meet at Free.
Does Oyster or When2meet run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. When2meet runs on Web.
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 When2meet is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that When2meet cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. When2meet covers Visual availability grid, No account required, Drag-to-select availability, Group overview. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

When2meet: Is When2meet free to use?

Yes, When2meet is completely free. Anyone can create and participate in availability surveys at no cost. The service is supported by advertising.

Source
When2meet: Do I need to create an account to use When2meet?

No, When2meet requires no login or account creation. You can create scheduling polls and share them instantly.

Source
When2meet: How does When2meet differ from Doodle or Calendly?

When2meet is a basic polling tool where participants manually mark availability. Unlike Doodle, it has no calendar sync or timezone handling. Unlike Calendly, it does not support direct booking or calendar integrations.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Oyster

More on When2meet

Keep looking

Other head to heads