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Software · head to head

Oyster vs Workable

Oyster logo

Oyster

Software

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workable logo

Workable

Software

Recruitment and employee engagement platform

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; Workable the Standard plan is $299 a month and still charges separately for texting at $89, video interviews at $109 and assessments at $59 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, Workable covers Job posting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and Workable actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and Workable differ
AttributeOysterWorkable
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20202012

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
  • Greenhouse

Only in Workable

  • Job posting
  • Applicant tracking
  • Candidate management
  • Onboarding
  • Employee engagement
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • Integrations

Both cover

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

Workable

  • Posting jobs and tracking candidates through an applicant tracking systemnot Oyster
  • Running structured interviews, assessments and offers in one placenot 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

Workable

  • The Standard plan is $299 a month and still charges separately for texting at $89, video interviews at $109 and assessments at $59 a month
  • Reaching a plan where those three are included means Premier at $599 a month
  • Unlimited active jobs is qualified by a fair usage limit rather than being an actual cap
  • AI features run on credits, and credits expire one year from purchase
  • Published plan prices cover 1 to 20 employees, so larger headcounts are quoted separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Oyster

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

Workable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic recruitment
    • Limited hires
    • Basic tracking
  • Plus$undefined/month
    • Advanced recruitment
    • Engagement tools
    • Analytics

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 Workable if

  • You need job posting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want applicant tracking.
Workable review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or Workable better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at Free and Workable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or Workable?
Oyster starts at Free and Workable at Free.
Does Oyster or Workable run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. Workable 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 Workable is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that Workable cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Workable covers Job posting, Applicant tracking, Candidate management, Onboarding. Both handle BambooHR, Slack.
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Related pages

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