Softwr

Payroll · head to head

Oyster vs Zenefits

Oyster logo

Oyster

Payroll

Hire globally, compliantly

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zenefits logo

Zenefits

Payroll

All-in-one HR platform for growing companies

From
$8/month
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; Zenefits product discontinued by parent company TriNet
  • They diverge on capability: Oyster covers Global Employment, Zenefits covers HR Administration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oyster and Zenefits actually diverge.

Attributes where Oyster and Zenefits differ
AttributeOysterZenefits
Starting price$29/month$8/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20202013

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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
  • Benefits
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • BambooHR
  • Greenhouse
  • Lever

Only in Zenefits

  • HR Administration
  • Benefits Management
  • Time and Scheduling
  • Performance Management
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365
  • Xero

Both cover

  • Payroll
  • Compliance
  • QuickBooks
  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android 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 Zenefits
  • Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot Zenefits
  • Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot Zenefits

Zenefits

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zenefits review.

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

Zenefits

  • Product discontinued by parent company TriNet
  • Remaining customers forced to migrate to more expensive TriNet products

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

Zenefits

$8/month
  • Essentials$8/month
    • HR Administration
    • Time Off Tracking
    • Scheduling
  • Growth$16/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Compensation Management
    • Performance Management

Which should you pick?

Choose Oyster if

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

Choose Zenefits if

  • You need hr administration.
  • You also want benefits management.
Zenefits review

Questions people ask

Is Oyster or Zenefits better?
Neither clearly leads. Oyster starts at $29/month and Zenefits at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oyster or Zenefits?
Oyster starts at $29/month and Zenefits at $8/month.
Does Oyster or Zenefits run on more platforms?
Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zenefits runs on Web.
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 Zenefits is typically brought in for.
What can Oyster do that Zenefits cannot?
Oyster covers Global Employment, Benefits, Contractor Management, Time Off. Zenefits covers HR Administration, Benefits Management, Time and Scheduling, Performance Management. Both handle Payroll, Compliance, QuickBooks, Slack.

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
Zenefits: Is Zenefits still available as a standalone product?

No. Zenefits was discontinued as a standalone product after TriNet's acquisition in 2022. Existing customers are being migrated to TriNet HR Plus (ASO) or TriNet PEO at higher costs.

Source
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
Zenefits: What were Zenefits' main features before discontinuation?

Zenefits provided HR, benefits management, payroll as optional add-on, time and attendance tracking, and compliance tools for small to mid-sized businesses with 10-200 employees.

Source
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
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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