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Zenefits vs Oyster

Zenefits logo

Zenefits

Software

All-in-one HR platform for growing companies

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Oyster logo

Oyster

Software

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oyster has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Zenefits product discontinued by parent company TriNet; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Zenefits covers HR Administration, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zenefits and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where Zenefits and Oyster differ
AttributeZenefitsOyster
Starting price$8/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20132020

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Zenefits

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

Only in Oyster

  • Global Employment
  • Benefits
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • BambooHR
  • Greenhouse
  • Lever

Both cover

  • Payroll
  • Compliance
  • Slack
  • QuickBooks
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Zenefits

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zenefits review.

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Zenefits

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Zenefits

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

Oyster

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Zenefits if

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

Choose Oyster if

  • You need global employment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want benefits.
Oyster review

Questions people ask

Is Zenefits or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. Zenefits starts at $8/month and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zenefits or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $8/month for Zenefits and Free for Oyster.
Does Zenefits or Oyster run on more platforms?
Zenefits runs on Web. Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Oyster for free?
Yes. Oyster has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zenefits starts at $8/month.
What can Zenefits do that Oyster cannot?
Zenefits covers HR Administration, Benefits Management, Time and Scheduling, Performance Management. Oyster covers Global Employment, Benefits, Contractor Management, Time Off. Both handle Payroll, Compliance, Slack, QuickBooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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Related pages

More on Zenefits

More on Oyster

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