{
 "schema_version": "1.0",
 "id": "oyster",
 "name": "Oyster",
 "research_status": "researched",
 "vendor_domain": "oysterhr.com",
 "category": "HR & People",
 "task": "Payroll & team benefits",
 "summary": "Employer of record and global contractor management for hiring where you have no legal entity. Two costs sit in the FAQ rather than on the price card: a refundable deposit per EOR employee, and an FX fee when payment and contract currency differ.",
 "best_for": "companies hiring their first employees in countries where they have no legal entity, and who would otherwise spend more on local counsel and payroll setup than the monthly fee",
 "skip_if": "you are hiring contractors rather than employees — that is $29 not $699 — or you already have an entity in the country, in which case you are paying for compliance you already own",
 "honest_knock": "The two numbers that decide your bill are not on the price card. Oyster holds a refundable deposit per EOR employee: working capital out of your account before anyone is paid. It also takes an FX fee whenever the payment currency differs from the contract currency, which for a genuinely global team is most of the time. Neither has a figure attached anywhere we could find. So the honest position is that $699 is the floor, and the real per-employee cost depends on a deposit and a spread you have to ask for. The contractor product is a different shape and much cheaper at $29, so decide which one you actually need. Misclassifying a contractor as an employee is expensive; misclassifying the other way is what the $699 exists to prevent.",
 "pricing": {
  "status": "public",
  "entry_price": "$699",
  "entry_price_terms": "per employee a month",
  "from_price_usd_month": 699.0,
  "plans": null,
  "plans_source": null,
  "notes": "(re-verified 2026-10-09 on their own pricing page; the figures are unchanged since 2026-08-14) Employer of Record USD 699 per employee per month, with annual discounts available; Global Contractors free for 30 days, then USD 29 per contractor per month; People Partner Services USD 300 per hour, project-based. Creating an account is free, there is no minimum team size, and Oyster states there are no setup or onboarding fees. Two costs still carry no figure anywhere: Oyster requires a refundable deposit for EOR team members, and charges a currency-conversion fee when you pay in a currency other than the contract currency (it accepts USD, EUR, GBP and CAD). Oyster Shell, listed as an add-on to Global Contractors with no published price, carries aggregate misclassification protection up to USD $500,000.",
  "verified_at": "2026-10-09",
  "source_url": null
 },
 "free_plan": false,
 "free_plan_evidence": null,
 "cost_traps": [
  {
   "id": "per_seat",
   "label": "Per-seat pricing",
   "evidence": "So the honest position is that $699 is the floor, and the real per-employee cost depends on a deposit and a spread you have to ask for.",
   "verified_at": "2026-10-09",
   "source_url": null
  },
  {
   "id": "addons_extra",
   "label": "Key features are paid add-ons",
   "evidence": "Oyster Shell, listed as an add-on to Global Contractors with no published price, carries aggregate misclassification protection up to USD $500,000.",
   "verified_at": "2026-10-09",
   "source_url": null
  }
 ],
 "compare_with": {
  "name": "Deel or Remote",
  "why": "the standing EOR comparison — ask all three for the deposit amount and the FX spread, because the per-employee headline is the part they agree on"
 },
 "links": {
  "record": "https://aibuildermarketplace.com/api/v1/products/oyster.json",
  "review": "https://officesoftwaremarketplace.com/oyster-review.html",
  "marketplace": "https://aibuildermarketplace.com/marketplace/oyster/",
  "vendor_site": "https://oysterhr.com"
 },
 "purchase": {
  "seller": "the vendor",
  "how": "AIBuilder Marketplace does not sell this software. Sign up, start a trial or buy on the vendor's site.",
  "handoff_url": "https://oyster.partnerlinks.io/4afbpr49frid",
  "affiliate": true,
  "disclosure": "Where purchase.affiliate is true, purchase.handoff_url is an affiliate link: AIBuilder Marketplace may earn a commission at no extra cost to the buyer. Commission never changes what a record says, and products are not ranked by commission. Where it is false the link is the vendor's plain site."
 },
 "provenance": {
  "research": "hand-researched dossier, read on the vendor's own pages",
  "researched_since": "2026-07",
  "method": "https://aibuildermarketplace.com/how-we-review/",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0. Credit 'AIBuilder Marketplace' with a link to https://aibuildermarketplace.com/atlas/.",
  "note": "A rebuild is not a new measurement: pricing.verified_at is the date that matters."
 },
 "cost": {
  "status": "available",
  "engine": "https://aibuildermarketplace.com/agents/#cost",
  "rules": {
   "currency": "USD",
   "unit": "worker",
   "axis": "users",
   "plans": [
    {
     "id": "eor",
     "name": "Employer of Record",
     "service": "eor",
     "model": "per_unit",
     "price_month": 699,
     "billing": "unspecified",
     "evidence": "Employer of Record USD 699 per employee per month, with annual discounts available"
    },
    {
     "id": "contractors",
     "name": "Global Contractors",
     "service": "contractor",
     "model": "per_unit",
     "price_month": 29,
     "billing": "unspecified",
     "evidence": "Global Contractors free for 30 days, then USD 29 per contractor per month"
    }
   ],
   "notes": [
    "Global Contractors is free for the first 30 days; the monthly figure applies after that."
   ],
   "not_computable": [
    "Oyster requires a refundable deposit for EOR team members and charges a currency-conversion fee outside the contract currency; neither has a published figure.",
    "Annual discounts on EOR are mentioned without a figure."
   ],
   "rules_verified_at": "2026-10-09"
  },
  "growth": {
   "annual": {
    "product_id": "oyster",
    "currency": "USD",
    "axis": "users",
    "unit": "worker",
    "billing": "annual",
    "rows": [
     {
      "units": 1,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 29.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 29.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 699.0,
       "contractors": 29.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 2,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 58.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 58.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 1398.0,
       "contractors": 58.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 3,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 87.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 87.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 2097.0,
       "contractors": 87.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 5,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 145.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 145.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 3495.0,
       "contractors": 145.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 10,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 290.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 290.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 6990.0,
       "contractors": 290.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 15,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 435.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 435.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 10485.0,
       "contractors": 435.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 20,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 580.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 580.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 13980.0,
       "contractors": 580.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 25,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 725.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 725.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 17475.0,
       "contractors": 725.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 50,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 1450.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 1450.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 34950.0,
       "contractors": 1450.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 100,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 2900.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 2900.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 69900.0,
       "contractors": 2900.0
      }
     }
    ],
    "switch_points": [],
    "conflicts": [],
    "unknowns": [
     "Oyster requires a refundable deposit for EOR team members and charges a currency-conversion fee outside the contract currency; neither has a published figure.",
     "Annual discounts on EOR are mentioned without a figure."
    ]
   },
   "monthly": {
    "product_id": "oyster",
    "currency": "USD",
    "axis": "users",
    "unit": "worker",
    "billing": "monthly",
    "rows": [
     {
      "units": 1,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 29.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 29.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 699.0,
       "contractors": 29.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 2,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 58.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 58.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 1398.0,
       "contractors": 58.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 3,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 87.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 87.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 2097.0,
       "contractors": 87.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 5,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 145.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 145.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 3495.0,
       "contractors": 145.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 10,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 290.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 290.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 6990.0,
       "contractors": 290.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 15,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 435.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 435.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 10485.0,
       "contractors": 435.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 20,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 580.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 580.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 13980.0,
       "contractors": 580.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 25,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 725.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 725.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 17475.0,
       "contractors": 725.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 50,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 1450.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 1450.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 34950.0,
       "contractors": 1450.0
      }
     },
     {
      "units": 100,
      "cheapest_plan": "contractors",
      "cheapest_plan_name": "Global Contractors",
      "total_month": 2900.0,
      "billed": {
       "amount": 2900.0,
       "every": "month"
      },
      "ranges": [],
      "per_plan": {
       "eor": 69900.0,
       "contractors": 2900.0
      }
     }
    ],
    "switch_points": [],
    "conflicts": [],
    "unknowns": [
     "Oyster requires a refundable deposit for EOR team members and charges a currency-conversion fee outside the contract currency; neither has a published figure.",
     "Annual discounts on EOR are mentioned without a figure."
    ]
   }
  }
 },
 "unknowns": [
  "Plan-by-plan prices are not structured in this record yet; pricing.notes has the full text.",
  "Contract terms (cancellation, data export, data location, minimum seats) are not researched as separate fields; pricing.notes mentions them only where the vendor's pricing page does.",
  "Not tested hands-on by us: what the product does comes from the vendor's pages and our reading of them."
 ],
 "task_evidence": null,
 "open_questions": [
  {
   "question_id": "oyster:cancellation_terms",
   "key": "cancellation_terms",
   "question": "Can a customer cancel at any time, and what happens to an annual plan that is cancelled mid-term?",
   "status": "open"
  },
  {
   "question_id": "oyster:data_export",
   "key": "data_export",
   "question": "Which data can a customer export, in which formats, on which plans?",
   "status": "open"
  },
  {
   "question_id": "oyster:data_location",
   "key": "data_location",
   "question": "Where is customer data stored, and can a customer choose the region?",
   "status": "open"
  },
  {
   "question_id": "oyster:pricing_gap_1",
   "key": "pricing_gap_1",
   "question": "Our price check could not put a number on this part of the cost: Oyster requires a refundable deposit for EOR team members and charges a currency-conversion fee outside the contract currency; neither has a published figure. Can you publish the price or the rule?",
   "status": "open"
  },
  {
   "question_id": "oyster:pricing_gap_2",
   "key": "pricing_gap_2",
   "question": "Our price check could not put a number on this part of the cost: Annual discounts on EOR are mentioned without a figure. Can you publish the price or the rule?",
   "status": "open"
  }
 ],
 "vendor_answers": [],
 "agent_channels": {
  "vendor_mcp": null,
  "agent_checkout": {
   "status": "not_found",
   "detail": "No explicit support for purchases by AI agents on the vendor's own pages.",
   "checked_at": "2026-10-07",
   "method": "homepage, /pricing and the pricing page we cite, read as plain HTML (no JavaScript) and searched for explicit support of purchases by AI agents: Agentic Commerce Protocol, Instant Checkout, Agent Payments Protocol, buy in ChatGPT, agentic checkout"
  }
 },
 "feature_evidence": {
  "features": {
   "expenses": {
    "label": "Expense reimbursement in the platform",
    "phrases": [
     "expenses",
     "expense reimbursement",
     "expense reimbursements",
     "reimbursements",
     "expense approvals"
    ]
   },
   "time_off": {
    "label": "Time off in the platform",
    "phrases": [
     "time off",
     "time-off",
     "pto",
     "paid time off",
     "leave requests",
     "time off requests"
    ]
   }
  },
  "evidence": [
   {
    "feature": "time_off",
    "plans": [
     "Employer of Record"
    ],
    "quote": "Automated expenses, time-off, and reports",
    "context": "On the Employer of Record card.",
    "source": "https://www.oysterhr.com/pricing",
    "read_on": "2026-10-09"
   },
   {
    "feature": "expenses",
    "plans": [
     "Employer of Record"
    ],
    "quote": "Automated expenses, time-off, and reports",
    "context": "On the Employer of Record card. Global Contractors lists 'Invoice, expense, and contract management'.",
    "source": "https://www.oysterhr.com/pricing",
    "read_on": "2026-10-09"
   },
   {
    "feature": "expenses",
    "plans": [
     "Global Contractors"
    ],
    "quote": "Invoice, expense, and contract management",
    "context": "On the Global Contractors card. Misclassification protection (Oyster Shell) is listed there as an add-on, not as part of the plan.",
    "source": "https://www.oysterhr.com/pricing",
    "read_on": "2026-10-09"
   }
  ],
  "note": "From the vendor's own pages, with plan, source and reading date. Documented by the vendor, not tested by us; our own tests are in task_evidence."
 }
}