Gusto
Gusto is an all-in-one HR platform that automates payroll, manages employee benefits, and streamlines hiring and onboarding processes for small to medium-sized businesses looking to simplify their people operations.
Oyster
Oyster is a global employment platform that helps you hire, pay, and care for talented team members in over 180 countries without setting up local entities.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Gusto | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Website | gusto.com | oysterhr.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $40/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2011 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | London, United Kingdom |
Overview
Gusto
Gusto simplifies how you manage your team by bringing payroll, benefits, and HR into one intuitive platform. You can run payroll in just a few clicks, with all local, state, and federal tax filings handled automatically. Beyond just payments, the platform helps you support your team with health insurance, 401(k) plans, and workers' compensation, all integrated directly into your payroll workflow to ensure compliance and accuracy.
You can also streamline your entire employee lifecycle from recruitment to offboarding. Use the platform to send offer letters, conduct digital onboarding, and track time and attendance without switching between different tools. Whether you are hiring your first employee or managing a growing team across multiple states, you get the tools you need to stay organized and compliant while focusing on growing your business.
Oyster
Oyster simplifies the complexity of building a distributed team by acting as the employer of record for your international hires. You can onboard full-time employees or contractors in minutes, ensuring every contract complies with local labor laws and tax regulations. The platform handles the heavy lifting of global payroll, localized benefits, and tax filings so you can focus on growing your business instead of navigating foreign bureaucracy.
You can manage your entire global workforce from a single dashboard, providing a consistent experience for every team member regardless of their location. Whether you are a small startup hiring your first international developer or a mid-market company expanding into new regions, the platform provides the infrastructure needed to scale globally. It eliminates the need for expensive legal fees and the months of work typically required to establish international entities.
Overview
Gusto Features
- Automated Payroll Run payroll in minutes with automatic tax calculations and filings for all 50 U.S. states.
- Benefits Administration Sync medical, dental, and vision plans directly with your payroll for seamless premium deductions and enrollment.
- Digital Onboarding Send offer letters and collect signed documents electronically so your new hires are ready on day one.
- Time Tracking Track employee hours and PTO requests that automatically sync with your payroll to eliminate manual data entry.
- Compliance Alerts Stay ahead of changing labor laws with automated notifications and access to certified HR experts for guidance.
- Employee Self-Service Give your team their own portal to download paystubs, view tax forms, and manage their personal information.
Oyster Features
- Global Onboarding. Onboard new hires in minutes with localized employment contracts that automatically follow the specific labor laws of their home country.
- Automated Payroll. Pay your entire international team in their local currencies with a single monthly invoice, eliminating manual wire transfers and exchange headaches.
- Localized Benefits. Offer competitive, country-specific benefits packages including health insurance and pension plans to attract and retain top global talent.
- Contractor Management. Manage your global contractors alongside full-time employees, ensuring correct classification and providing streamlined invoicing and payment workflows.
- Compliance Monitoring. Stay protected with continuous monitoring of changing local regulations, ensuring your team remains compliant with evolving global employment standards.
- Intellectual Property Protection. Secure your company's assets with ironclad IP assignment clauses built into every contract, regardless of where your team members live.
Pricing Comparison
Gusto Pricing
- Full-service payroll for one state
- Employee self-service profiles
- Basic hiring and onboarding tools
- Gusto wallet mobile app
- Standard payroll reports
- Workers' comp administration
- Everything in Simple, plus:
- Multi-state payroll capabilities
- Next-day direct deposit
- Time tracking and PTO management
- Advanced hiring and onboarding
- Performance management tools
Oyster Pricing
- Hire in 180+ countries
- Automated contract generation
- Simple invoice management
- Local currency payments
- IP protection
- 24/7 help center access
- Everything in Contractor, plus:
- Full Employer of Record services
- Localized benefits administration
- Dedicated onboarding specialist
- Automated tax filings
- Compliance guarantee
Pros & Cons
Gusto
Pros
- Extremely intuitive interface that requires almost no training
- Automated tax filings save hours of manual work
- Seamless integration between payroll and employee benefits
- Helpful automated reminders for important compliance deadlines
Cons
- Customer support response times can be slow during peak seasons
- State tax registration assistance is limited for new businesses
- Advanced HR features require the most expensive plan
Oyster
Pros
- Extremely fast onboarding process for international hires
- Intuitive user interface simplifies complex HR tasks
- Excellent customer support during the hiring process
- Transparent flat-fee pricing for full-time employees
- Strong focus on employee experience and localized benefits
Cons
- Higher price point compared to some competitors
- Limited customization for specific internal HR workflows
- Occasional delays in localized support for niche regions