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Gusto vs Oyster (2024 Comparison)

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Author

Martin Lunendonk

Last Update

Nov 07, 2024

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Excellent Value For Price
4.3

0

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Gusto

Gusto offers a user-friendly platform for managing payroll and HR tasks. With comprehensive automation features and strong benefits management, it's ideal for small to medium-sized businesses.

  • User-friendly interface for easy navigation
  • Comprehensive payroll automation features
  • Strong employee benefits management
  • Limited international compliance features
  • Focuses primarily on domestic operations

Free plan?

No

Starting price

$40 per month
Excellent Value For Price
4.5

0

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Oyster

Oyster excels in international compliance and remote workforce management. It's perfect for businesses looking to expand globally and manage a distributed team effectively.

  • Excellent international compliance capabilities
  • Strong remote workforce management
  • Focus on global operations
  • Requires understanding of international regulations
  • May be complex for domestic-only businesses

Free plan?

Yes

Starting price

USD25 per employee/month

What is Gusto?

Gusto is a comprehensive payroll and HR software designed to simplify the complexities of managing employee benefits, payroll, and compliance. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows businesses to automate payroll processes, manage employee benefits, and ensure compliance with ease. Gusto's intuitive platform helps small to medium-sized businesses streamline their HR tasks, saving time and reducing errors. With features like automated tax filing, direct deposit, and employee self-service, Gusto empowers businesses to focus on growth while ensuring their HR needs are met efficiently.

What is Oyster?

Oyster is a global employment platform that enables companies to hire, pay, and manage a distributed workforce seamlessly. It simplifies the complexities of international hiring by handling compliance, payroll, and benefits for remote employees. Oyster's platform is designed to help businesses expand their talent pool globally without the hassle of navigating different employment laws and regulations. By providing a centralized solution for managing remote teams, Oyster allows companies to focus on growth and innovation while ensuring their global workforce is supported and compliant.

Pros and Cons of Gusto vs Oyster

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Pros & Cons of Gusto

User-friendly interface
  • Gusto's interface is designed with simplicity in mind, making it easy for users to navigate and manage payroll and HR tasks without a steep learning curve.
Comprehensive payroll automation
  • Gusto offers robust payroll automation features, ensuring accurate and timely payments while reducing the risk of errors and saving time for businesses.
Strong employee benefits management
  • Gusto provides a comprehensive system for managing employee benefits, allowing businesses to offer competitive packages and simplify the enrollment process.
Limited international compliance
  • Gusto's focus is primarily on domestic operations, which may limit its effectiveness for businesses looking to expand internationally and manage global compliance.
Domestic operations focus
  • Gusto is designed for small to medium-sized businesses with domestic operations, which may not meet the needs of companies with a global workforce.
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Pros & Cons of Oyster

Excellent international compliance
  • Oyster excels in navigating international employment laws and regulations, making it an invaluable tool for businesses expanding globally and managing a distributed workforce.
Strong remote workforce management
  • Oyster provides robust tools for managing a remote workforce, ensuring seamless operations and effective communication across a global team.
Focus on global operations
  • Oyster is designed to support businesses with global operations, offering features that simplify international hiring, payroll, and compliance.
Understanding international regulations
  • Oyster requires users to have a basic understanding of international regulations, which may be challenging for businesses focused solely on domestic operations.
Complex for domestic-only businesses
  • Oyster's focus on global operations may make it more complex for businesses that do not require international capabilities, potentially leading to unnecessary features.

Gusto vs Oyster: At A Glance

Decision FactorGustoOyster
Value to Price
Good4.2
Excellent4.5
Ease of Use
Excellent4.4
Excellent4.6
Functionality
Excellent4.3
Excellent4.7
Scalability
Good4.1
Excellent4.6
Integrations
Excellent4.3
Excellent4.4
Customer Support
Good4.2
Excellent4.5
Security
Excellent4.4
Excellent4.5
Overall Rating
Excellent4.3
Excellent4.5

Gusto vs Oyster: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features

FeaturesGustoOyster
Payroll Automation
Excellent4.5
Excellent4.3
Employee Benefits Management
Excellent4.4
Good4.2
International Compliance
Good4.0
Excellent4.7
Tax Filing
Excellent4.3
Good4.1
Remote Workforce Management
Good4.1
Excellent4.6
Direct Deposit
Excellent4.5
Excellent4.4

Payroll Automation

Gusto excels in payroll automation, offering a seamless process that saves time and reduces errors. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to set up and manage payroll, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time. Oyster also offers payroll automation, but its focus is on handling international payroll complexities. If your business requires straightforward payroll automation for domestic operations, Gusto is the better choice.

Employee Benefits Management

Gusto provides a comprehensive employee benefits management system, allowing businesses to offer competitive benefits packages. Its platform simplifies the process of managing benefits, making it easy for employees to enroll and manage their benefits. Oyster offers benefits management as well, but its focus is on providing benefits for a global workforce. If your business needs a robust benefits management system for domestic employees, Gusto is the superior option.

International Compliance

Oyster shines in international compliance, offering a platform that simplifies the complexities of hiring and managing a global workforce. Its expertise in navigating different employment laws and regulations makes it an invaluable tool for businesses expanding internationally. Gusto, while offering compliance features, is more focused on domestic operations. If your business requires strong international compliance capabilities, Oyster is the better choice.

Tax Filing

Gusto offers automated tax filing, ensuring businesses remain compliant with tax regulations. Its platform handles tax calculations and filings, reducing the risk of errors and penalties. Oyster also provides tax filing features, but its focus is on international tax compliance. If your business needs reliable tax filing for domestic operations, Gusto is the more suitable option.

Remote Workforce Management

Oyster excels in remote workforce management, providing tools to manage a distributed team effectively. Its platform supports global operations, making it easy to hire, pay, and manage remote employees. Gusto offers remote workforce management features as well, but its focus is on domestic teams. If your business requires strong remote workforce management for global operations, Oyster is the superior choice.

Direct Deposit

Gusto offers direct deposit, allowing employees to receive their paychecks quickly and securely. Its platform makes it easy to set up and manage direct deposit, ensuring timely payments. Oyster also provides direct deposit features, but its focus is on handling international payroll. If your business needs reliable direct deposit for domestic employees, Gusto is the better option.

Pricing Comparison of Gusto and Oyster

We’ve compiled the pricing tables and highlighted the key features of both Gusto and Oyster to aid in your decision-making process. Let’s explore what each platform has to offer.

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Gusto Pricing Plans

Simple
for small businesses
$40

per month

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Simple includes:
  • Basic support for payroll and HR queries.
  • Employee profiles and self-service options available.
  • Basic hiring and onboarding tools for new employees.
  • Gusto-brokered health insurance administration.
Plus
for evolving teams
$60

per month

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Includes Simple, plus:
  • Next-day direct deposit for faster payroll processing.
  • Advanced hiring and onboarding tools for efficient recruitment.
  • PTO management and policies for employee leave.
  • Time tracking and project tracking for better management.
Premium
for scaling businesses
$135

per month

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Includes Plus, plus:
  • HR resource center for comprehensive HR management.
  • Compliance alerts to stay updated with regulations.
  • Access to certified HR experts for expert advice.
  • Full-service payroll migration and account setup.
Contractor Only
for contractor-only businesses
$0

per month

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Contractor Only includes:
  • Efficient management of contractor payments.
  • No monthly base fee for the first 6 months.
  • Simple and straightforward contractor payment processing.
  • Easy integration with existing systems.
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Oyster Pricing Plans

Contractor
For Small Businesses
USD29

per contractor/month

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Contractor includes:
  • Onboard contractors quickly and efficiently in just minutes.
  • Pay invoices seamlessly in 140+ currencies worldwide.
  • Manage expenses, time off, and more with comprehensive tools.
Global Payroll
For Large Enterprises
USD25

per employee/month

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Global Payroll includes:
  • Ensure accurate and compliant employee payments globally.
  • Receive expert support from dedicated payroll specialists.
  • Generate detailed payslips and comprehensive reports.
Employer of Record
For Global Enterprises
USD599

per employee/month

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Employer of Record includes:
  • Onboard talent swiftly, often within 48 hours.
  • Run payroll in 140+ currencies with ease.
  • Access employment intelligence and expert support.
Scale
For Growing Enterprises
Contact sales
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Includes Employer of Record, plus:
  • Reuse seats at no extra cost for flexibility.
  • Benefit from speedy bulk onboarding processes.
  • Access dedicated support managers for assistance.

Our Rating Methodology

We thoroughly evaluate each HR and payroll software, focusing on key aspects like functionality, scalability, and customer support. By analyzing user reviews and conducting in-depth testing, we ensure our recommendations meet diverse business needs. Each evaluation factor is weighted by importance to provide an accurate final rating, helping you make informed decisions.

Decision FactorScoring Weight
Value to Price
20%
20%
Ease of Use
20%
15%
Functionality
20%
25%
Scalability
20%
15%
Integrations
20%
10%
Customer Support
20%
10%
Security
20%
5%

Gusto or Oyster: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?

Choose Gusto If You Need ...

  • User-friendly HR management

    If you are a small to medium-sized business looking for a user-friendly HR and payroll solution, Gusto is the ideal choice. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive features make it easy to manage HR tasks efficiently.

  • Domestic payroll automation

    If you need reliable payroll automation for domestic operations, Gusto is the better option. Its robust automation features ensure accurate and timely payments, reducing errors and saving time for your business.

Choose Oyster If You Need ...

  • Global workforce management

    If you are expanding your business globally and need a platform to manage a distributed workforce, Oyster is the superior choice. Its focus on international compliance and remote workforce management makes it ideal for global operations.

  • International compliance expertise

    If your business requires strong international compliance capabilities, Oyster is the better option. Its expertise in navigating different employment laws and regulations ensures your global workforce remains compliant.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Author

Martin Lunendonk

Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.