Oyster charges $699 and RemoFirst $199. Where does the $500 a month go?
Summary
Summary
Most of it maps onto three differences in kind. Oyster's figure is a list price, it employs through its own entities in some countries, and it takes a deposit before anything is signed. RemoFirst's figure is a starting price, it employs through local partners, and it promises no fees around the edges. For one person over a year that is $8,388 against $2,388. The $6,000 weighs more the lower the salary: on $30,000 in the United States the fee is 28% of pay at Oyster and 8% at RemoFirst. Two things keep the gap from being final. RemoFirst's $199 rises in some countries, and its page does not say whether it takes a deposit.
The year, with the salary beside it
On this site's US formula:
| US salary | Statutory employer cost | Oyster fee, year | Share of salary | RemoFirst fee, year | Share of salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $2,337 | $8,388 | 28.0% | $2,388 | 8.0% |
| $90,000 | $6,927 | $8,388 | 9.3% | $2,388 | 2.7% |
| $180,000 | $13,812 | $8,388 | 4.7% | $2,388 | 1.3% |
On the first row Oyster's fee is 3.6 times the statutory cost. On the last, both fees are under half of it and the difference fades.
What Oyster's page states and RemoFirst's does not
- A deposit. Oyster takes a refundable one per employee, normally a month, invoiced within two business days, and shares no agreement until it clears. RemoFirst's page is silent; this site could not open its knowledge base (HTTP 403).
- Billing currencies. Oyster: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD. RemoFirst: not stated.
- The annual deal. Oyster sells seats for the year and lets an emptied seat be reused for a backfill. RemoFirst says only that there is no minimum term.
- The employing entity. Oyster: "owned entities and vetted partners." RemoFirst: vetted in-country partners.
What RemoFirst's page states and Oyster's does not
- No setup, onboarding or termination fees (Oyster says setup is "included in your subscription fee," which comes to the same thing)
- No minimum headcount
- A free contractor tier; Oyster's is free for 30 days and then $29
- Optional health cover from $55; Oyster's benefits package has no price on the page
Where the $500 goes
Oyster's list price carries a deposit up front, four billing currencies, reusable annual seats and, in some countries, employment through Oyster's own entity. RemoFirst's starting price carries partner employment and a promise of nothing extra.
"Goes" is the wrong verb. Part of Oyster's $500 pays for things Oyster keeps (its own entities), part for things it hands you (currencies, seats). RemoFirst has neither and is cheaper for it. Which is the better deal depends on whether the currencies and the seats are worth anything to you.
The two open items
- What RemoFirst's $199 becomes in your country. The page says only that it "may vary based on local country requirements."
- Whether RemoFirst takes a deposit. Third parties say a month's salary; no primary source confirms it.
If the answers come back "$199, no deposit," the gap is $6,000. If they come back "$299 in your country, one month's deposit," the gap is $4,800 and the signing month costs the same cash at both.
| Oyster HR | RemoFirst | |
|---|---|---|
| Published EOR fee | $699, list, annual discount available | From $199, starting, varies by country |
| One employee, 12 months | $8,388 | $2,388 |
| Deposit | Normally one month, before any agreement | Not stated; unconfirmed |
| Employing entity | Owned entities and partners | Partners |
| Billing currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD | Not stated |
| Contractors | Free 30 days, then $29 | Free tier, or Premium at $25 |
| Checked | 2026-10-01 | 2026-10-01 |
See Oyster HR EOR pricing See RemoFirst EOR pricing
Links on this page currently go directly to providers without affiliate tracking.
Sources
- https://www.oysterhr.com/pricing
- https://www.oysterhr.com/library/employer-of-record-pricing
- https://www.oysterhr.com/direct-plus
- https://support.oysterhr.com/hc/en-us/articles/34221595587089
- https://www.remofirst.com/price
- https://seatbill.com/employer-of-record/c/us
Related on this site
- Oyster's $699 and the deposit that comes before the contract
- RemoFirst's $199
- Remote and Oyster both charge $699
- Who employs your hire in a country where the EOR has no entity of its own?
Related on this site
- Multiplier against Deel: $100 a month cheaper on paper, with two lines left blank
- Native Teams at $99 and RemoFirst at $199 are the two cheapest EORs. What separates them?
Written by Kaz, independent publisher. No commercial relationship with the providers named unless it is listed on the disclosure page.
Page last updated 2026-10-05. Sources are listed per figure and labeled statutory or payroll reference. Rates last verified 2026-08-21. This is not legal, tax or payroll advice and we do not file anyone's payroll.
Every formula on this site is written out in full on Method. Ordering is by computed cost, never by what a provider pays us.
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