Deel is the better EOR for most Asia hiring. It costs $100/month less than Oyster, onboards faster in every Asian market, and owns entities in all 10 countries it covers. Oyster’s edge is narrow but real: a bundled equity module that handles stock option grants across jurisdictions, and no upfront salary deposit. If you’re an early-stage startup issuing options to a distributed Asia team, Oyster earns a look. Everyone else should default to Deel.
At a Glance
| Dimension | Deel | Oyster HR |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Monthly Fee (EOR) | $599/mo | $699/mo |
| Monthly Fee (Contractor) | $49/mo | $29/mo |
| Countries | 150+ | 180+ |
| Asia Countries | 10 | 8 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco | Remote-first |
| Founded | 2019 | 2020 |
| G2 Reviews | 11,900+ | 1,000+ |
| Best For | Speed, owned entities, scale | Equity management, no deposit |
Pricing
Deel charges $599/mo per employee. Oyster charges $699/mo. That’s $100/mo per head — $12,000/year across 10 employees in Singapore or India.
Oyster’s contractor rate is lower at $29/mo versus Deel’s $49/mo. If you’re running a contractor-heavy team with occasional EOR conversions, that $20 difference per contractor partially offsets the higher EOR fee. For a team with 5 EOR employees and 10 contractors, the net cost favours Deel by roughly $4,560/year.
Oyster doesn’t require an upfront salary deposit. Deel requires one month’s salary per employee. For a 10-person Singapore team at $5,000/month average, that’s $50,000 locked up in Deel’s account until offboarding. Cash-constrained startups should factor this in.
Asia Coverage
Deel covers 10 Asian markets through owned entities: Singapore, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong.
Oyster covers 8 — the same set minus South Korea and Hong Kong. Vietnam and Thailand run through partner entities, not Oyster-owned. That distinction matters: when a compliance question surfaces in Hanoi, Oyster’s partner answers it, not Oyster’s own legal team.
If Vietnam or Thailand is a major hiring hub, Deel’s owned-entity coverage is the safer bet. If you only need Singapore, India, and the Philippines, both work fine.
Onboarding Speed
| Market | Deel | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 1–2 days | 2–4 days |
| India | 2–3 days | 3–5 days |
| Philippines | 2–3 days | 3–5 days |
| Indonesia | 3–5 days | 5–7 days |
| Japan | 3–5 days | 5–10 days |
Deel is consistently 1–2 days faster across every Asian market. If time-to-first-payroll is the deciding factor — say, a hire with a start date already agreed — Deel wins without qualification.
Equity Management
Oyster’s standout feature. Its equity module handles stock option grants with country-specific tax treatment across jurisdictions. For a startup issuing options to engineers in Singapore, India, and the Philippines, Oyster keeps equity administration on the same platform as payroll. No separate Carta subscription, no manual tax calculations per country.
Deel also supports equity grants, but the depth of jurisdiction-specific tax handling in Oyster’s module is stronger for early-stage companies. If equity is table stakes in your offer letters and you’re hiring across 3+ Asian countries, this feature alone can justify Oyster’s $100/month premium.
If you’re not issuing equity, this advantage is irrelevant and Deel is the obvious pick.
Platform and Support
Deel’s platform is deeper: 100+ integrations including Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, BambooHR, Workday, Slack, and Okta. Oyster has fewer integrations but a cleaner onboarding flow and built-in compliance guides that are genuinely useful for first-time EOR buyers.
Support is a gap for Oyster. Response times run 24–48 hours for non-urgent queries. Deel claims 91% first-contact resolution and offers in-app chat that typically responds faster. Neither provider offers phone support for standard tiers.
Which to Choose
Choose Deel if:
- You need the fastest Asia onboarding — 1–2 days in Singapore
- Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, or Hong Kong are in scope
- You’re scaling past 10 employees and want owned-entity assurance in every market
- Deep HRIS integrations matter for your existing HR stack
- You don’t issue equity or already manage it through Carta
Choose Oyster if:
- You’re an early-stage startup issuing stock options to a distributed Asia team
- No upfront salary deposit is a meaningful cash-flow consideration
- Your hiring is limited to Singapore, India, and the Philippines — where both providers are comparable
- Lower contractor pricing ($29 vs $49) matters for a contractor-heavy team
They’re equal for: Core compliance in Singapore, India, and the Philippines. Both own entities and process payroll accurately in these markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Deel cheaper than Oyster? Yes — $100/mo per employee cheaper ($599 vs $699). Over 10 employees, that’s $12,000/year. Oyster has cheaper contractor pricing ($29 vs $49) and no salary deposit requirement, which partially offsets the gap for small teams.
Does Oyster cover Vietnam and Thailand? Oyster covers both through partner entities, not owned subsidiaries. Deel owns its entities in Vietnam and Thailand. If either country is a major hiring hub, Deel offers more control over compliance.
Which is better for startups issuing equity in Asia? Oyster. Its equity module handles country-specific tax treatment for stock option grants across jurisdictions. Deel supports equity but Oyster’s implementation is more integrated for early-stage companies.
How do onboarding speeds compare for Singapore? Deel: 1–2 business days. Oyster: 2–4 business days. If a hire needs to start Monday and it’s already Wednesday, Deel is the safer bet.
Does Oyster require an upfront deposit? No. Deel requires one month’s salary per employee, refunded at offboarding. For cash-constrained startups, this is a real differentiator.
