Multiplier is $299/mo cheaper per employee than Oyster — that’s $17,940/year on a 5-person Asia team. For ASEAN-focused hiring, Multiplier is the clear winner on price, compliance depth, and support responsiveness. Oyster makes sense if you’re building a genuinely global team where Asia is one region among several, and the polished employee experience matters more than the cost difference.

Quick Verdict

• Choose Oyster if you want a polished, people-first platform with strong global coverage and transparent self-serve pricing
• Choose Multiplier if you’re primarily hiring in Southeast Asia and South Asia, want the best price, and value ASEAN-native compliance expertise

Oyster vs Multiplier — Side-by-Side

Pricing

Oyster: $699/mo per EOR employee. Annual plans available. Contractor management from $29/mo.

Multiplier: $400/mo per EOR employee — a 43% lower price for comparable EOR functionality across core Asia markets. For a team of 5 employees in Asia, Multiplier saves $17,940/year vs Oyster. Contractor management from $40/mo.

This is not a marginal difference. Unless Oyster offers something specific that your workflow requires, that gap is hard to justify for Asia-focused hiring.

Asia Coverage

Both have strong Asia-Pacific coverage with owned entities across the region.

Multiplier was built out of Singapore and has native ASEAN expertise. Its in-country teams in Singapore, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam have deeper operational knowledge of local norms — not just legal compliance, but how compensation, benefits, and retention actually work in each market.

Oyster has broader global coverage (180+ countries) and is a better fit if you’re building a genuinely global team where Asia is one of several regions. Its depth outside Asia is stronger than Multiplier’s.

Platform and Employee Experience

Oyster is consistently praised on G2 for onboarding experience, employee self-service portal, and benefits transparency. Oyster Benefits provides local health and dental options across many Asia markets. The dashboard is clean and intuitive. For HR managers where the employee’s first impression matters, Oyster’s UI scores well.

Multiplier has invested heavily in its platform since 2023 and is now broadly comparable in functionality. Some reviewers note it feels more operationally-focused than employee-experience-focused — its strengths are speed of onboarding and depth of compliance documentation rather than polished employee portals.

Compliance Depth

Both are comparable at the compliance level for major Asia markets.

Benefits and Equity

Oyster Benefits: A structured marketplace allowing employers to offer local health, life, and dental insurance through Oyster’s network. Available in most Asia markets. Particularly strong in India and the Philippines where benefits are part of the competitive compensation package.

Multiplier Benefits: Similar marketplace approach, covering major Asia markets. Strong in Singapore where comprehensive health insurance is a hiring differentiator.

Neither Oyster nor Multiplier manages equity or stock options as part of the EOR arrangement — that must be handled separately by the parent company with local legal counsel.

Customer Support

Oyster: Rated 4.4/5 on G2. Some reviewers flag slower response times for complex cross-border compliance questions. Standard support is email and ticket-based; premium tiers have faster SLAs.

Multiplier: Rated 4.7/5 on G2 with specific praise for responsive support. Singapore timezone coverage means faster real-time support during Asia business hours. 24/5 live chat on Pro plans.

Who Should Choose Oyster

• You are building a truly global remote team — not just Asia-focused
• Employee experience and portal design are high priorities for your HR team
• You value a more polished, people-first product and the $299/mo premium is acceptable
• You’re in a market where Oyster’s specific benefits partnerships add meaningful value

Who Should Choose Multiplier

• You are primarily hiring in Southeast Asia or South Asia
• The $299/mo per head price difference matters to your budget
• You want ASEAN-native compliance expertise and faster local support
• Onboarding speed is a priority — Multiplier averages faster in most Asia markets

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Oyster or Multiplier cheaper for Asia EOR? Multiplier is significantly cheaper: $400/mo vs Oyster’s $699/mo. For 5 employees over a year, the difference is nearly $18,000. Unless Oyster’s specific features are essential to your workflow, Multiplier is the better value for Asia-focused hiring.

Which has better compliance in India? Both handle PF, ESI, PT, TDS, and Shops & Establishment Act compliance fully. Multiplier has slightly longer India operations history and processes a higher volume of Indian hires. Both are acceptable; Multiplier is the better value.

Does Oyster have a free contractor plan? No free plan. Contractor management from $29/mo — slightly cheaper than Multiplier’s $40/mo starting price for contractors.

Can I switch from Oyster to Multiplier easily? No. Switching EOR providers requires offboarding employees from one platform and re-hiring through the new provider, with a gap period to manage carefully. Plan a 60–90 day transition window and synchronise with contract renewals to minimise disruption.

Which is better for hiring in Indonesia? Multiplier is the stronger choice for Indonesia. Indonesia is a complex EOR market — BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, BPJS Kesehatan, PPh21 withholding, and the Manpower Law’s strict termination rules — and Multiplier’s ASEAN-native team has more direct experience navigating these nuances than Oyster’s global platform.

AK Anchal Katyal Published January 1, 2026