Oyster HR
Wave
| Feature | Oyster HR | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $29/mo | Free / from $16/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | remote-first-companies, global-teams, startups, international-employers | freelancers, solopreneurs, micro-businesses, side-hustlers |
| Founded | 2019 | 2010 |
| Global Hiring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Payroll | ✓ | ✗ |
| Benefits | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compliance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Contractor Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Off | ✓ | ✗ |
| Accounting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Receipt Scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank Connections | ✗ | ✓ |
| Financial Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payments Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Oyster HR Pros
- Hire in 180+ countries
- Handles local compliance
- Good contractor management
- Modern interface
✗ Oyster HR Cons
- Expensive EOR service
- Limited HRIS features
- Support quality varies
✓ Wave Pros
- Core accounting and invoicing completely free
- Unlimited income and expense tracking
- Receipt scanning with OCR included
- Simple enough for non-accountants
✗ Wave Cons
- Payroll and payments are paid add-ons
- No inventory or project tracking
- Limited integrations compared to competitors
The Verdict
Oyster HR is built for remote first companies and global teams, with a focus on global-hiring and payroll. Wave targets freelancers and solopreneurs and leads with accounting and invoicing.
On pricing, Wave is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $16/mo compared to $29/mo for Oyster HR. That $13/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Wave has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Oyster HR requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Wave offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Oyster HR takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.