Oyster vs Toku (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Oyster if

• Fits if you're a startup making first hires abroad, with up to $1,200 off per hire
• Works for nonprofits and B Corps, which get discounts through Oyster for Impact

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you pay monthly for EOR, at $699 a person against $599 at Deel and Remote
• Skip it if you want an app on your phone, as the pages read mention none
• Not for you if you have your own companies abroad and just need payroll run there
• Watch out: each EOR hire needs a refundable deposit, and paying in another currency adds a conversion fee
• Pricey if you need extras: HR advice is $300 an hour, and benefits, visas and Oyster Shell cover cost more

Pick Toku if

• Fits if you run a crypto or token company with contributors in many countries
• Works for teams that want EOR, contractors and a US PEO from one provider

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you hire several people, as EOR is $599 per employee a month and salary and benefits are extra
• Watch out: foreign exchange and conversion fees are billed separately
• Watch out: the US PEO needs at least 5 employees and depends on your state
• Not for you if you want a free plan or trial, since none is listed

Oyster

• HR advice from People Partner Services is billed at $300 an hour, and benefits, visas and Oyster Shell cover cost extra.
• Each EOR hire needs a refundable deposit, and a conversion fee applies if you pay in a currency other than the contract's.
• Covers 120+ countries for EOR and 180+ for contractors; the pricing page does not list them. Billing is in USD, EUR, GBP or CAD.
• It runs in a web browser; the pages read mention no mobile app.

Toku

• List prices are per worker per month and the final quote depends on country, pay and benefits; terms are agreed before onboarding.
• FX and conversion fees are billed separately under the client agreement.
• The US PEO needs at least 5 employees and is limited by state eligibility.
• The pricing page shows a banner for 3 months of EOR fees waived with no terms stated there.

Oyster

Employer of record

Hire full-time staff in 120+ countries without a local entity; Oyster employs them and handles onboarding, offboarding and local compliance.

Multi-country payroll

Pays team members in 120+ currencies, with expenses, time off and reports handled in the same platform.

Global contractors

Generate contracts in 180+ countries, verify identity, approve invoices and expenses, and check the risk of misclassifying a worker.

Reusable annual seats

Annual EOR seats cost less than monthly billing and can be reused for a new hire or a backfill when someone leaves.

Add-on services

Benefits packages, visa sponsorship, salary bands for 130+ countries and Oyster Shell misclassification cover of up to $500,000.

Integrations and API

Approve time off and expenses in Slack, sync data from ATS and HRIS tools such as Ashby and Workable, link 5,000+ apps through Zapier, or use the API.

Toku

Employer of record

Toku becomes the local employer and handles contracts, payroll, statutory filings, benefits and social contributions in the 100+ countries it lists.

Stablecoin and local-currency payouts

Payouts can be set to fiat, stablecoin or token by worker, country or entity.

Contractor management

Localized agreements, digital onboarding, invoice approvals and finance ledgers.

Token grant administration

Tracks grants and vesting, captures fair market value at vest and aligns tax withholding with payroll.

Integrations with existing payroll

Its FAQ says it integrates with ADP, Workday, Gusto, UKG and SAP so stablecoin payouts can sit beside an existing payroll system.

Oyster

• Global Contractors$29

  per contractor / month, after 30 days free

  Contracts in 180+ countries, payments in 120+ currencies, ID checks, invoice and expense handling and a misclassification analyzer.

• Employer of Record$699

  per employee / month, billed monthly

  Employment in 120+ countries with multi-currency payroll, expenses, time off, onboarding specialists and local experts. Annual seats cost less.

Toku

• Contractor Management$19

  per contractor / month and up

  Onboarding, localized agreements, invoice approvals and payouts. Price depends on contractor count, payment frequency, country and currency mix and share of stablecoin payouts.

• Agent of Record (AOR)$149

  per contractor / month and up

  Toku acts as agent of record for contributors, with centralized invoicing and high-volume payouts.

• PEO (US)$89

  per employee / month

  Payroll processing, W-2 administration and HR support for US teams of at least 5 employees that arrange benefits through their own broker; subject to state eligibility.

• Employer of Record (EOR)$599

  per employee / month

  Service fee only. Toku is the local employer; salary, employer contributions and benefits are additional.

• Token Grant Administration$1,200

  per month for up to 49 stakeholders

  Token grant and vesting schedule management with payroll-aligned tax reporting.

Oyster

• Startups

  Startup discount of up to $1,200 per hire

  Companies that raised pre-seed, seed or Series A, or are bootstrapped with under 50 employees, save up to $1,200 per team member on EOR fees in their first 12 months.

• Nonprofit

  Oyster for Impact discounts

  Certified nonprofits and B Corporations anywhere can enroll in Oyster for Impact for discounts on Oyster's global employment products.

• Annual discount

  Lower EOR fee with annual seats

  Oyster sells Employer of Record seats billed annually at a reduced fee; the pricing page does not give the figure.

• Other savings

  Oyster for Refugees

  Companies hiring refugee talent through Oyster can do so at no cost or at a discount, according to its pricing page.

Toku

No public discounts listed.