Justworks PEO vs OysterHR

Justworks is a PEO that began operations in 2012, headquartered in New York, NY, originally called Clockwork, Inc. The company has grown rapidly and now serves 9,000 small businesses with less than 100 employees in all 50 states, covering over 160,000 worksite employees. They are certified but not endorsed by the IRS, so they are considered a CPEO. Justworks offers employers a range of services, such as payroll processing, benefits management, tax filing, compliance assistance, employee onboarding and termination, and HR tools and support. Unlike some other PEOs, they offer 24/7 customer service and support by phone, email, chat, Slack, or SMS. Justworks lists two PEO plans on their website, Basic and Plus, at $59 and $99 a month per employee, respectively-- though pricing goes down after the 50th employee. The biggest difference between the plans is that Plus adds medical, dental, and vision insurance. Visitors who register at Justworks' website can download sample plans to compare. Justworks earns a great reputation among its employees as a great place to work, as well as among clients for being reliable and responsive when handling customer inquiries. They are certified by the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC), whose accreditation is considered the gold standard for PEO reliability and financial assurance.

Oyster HR was founded in 2020 with a straightforward mission: to make quality jobs accessible to people everywhere, regardless of geography. Headquartered in the US and operating across more than 180 countries, they have grown rapidly since launch, reaching a valuation of $1.2 billion as of 2024 and raising $286 million in total funding from investors including Salesforce Ventures, PayPal Ventures, and Slack Fund. Their platform is built primarily around Employer of Record services, though they also offer a US PEO product, global payroll, and contractor management. Key features include automated compliance, localized employment contracts, multi-currency payroll, and an employment cost calculator that helps businesses plan hiring budgets by country. On review platforms, they hold a 4.4 out of 5 on G2 and a 4 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with users most frequently praising the onboarding experience, platform usability, and compliance reliability. Common criticisms center on customer support responsiveness and pricing relative to competitors.