Head to head

Atlas HXM vs Oyster

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Atlas HXM

$599/employee/mo

Direct-entity employer of record. Public EOR starts at $599 per employee per month; contractors from $199/month.

Where Atlas HXM fits

Companies that want direct-entity EOR rather than a hybrid partner model
Finance teams that can model a public PEPM
Contractor-of-record needs at a lower published rate
Buyers comparing Deel and Remote on the same $599 headline

Oyster

$699/employee/mo 30 day free trial

Global EOR, payroll, and contractor payments. EOR is $699/employee/mo. Contractors are free for 30 days, then $29/mo.

Where Oyster fits

Companies hiring full-time staff in 120-plus countries
Teams that want a contractor 30-day trial
People ops that need Workday or BambooHR sync
Buyers who want a public developer API

At a glance

Detail	Atlas HXM	Oyster
Starting price	$599/employee/mo	$699/employee/mo
Free tier	–No	–No
Free trial	Not on record	30 day free trial
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	–No	✓Yes
Listed under	EOR	EOR, HRIS
Capterra	Not enough reviews	4.6 from 91 reviews

Where they pull apart

Atlas HXM

Stands out: Owned entities rather than a partner-of-partners network, with a public PEPM instead of a pure quote.

Watch out: The $599 is the platform EOR fee, not salary plus statutory cost.

Not the right fit for

US-only payroll
Buyers who need the cheapest published EOR fee in the category

Oyster

Stands out: Public EOR and contractor prices, plus a documented developer API and HRIS connections.

Watch out: EOR is $699 per employee. People Services advisory is $300 per hour. Annual discounts apply on EOR.

Not the right fit for

Startups shopping for a sub-$200 EOR fee
Teams that only need US payroll

Pros and cons

Atlas HXM

Owned-entity EOR rather than a partner mosaic
Public $599 PEPM and $199 contractor rates
SSO with Okta, Microsoft, and Google Workspace

Headline PEPM matches Deel/Remote, not a discount play
Integration list is not published in detail
Not an ATS

Oyster

Published EOR fee of $699/employee/mo
Contractors free 30 days, then $29
Public developer API

EOR is expensive vs low-cost rivals
People Services is $300/hour
EOR still starts with sales

What each one costs

Atlas HXM

$599/employee/mo

Confirm current pricing on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

Oyster

$699/employee/mo

EOR is $699/employee/mo with annual discounts. Contractors are free for 30 days, then $29/contractor/mo. People Services is $300/hour. Global payroll is listed separately. The 30-day trial applies to contractors. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Atlas HXM cheaper than Oyster?

Atlas HXM starts lower, at $599/employee/mo against $699/employee/mo for Oyster. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Atlas HXM or Oyster for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Oyster offers a 30 day free trial.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Atlas HXM alternatives All Oyster alternatives Every EOR tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 18 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?