Heard vs Oyster HR

**Heard** provides done-for-you bookkeeping and year-round tax filing specifically for U.S. therapy practices. It's a service, not just software. You get a dedicated team managing your finances monthly. The focus is on removing financial admin so therapists can see clients. **Oyster HR** is a technology platform for global workforce management. It lets you hire, pay, and manage employees and contractors in 180+ countries. It offers Employer of Record services to avoid setting up local entities. The focus is on scaling distributed teams compliantly. **Key Difference:** Heard is a specialized financial service for a single industry in one country. Oyster HR is a broad HR platform for global businesses. They solve entirely different problems.

**Heard** offers two plans: Essential ($169/month) for solo practices and Premium ($255/month) for group practices and S Corps. Annual billing saves 15%. There's no free trial. Catch-up bookkeeping costs $99 per month of records needed. **Oyster HR** pricing is tiered and per-seat. The Contractor plan starts at $29/month per contractor. The Employer of Record plan is $699 per employee per month. Annual EOR subscriptions save $1,200 per hire. A free 30-day trial is available for the Contractor plan. **Key Difference:** Heard's pricing is fixed and based on practice type. Oyster HR's costs scale directly with the number of global team members you hire.

**Heard** works exclusively with health and wellness private practices in the United States. This includes therapists, psychologists, counselors, and nurse practitioners. It does not serve non-health practices or practices outside the U.S. or with multiple owners. **Oyster HR** serves companies that need to hire talent internationally. This includes startups, scale-ups, and enterprises building distributed teams. It's designed for HR leaders and founders managing global compliance and payroll. There is no industry restriction. **Key Difference:** Heard has a very narrow, industry-specific audience. Oyster HR has a broad, global audience across all industries.

**Heard** is built solely for U.S.-based therapy practices. Its services, from tax filing to compliance, are tailored to U.S. law and financial systems. It does not support practices based outside the United States. **Oyster HR** is a global platform. Its EOR service covers 120+ countries for hiring full-time employees. Compliance tools and payroll management span over 180 countries. It supports payments in 140+ currencies. **Key Difference:** This is the most fundamental difference. Heard is domestic and specialized; Oyster HR is international and scalable.

**Heard** provides year-round tax support, including quarterly estimates and filing personal or business tax returns. For Premium plan S Corps, it handles Form 1120S and reasonable salary guidance. This is proactive tax management, not just end-of-year filing. **Oyster HR** provides built-in compliance for hiring and paying employees in 180+ countries. It generates compliant contracts, handles IP assignment, and mitigates legal risks. Local payroll experts offer guidance. This is about avoiding misclassification and legal penalties in multiple jurisdictions. **Key Difference:** Heard's compliance is deep and specific to U.S. therapy practices. Oyster HR's compliance is wide and covers global employment laws.

**Heard** focuses on ongoing financial management. Onboarding likely involves setting up bank connections and understanding your practice's finances. The speed of this process isn't a primary feature. **Oyster HR** emphasizes speed. The Employer of Record service can onboard a new full-time employee in as fast as 48 hours. Contractor onboarding takes just minutes. This allows companies to hire and deploy talent globally very quickly. **Key Difference:** Oyster HR's ability to rapidly onboard international talent is a major differentiator. Heard's service is more of a continuous relationship.

**Heard** provides unlimited messaging and live phone support from real people. Questions are answered within 1-2 business days. It also offers group onboarding sessions and webinars. The support is specialized for therapists. **Oyster HR** users consistently praise the support team as highly responsive, polite, and patient. Trustpilot reviews highlight quick answers, often within a day. Support is noted for being helpful throughout the hiring process, though time zone differences can sometimes cause delays. **Key Difference:** Both have strong support reputations. Heard's is specialized and guaranteed. Oyster HR's is praised for speed and friendliness in user reviews.

**Heard** provides clear, understandable financial reports designed to help therapists see their practice's health without confusing jargon. The interface is likely simple, focused on presenting financial data. **Oyster HR** is described as having a user-friendly and streamlined interface. Users note the platform is clear and easy to understand, making global compliance feel less complex. The system is efficient for onboarding and managing global teams. **Key Difference:** Both aim for clarity. Heard's is in financial reporting; Oyster HR's is in the overall HR platform experience.