Why look elsewhere? Users often leave SME Careers because of Waiting on a project match, and maximum-only rates. Below are platforms that solve this specific pain point.
SME Careers requires an interview on 100% of listings we've checked (n=97).
SME Careers pays weekly through Deel, but work depends on a project matching your profile, and its listings publish a maximum rate only. If you are waiting on a match, or want to see a full rate before you apply, these platforms hire the same experts.
Mercor has the most open roles we track, and Handshake the highest median rate
SME Careers ranks 4th of 5 on median hourly pay and 3rd of 5 on open roles we track among the platforms on this page.
| Platform | Open roles we track | Median hourly listing | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| SME Careers | 261 | $50 | Weekly |
| Mercor | 1,404 | $75 | Weekly |
| Micro1 | 393 | $70 | Not published |
| Handshake | 210 | $80 | Not published |
| Alignerr | 60 | $22.50 | Weekly |
Roles and rates as listed by each platform, from our dataset on October 4, 2026. Some platforms post only part of their work as public listings, so a low count can undercount available work. Medians cover hourly listings only and need at least 10 of them. "Not tracked" means we don't collect that platform's listings.
Mercor hires professionals as contractors to train and evaluate AI models, with more open roles than any other platform we track. Fields run from law, medicine and finance to software, STEM and languages, and listed hourly rates have a $75 median. You apply with one AI interview and a one-time Persona ID check, and pay lands every Wednesday via Stripe or Wise.
We track 1,404 open Mercor roles with a $75 median hourly listing, against 261 and $50 on SME Careers. It pays on the same schedule: weekly.
💬 Real User Feedback
"Mercor was my first experience with training AI and working intensely in a remote setting. I've been around for six months plus and while nothing is perfect, Mercor is darned close. I've met some amazing colleagues and learned a tremendous amount about AI."
– Steven W. • Jan 22
"Out of all the AI training companies I've worked for, Mercor has the highest pay rates and the most available projects. Even though it can take a while to get accepted into a project, it's definitely worth the wait."
– B Maly • Jan 20
"The hourly rate was good and competitive compared to other platforms. However, the work was not always consistent and availability varied month to month."
- ✓ Paid every Wednesday for the previous work week
- ✓ More open roles than any other platform we track
Every role starts with an AI interview
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Mercor
Multimodal Image Expert
Task Writer: Project Agentic-MME
Baseball Fan – Live MLB Game AI Evaluator (US)
Micro1 vets professionals once with its AI interviewer, Zara, then matches them to projects that train and evaluate AI models. Engineering is one track among many: legal, healthcare, STEM, business and language roles make up most of the board. Listed hourly rates have a $67.50 median, legal and healthcare roles post the highest, and pay runs through Deel in USD twice a month.
We track 393 open Micro1 roles with a $70 median hourly listing, against 261 and $50 on SME Careers.
💬 Real User Feedback
"Everything was good. Only after the interview it asked me to upload my CV but suddenly the screen changed before I could upload it. Minor hiccup aside, the AI interview process was smooth and professional."
– Hassan • Jan 22
"The entire interview setup was incredibly exemplary. I barely found any hitch or difficulties while answering the questions. The AI interviewer was responsive and the process felt natural."
– Arham • Jan 22
"Zara often interrupted my answers to give her own responses. She did not allow time for me to consider an answer to a question before trying to move on. Otherwise, it was a unique experience and an interesting way to conduct interviews."
– Suzanne Fisher • Jan 21
- ✓ One AI interview covers future role matches
- ✓ Paid in USD twice a month through Deel
Interview runs on camera with screen share
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Micro1
Simulation Expert — Real-to-Sim 3D Environments & Assets
Investment Banking Associate
Korean Language Expert
The Handshake AI Fellowship pays people with associate to PhD backgrounds to evaluate and improve AI models. It is open to US-based applicants with valid work authorization, and the fellowship page states $40 to $125 an hour. Onboarding includes an ID check, a background check and an assessment, and payouts go out weekly through Stripe. A proposed class action filed in July 2026 alleges fellows are misclassified as contractors; Handshake had not responded as of August 2026.
We track 210 open Handshake roles with a $80 median hourly listing, against 261 and $50 on SME Careers.
💬 Real User Feedback
"I still freelance with them. They are kind, helpful and understanding. I am always paid on time and paid very well. The platform connects students with real employers who respect their time."
– Barbara D. • Dec 27
- ✓ Fellowship page states $40 to $125 an hour
- ✓ Weekly payouts through Stripe
US-based applicants with valid work authorization only
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Handshake
Management Consultant
Technical Professional
Robotics Engineering Expert
Alignerr is Labelbox's contributor platform for code challenges, domain prompts, voice data and rubric grading. Its homepage states $10 to $280 an hour, each project lists its rate before you start, and contributors are paid weekly through Deel. Every contributor passes a Persona ID check, some jobs add a Zara AI interview or skills assessment, and each project starts with a calibration phase. Its organic Trustpilot reviews average 4.6 out of 5 in our study, the highest of the platforms we track.
We track 60 open Alignerr roles with a $22.50 median hourly listing, against 261 and $50 on SME Careers. It pays on the same schedule: weekly.
💬 Real User Feedback
"Not too much to add. Zara is amazing, and the feedback is great. I really enjoyed the whole onboarding experience and found it very professional."
– Victor David Vendrell L. • Jan 21
"Easy and clear information provided throughout the process. Good AI tools that make the work straightforward and efficient."
– Rodrigo Alcázar S. • Jan 21
"Good place for remote work with flexible scheduling. However, projects often have strict time limits that can feel rushed. Overall a decent platform if you can work quickly."
- ✓ Rate listed on each project before you start
- ✓ Paid weekly through Deel
Persona identity check for every contributor
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Alignerr
Software Engineer Task Author (AI Training)
CFD Engineer — AI Task Designer (OpenFOAM)
CFD Engineer — AI Task Designer Remote (OpenFOAM)
Keep your SME Careers profile open, since matches come from it. Run Mercor or Micro1 next to it so a quiet week there still pays somewhere.