AfterQuery and Micro1 both hire across many expert fields, and they differ in how they screen and when they pay. AfterQuery runs an unpaid assessment per talent pool, verifies your ID, and pays every Friday through Stripe, with a median listed rate of $85 an hour. Micro1 vets you once with its AI interviewer, Zara, then pays in USD twice a month through Deel, with a $67.50 median and its highest rates in legal and healthcare roles. AfterQuery suits people whose field matches a live project. Micro1 suits people who want one interview to cover future matches.
Quick verdict
AfterQuery pays more on live listings: AfterQuery $87/hr median (middle half $70 to $115, 172 distinct listed rates across 216 open listings) vs Micro1 $70/hr median (middle half $35 to $115, 328 distinct listed rates across 393 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026. How we count.
Typical Pay (Median)
AfterQuery
$87/hr listed median · 24% higher
Faster Onboarding
Micro1
AfterQuery: Medium (assessment, then project invitations) Micro1: Fast (AI interview, results can arrive the next day)
Global Access
Limited to Specific Regions
AfterQuery: 95 Stripe payout countries (48 unsupported) Micro1: Global, except about 20 listed countries
Trustpilot Score
Micro1
AfterQuery: /5 Micro1: 4.6/5
The Case for AfterQuery
AfterQuery hires through talent pools: each pool has one unpaid assessment, there is no pass or fail notice, and you hear back when a matching project opens. Projects typically run two to three weeks at 10 to 20 hours a week, and listed hourly rates have an $85 median. Pay lands every Friday for the prior week's approved work, through Stripe only, in the 95 countries Stripe pays out to, and the first payout has a 7-day hold.
The Case for Micro1
Micro1 vets you once with Zara, its AI interviewer: 20 to 30 minutes on camera with screen share, with live coding on technical tracks, and results that can arrive the next day. Listed rates have a $67.50 median, with legal and healthcare roles at the top and language roles at the bottom. Onboarding includes KYC identity verification, and pay runs through Deel in USD twice a month.
| Metric | AfterQuery | Micro1 |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Pay (Median) | $76/hr
Generalist median: $76/hr
Specialist median: $87/hr
| $58/hr
Generalist median: $57.5/hr
Specialist median: $70/hr
|
| Payment Schedule | Weekly, every Friday (Stripe; Mon-Sun PT pay periods) | Twice a month in USD (Deel) |
| Geo Accessibility | 95 Stripe payout countries (48 unsupported) | Global, except about 20 listed countries |
| Onboarding Speed | Medium (assessment, then project invitations) | Fast (AI interview, results can arrive the next day) |
| Top User Complaint | "Project-based — work arrives in bursts, not a steady queue" | "Unpaid training steps" |
| Trustpilot Rating | /5 | 4.6/5 |
| Interview Required (from listings) | Not enough tracked listings yet | 100% (n=42) |
| Full-Time Commitment (35+ hrs/wk, from listings) | 2% (n=48) | 0% (n=92) |
Interview, hours, contract-length, and timezone figures come directly from live job listings we track and manually verify, not platform marketing copy.
AfterQuery
AfterQuery hires ML researchers, PhD scientists and niche-domain professionals (COBOL, audit accounting, atmospheric modeling) as well as generalists. Hourly listings run $15 to $175/hr with an $85 median, legal, finance and quant roles reach $150 to $175/hr, and pay lands every Friday through Stripe. Each talent pool has one unpaid assessment, projects run 2 to 3 weeks at 10 to 20 hrs/wk and arrive in bursts, and payouts reach the 95 countries Stripe supports.
- ✓ Listed hourly rates have an $85 median, up to $175/hr
- ✓ Paid every Friday, with no fees from AfterQuery
- ✓ Niche domain coverage rare elsewhere (COBOL, EDA, climate ML, audit)
Current Openings
3 latest listings from afterquery
Legal Experts
Biology Experts
Medical Expert
Micro1
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.
- ✓ One AI interview covers future role matches
- ✓ Paid in USD twice a month through Deel
- ✓ Open to most countries worldwide
💬 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
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Micro1
Simulation Expert — Real-to-Sim 3D Environments & Assets
Investment Banking Associate
Korean Language Expert
AfterQuery vs Micro1: common questions
- Which pays more, AfterQuery or Micro1?
- AfterQuery pays more on live listings: AfterQuery $87/hr median (middle half $70 to $115, 172 distinct listed rates across 216 open listings) vs Micro1 $70/hr median (middle half $35 to $115, 328 distinct listed rates across 393 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026.
- Which is easier to start, AfterQuery or Micro1?
- Micro1 onboards faster. AfterQuery: Medium (assessment, then project invitations). Micro1: Fast (AI interview, results can arrive the next day). AfterQuery has no interview-rate data yet; 100% of Micro1's 42 tracked listings require an interview.
- Can I work on both AfterQuery and Micro1?
- Yes. Both are independent-contractor platforms with separate accounts and separate payouts (AfterQuery: Weekly, every Friday (Stripe; Mon-Sun PT pay periods); Micro1: Twice a month in USD (Deel)). Exclusivity, where it exists, is set per project in the agreement you sign, so check each project's terms before overlapping hours.
Both platforms are legitimate and widely used. The best choice depends on your background, goals, and location.