Alignerr and Mercor both screen with an AI interview, and both pay weekly. Alignerr is Labelbox's contributor platform: it states $10 to $280 an hour, lists each project's rate before you start, and pays through Deel. Mercor lists far more open roles, across law, medicine, finance, software and languages, with a $75 median listed rate, and pays every Wednesday through Stripe or Wise. Alignerr suits people who want to see project rates up front. Mercor suits people who want the widest choice of roles.
Quick verdict
Mercor pays more on live listings: Alignerr $23/hr median (middle half $23 to $35, 60 distinct listed rates across 60 open listings) vs Mercor $75/hr median (middle half $50 to $100, 1,361 distinct listed rates across 1,404 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026. How we count.
Typical Pay (Median)
Mercor
$75/hr listed median · 233% higher
Faster Onboarding
Similar
Alignerr: Varies (ID check, interview or assessment, then calibration) Mercor: Varies (AI interview, then a client match)
Global Access
Alignerr
Alignerr: Global Mercor: 130+ countries via Stripe, plus Brazil, UAE, Nepal and Turkey via Wise
Trustpilot Score
Alignerr
Alignerr: 4.8/5 Mercor: 4.5/5
The Case for Alignerr
Alignerr is Labelbox's contributor platform. Every contributor passes a Persona identity check, some jobs add a Zara AI interview or a skills assessment, and each project starts with a calibration phase where sample work is reviewed. Rates are listed in each project description before you start, from a stated $10 to $280 an hour, and contributors are paid weekly through Deel with no minimum hours.
The Case for Mercor
Mercor screens every applicant with an AI interview and a one-time Persona identity check, then matches you to roles as clients need them. It lists more open roles than any other platform we track, with a $75 median listed rate and an average contracted rate of $109 an hour stated on its homepage. Pay lands every Wednesday through Stripe or Wise, in 130+ countries, into an account in your own legal name.
| Metric | Alignerr | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Pay (Median) | – | $75/hr
Generalist median: $75/hr
Specialist median: $75/hr
|
| Payment Schedule | Weekly (Deel) | Weekly, every Wednesday (Stripe or Wise) |
| Geo Accessibility | Global | 130+ countries via Stripe, plus Brazil, UAE, Nepal and Turkey via Wise |
| Onboarding Speed | Varies (ID check, interview or assessment, then calibration) | Varies (AI interview, then a client match) |
| Top User Complaint | "Payment delays on specific projects (Vera)" | "Strict activity tracking" |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Interview Required (from listings) | Not enough tracked listings yet | 98% (n=143) |
| Typical Contract Length (from listings) | Not enough tracked listings yet | 3–23.5 weeks (n=121) |
| Full-Time Commitment (35+ hrs/wk, from listings) | 0% (n=448) | 4% (n=554) |
Interview, hours, contract-length, and timezone figures come directly from live job listings we track and manually verify, not platform marketing copy.
Alignerr
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.
- ✓ Rate listed on each project before you start
- ✓ Paid weekly through Deel
- ✓ Open to applicants worldwide
💬 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
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)
Mercor
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.
- ✓ Paid every Wednesday for the previous work week
- ✓ More open roles than any other platform we track
- ✓ Homepage states an average contracted rate of $109/hr
💬 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
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Mercor
Multimodal Image Expert
Task Writer: Project Agentic-MME
Baseball Fan – Live MLB Game AI Evaluator (US)
Alignerr vs Mercor: common questions
- Which pays more, Alignerr or Mercor?
- Mercor pays more on live listings: Alignerr $23/hr median (middle half $23 to $35, 60 distinct listed rates across 60 open listings) vs Mercor $75/hr median (middle half $50 to $100, 1,361 distinct listed rates across 1,404 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026.
- Which is easier to start, Alignerr or Mercor?
- Onboarding time is similar. Alignerr: Varies (ID check, interview or assessment, then calibration). Mercor: Varies (AI interview, then a client match). Alignerr has no interview-rate data yet; 98% of Mercor's 143 tracked listings require an interview.
- Can I work on both Alignerr and Mercor?
- Yes. Both are independent-contractor platforms with separate accounts and separate payouts (Alignerr: Weekly (Deel); Mercor: Weekly, every Wednesday (Stripe or Wise)). 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.