Ethos and the Handshake AI Fellowship both pay experts by the hour, and they screen for different things. Handshake AI is open to US-based applicants with valid work authorization and an associate to PhD background, states $40 to $125 an hour, and pays weekly through Stripe after an ID check, a background check and an assessment. Ethos is open worldwide, builds your profile from one AI voice interview, and matches you inbound, with listings we track at an $80 median and payment terms set per project. In the US, both are open to you. Elsewhere, Ethos is.
Quick verdict
Both sit at the same listed median: Ethos $80/hr median (middle half $70 to $100, 260 distinct listed rates across 260 open listings) vs Handshake $80/hr median (middle half $75 to $100, 206 distinct listed rates across 210 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026. How we count.
Typical Pay (Median)
Not comparable
Not enough rate data to compare.
Faster Onboarding
Ethos
Ethos: Fast (AI voice interview, then inbound matching) Handshake: Varies (ID check, background check, assessment)
Global Access
Limited to Specific Regions
Ethos: Global (some specialist roles require US/UK licensing) Handshake: US only (valid work authorization; F-1 CPT/OPT eligible)
Trustpilot Score
Ethos
Ethos: 4/5 Handshake: 1.5/5
The Case for Ethos
Ethos builds your profile from one AI voice interview, then matches you inbound across AI training, advisory calls, market research and fractional roles. Listings we track pay $35 to $225 an hour with an $80 median. Each project confirms its rate and payment terms in writing before you start, invoices are due within three days of a project closing, and Ethos can ask for a third-party identity check before paying you.
The Case for Handshake
The Handshake AI Fellowship is open to US-based applicants with valid work authorization; F-1 students on CPT or OPT can qualify, STEM OPT is excluded. Onboarding includes an ID check, a background check and an assessment, and no prior AI experience is required. The fellowship page states $40 to $125 an hour, and payouts go out weekly through Stripe. A proposed class action filed in July 2026 alleges fellows are misclassified as contractors.
| Metric | Ethos | Handshake |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Pay (Median) | –
Generalist median: $0/hr
Specialist median: $80/hr
| $85/hr
Generalist median: $85/hr
Specialist median: $80/hr
|
| Payment Schedule | Set per project (weekly, monthly or at completion), after you invoice | Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the prior Mon-Sun week |
| Geo Accessibility | Global (some specialist roles require US/UK licensing) | US only (valid work authorization; F-1 CPT/OPT eligible) |
| Onboarding Speed | Fast (AI voice interview, then inbound matching) | Varies (ID check, background check, assessment) |
| Top User Complaint | "Some reviewers describe the mandatory AI voice interview as pushy" | "Employer spam" |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4/5 | 1.5/5 |
Ethos
Ethos is a London expert network that onboards you with an AI voice interview instead of a form, then routes inbound matches across AI training work, paid expert calls, market research and fractional or full-time roles. Listings we track pay $35 to $225 an hour with an $80 median, mostly in business and professional-services fields. Each project confirms its rate and payment terms in writing before you start, and you invoice when it closes.
- ✓ Listings we track pay $35 to $225 an hour, median $80
- ✓ One voice interview builds your profile, then matches come to you
- ✓ Rate and payment terms confirmed in writing before each project
💬 User Feedback
"Do not go ahead with the AI interviews for this company. They are unethically training there AI model with everything you say in your interview... I applied recently & have heard nothing back since. A similar pattern for a lot of others. They are also now leaving fake positive reviews to mask this. Be warned."
– Declan • May 16
"There are no jobs. There is a reason they are so pushy asking you to do their AI interview-- they are harvesting your expertise. They are using long AI interviews to train their AI models for free using experts who think they are interviewing for paid work. Several of my friends and colleagues who are also experts in the field did the interviews and none of us got any paid work. I did a search and many are mentioning the same fraudulent scam on Reddit"
– Del Blanc • May 26
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Ethos
Pitch Deck Specialist Expert
Enterprise Account Executive (B2B) Expert
People Ops / Recruiting Generalist Expert
Handshake
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.
- ✓ Fellowship page states $40 to $125 an hour
- ✓ Weekly payouts through Stripe
- ✓ No prior AI experience required
💬 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
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Handshake
Management Consultant
Technical Professional
Robotics Engineering Expert
Ethos vs Handshake: common questions
- Which pays more, Ethos or Handshake?
- Both sit at the same listed median: Ethos $80/hr median (middle half $70 to $100, 260 distinct listed rates across 260 open listings) vs Handshake $80/hr median (middle half $75 to $100, 206 distinct listed rates across 210 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026.
- Which is easier to start, Ethos or Handshake?
- Ethos onboards faster. Ethos: Fast (AI voice interview, then inbound matching). Handshake: Varies (ID check, background check, assessment). Ethos has no interview-rate data yet; Handshake has no interview-rate data yet.
- Can I work on both Ethos and Handshake?
- Yes. Both are independent-contractor platforms with separate accounts and separate payouts (Ethos: Set per project (weekly, monthly or at completion), after you invoice; Handshake: Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the prior Mon-Sun week). 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.