The Handshake AI Fellowship and Mercor both pay hourly for expert AI evaluation, and both pay weekly. Handshake AI is open only to US-based applicants with valid work authorization, states $40 to $125 an hour, and onboards with an ID check, a background check and an assessment. Mercor pays out in 130+ countries, screens with an AI interview and a one-time ID check, and lists the most open roles of any platform we track. Both have listed-rate medians in the $75 to $80 range. In the US, apply to both. Elsewhere, Mercor is the option.
Quick verdict
Handshake pays more on live listings: Handshake $80/hr median (middle half $75 to $100, 206 distinct listed rates across 210 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)
Handshake
$80/hr listed median · 7% higher
Faster Onboarding
Similar
Handshake: Varies (ID check, background check, assessment) Mercor: Varies (AI interview, then a client match)
Global Access
Limited to Specific Regions
Handshake: US only (valid work authorization; F-1 CPT/OPT eligible) Mercor: 130+ countries via Stripe, plus Brazil, UAE, Nepal and Turkey via Wise
Trustpilot Score
Mercor
Handshake: 1.5/5 Mercor: 4.5/5
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.
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 | Handshake | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Pay (Median) | $85/hr
Generalist median: $85/hr
Specialist median: $80/hr
| $75/hr
Generalist median: $75/hr
Specialist median: $75/hr
|
| Payment Schedule | Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the prior Mon-Sun week | Weekly, every Wednesday (Stripe or Wise) |
| Geo Accessibility | US only (valid work authorization; F-1 CPT/OPT eligible) | 130+ countries via Stripe, plus Brazil, UAE, Nepal and Turkey via Wise |
| Onboarding Speed | Varies (ID check, background check, assessment) | Varies (AI interview, then a client match) |
| Top User Complaint | "Employer spam" | "Strict activity tracking" |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.5/5 | 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) | Not enough tracked listings yet | 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.
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
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)
Handshake vs Mercor: common questions
- Which pays more, Handshake or Mercor?
- Handshake pays more on live listings: Handshake $80/hr median (middle half $75 to $100, 206 distinct listed rates across 210 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, Handshake or Mercor?
- Onboarding time is similar. Handshake: Varies (ID check, background check, assessment). Mercor: Varies (AI interview, then a client match). Handshake has no interview-rate data yet; 98% of Mercor's 143 tracked listings require an interview.
- Can I work on both Handshake and Mercor?
- Yes. Both are independent-contractor platforms with separate accounts and separate payouts (Handshake: Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the prior Mon-Sun week; 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.