The Handshake AI Fellowship and Outlier both pay for AI training work by the hour. Outlier, Scale AI's freelance platform, works in about 50 countries, onboards in 30 to 90 minutes, and pays every Tuesday, with listed rates of $8 to $50 an hour on its open roles. Handshake AI is US-only and onboards more slowly, with an ID check, a background check and an assessment, but states $40 to $125 an hour and pays weekly through Stripe. Outlier is quicker to start. Handshake AI pays more per hour if you qualify.
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 Outlier AI $20/hr median (middle half $13 to $28, 11 distinct listed rates across 11 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026. How we count.
Typical Pay (Median)
Handshake
$80/hr listed median · 310% higher
Faster Onboarding
Outlier AI
Handshake: Varies (ID check, background check, assessment) Outlier AI: Fast (30 to 90 minutes, per Outlier)
Global Access
Limited to Specific Regions
Handshake: US only (valid work authorization; F-1 CPT/OPT eligible) Outlier AI: About 50 countries (list not published)
Trustpilot Score
Outlier AI
Handshake: 1.5/5 Outlier AI: 4.2/5
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 Outlier AI
Outlier is Scale AI's freelance platform. Onboarding takes 30 to 90 minutes, with an ID and mobile number from your country of residence, and Outlier says it works in about 50 countries without publishing the list. You see each project's rate before you start; open listings run $8 to $50 an hour. Pay goes out every Tuesday by PayPal, Airtm or ACH, and the queue can sit empty between projects.
| Metric | Handshake | Outlier AI |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Pay (Median) | $85/hr
Generalist median: $85/hr
Specialist median: $80/hr
| – |
| Payment Schedule | Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the prior Mon-Sun week | Weekly, every Tuesday (PayPal, Airtm or ACH) |
| Geo Accessibility | US only (valid work authorization; F-1 CPT/OPT eligible) | About 50 countries (list not published) |
| Onboarding Speed | Varies (ID check, background check, assessment) | Fast (30 to 90 minutes, per Outlier) |
| Top User Complaint | "Employer spam" | "silent removal from projects without notice" |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.5/5 | 4.2/5 |
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
Outlier AI
Outlier is Scale AI's freelance platform. Contractors write prompts, build grading rubrics and rate model answers across coding, STEM and languages, and pay goes out every Tuesday by PayPal, Airtm or ACH. Rates are set per project and shown before you start. Work comes project by project, so your queue can sit empty between them, which is the most common complaint in reviews.
- ✓ Paid weekly, every Tuesday
- ✓ You see the task rate before you start a project
- ✓ Payout by PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer
💬 User Feedback
"Projects are offered on an unstable basis—sometimes there are many available, and sometimes nothing to work on. Still, the experience is great and the Playground feature is magnificent for practicing and improving skills."
– Luis Á. • Jan 17
"Outlier is a good platform with several project options. The variety of tasks keeps things interesting and the pay is fair for the work involved."
– Olakunle A. • Jan 15
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Outlier
Voice Conversation Quality Evaluator - Thai
Voice Conversation Quality Evaluator - Indonesian
Voice Conversation Quality Evaluator - Chinese (zh-CN)
Handshake vs Outlier AI: common questions
- Which pays more, Handshake or Outlier AI?
- Handshake pays more on live listings: Handshake $80/hr median (middle half $75 to $100, 206 distinct listed rates across 210 open listings) vs Outlier AI $20/hr median (middle half $13 to $28, 11 distinct listed rates across 11 open listings). Updated October 4, 2026.
- Which is easier to start, Handshake or Outlier AI?
- Outlier AI onboards faster. Handshake: Varies (ID check, background check, assessment). Outlier AI: Fast (30 to 90 minutes, per Outlier). Handshake has no interview-rate data yet; Outlier AI has no interview-rate data yet.
- Can I work on both Handshake and Outlier AI?
- Yes. Both are independent-contractor platforms with separate accounts and separate payouts (Handshake: Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the prior Mon-Sun week; Outlier AI: Weekly, every Tuesday (PayPal, Airtm or ACH)). 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.