Mercor and Turing both match experts to AI lab projects after screening. Mercor uses an AI interview and a one-time ID check, lists the most open roles we track at a $75 median, and pays every Wednesday. Turing has you set your expected rate, then runs skill assessments and live interviews; it does not publish rates, and its help centre says it pays every two weeks by bank transfer. Mercor publishes rates on its listings. Turing hires heavily for software engineering.
Quick verdict
Mercor $75/hr median (middle half $50 to $100, 1,361 distinct listed rates across 1,404 open listings); Turing publishes no rates on its 359 open listings. Updated October 4, 2026. How we count.
Typical Pay (Median)
Not comparable
Turing doesn't publish rates on its listings, so there's nothing to compare.
Faster Onboarding
Similar
Mercor: Varies (AI interview, then a client match) Turing: Slow (assessments, interviews, then a client match)
Global Access
Limited to Specific Regions
Mercor: 130+ countries via Stripe, plus Brazil, UAE, Nepal and Turkey via Wise Turing: Set per listing
Trustpilot Score
Mercor
Mercor: 4.5/5 Turing: 4.33/5
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.
The Case for Turing
Turing is a San Francisco company, founded in 2018, that post-trains large language models for AI labs. You set your expected rate on your profile, then take skill assessments and live interviews before a client match, and strong written English is required. Turing does not publish rates, so figures on our Turing job cards are our estimate. Its help centre says contractors are paid every two weeks by bank transfer.
| Metric | Mercor | Turing |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Pay (Median) | $75/hr
Generalist median: $75/hr
Specialist median: $75/hr
| Not published Turing doesn't list rates. How we handle pay |
| Payment Schedule | Weekly, every Wednesday (Stripe or Wise) | Every two weeks (bank transfer) |
| Geo Accessibility | 130+ countries via Stripe, plus Brazil, UAE, Nepal and Turkey via Wise | Set per listing |
| Onboarding Speed | Varies (AI interview, then a client match) | Slow (assessments, interviews, then a client match) |
| Top User Complaint | "Strict activity tracking" | "Project-based work (1-3 months typical duration)" |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.33/5 |
| Interview Required (from listings) | 98% (n=143) | 85% (n=80) |
| Typical Contract Length (from listings) | 3–23.5 weeks (n=121) | 8.4–14.8 weeks (n=49) |
| Full-Time Commitment (35+ hrs/wk, from listings) | 4% (n=554) | 30% (n=153) |
| Full PST Overlap Required (from listings) | Not enough tracked listings yet | 0% (n=144) |
Interview, hours, contract-length, and timezone figures come directly from live job listings we track and manually verify, not platform marketing copy.
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)
Turing
Turing is a San Francisco company, founded in 2018, that post-trains large language models for AI labs. You set your expected rate on your profile, then take skill assessments and live interviews before a client match, and strong written English is required on every track. Turing does not publish rates, so figures on our Turing job cards are our estimate. Its help centre says contractors are paid every two weeks by bank transfer.
- ✓ You set your expected rate on your profile
- ✓ Remote work with US companies
- ✓ Raised a $111M Series E at a $2.2B valuation (March 2025)
💬 User Feedback
"Working remotely with Turing has eased my life. Whenever I face any difficulties, I approach the developer success team; they are available 24*7. I'm currently doing my master's, and I can manage my job and studies as I now have a flexible schedule. The payment is not an issue anymore; I get my salary on time."
– Satisfied Developer • Jun 20
"Good platform overall. Good pay and transparent communication. Only issue is that sometimes the approval process for opportunities takes too long."
– Engineer • Sep 2
Current Openings
3 latest listings from Turing
Biomedical Informatics SME
CAD and Engineering Expert
Development and Programming Expert
Mercor vs Turing: common questions
- Which pays more, Mercor or Turing?
- Mercor $75/hr median (middle half $50 to $100, 1,361 distinct listed rates across 1,404 open listings); Turing publishes no rates on its 359 open listings. Updated October 4, 2026.
- Which is easier to start, Mercor or Turing?
- Onboarding time is similar. Mercor: Varies (AI interview, then a client match). Turing: Slow (assessments, interviews, then a client match). 98% of Mercor's 143 tracked listings require an interview; 85% of Turing's 80 tracked listings require an interview.
- Can I work on both Mercor and Turing?
- Yes. Both are independent-contractor platforms with separate accounts and separate payouts (Mercor: Weekly, every Wednesday (Stripe or Wise); Turing: Every two weeks (bank transfer)). 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.