Choosing a platform
The best AI training platforms, ranked by what they pay
Updated · By the AI Training Pay team · How we research
We track 15 AI training platforms. Four publish their listings with pay, so we rank those by what their live roles pay today. The other 11 keep work behind a login, so we show what they officially state instead. Rankings change as listings do; this page rebuilds with the data.
Ranked by live pay
Platforms whose listings we don't track yet
Side by side
| Platform | Best for | How it screens | Pay schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercor | Professionals and PhDs: medicine, law, finance, engineering | Resume + AI interview | Weekly (Stripe) |
| micro1 | STEM, medical and finance experts; language specialists | 20-40 min AI interview | Twice a month |
| Handshake AI | Students, recent grads and PhD candidates | Handshake account + application | Weekly, per third-party guides |
| Alignerr | Coders, language speakers and audio work | Assessment per listing | Not published |
| Outlier | Generalists, coders and language speakers | Onboarding + skill tests | Weekly, processed Tuesdays |
| DataAnnotation | Writers and coders who want steady chatbot evaluation | Starter assessment | PayPal, days after you request |
| Prolific | Spare-time studies and AI tasks, no credentials | Sign-up, often a waitlist | PayPal from a $6 balance |
| Invisible | Specialists who want a defined contract role | Application + assessment | Not published |
| Turing | Software engineers with US time-zone overlap | Timed technical test | Monthly, per third-party reviews |
| Remotasks | Existing workers in countries where it's still open | Free training course per task type | After tasks are verified |
| Appen | Search evaluation, language and transcription work worldwide | Profile + project qualification exam | Monthly via CrowdGen |
| TELUS Digital AI Community | Part-time search and AI raters; PhD 'data partners' | Qualification exam | Not published |
| Toloka | Microtasks anyone can start, plus specialized projects | None to start; qualifications unlock more | Twice a month (Mindrift) |
| OpenTrain AI | Freelancers who want to set their own rate | AI interview + skill tests per client | Escrow, set by each client |
| Braintrust | Vetted engineers and designers adding AI work | Recorded video interview | Set per contract |
Schedules and screening are sourced on each platform's profile page. Live pay is the median midpoint of listed hourly ranges.
How to choose
- Have a degree or license? Start with Mercor and micro1, where expert roles cluster. Then check your field page, for example medicine or law.
- Student or new grad? Handshake AI recruits you directly.
- Strong writer, coder or bilingual? Outlier, DataAnnotation and Alignerr.
- Want something to do on a lunch break? Prolific.
Comparing two in detail? Every pairing has its own page, such as Mercor vs micro1 and Outlier vs DataAnnotation.
Questions people ask
Which AI training platform pays the most?
Among platforms with public listings, micro1 has the highest median right now at $90 an hour. Field matters more than platform, though: a physician earns more on any of them than a generalist does on the best one.
Which AI training platform is best for beginners?
Outlier, DataAnnotation and Prolific accept people without an advanced degree. Prolific is the easiest to join but pays least; Outlier and DataAnnotation pay more but screen with skills tests.
Can you work on more than one platform?
Yes, and most experienced trainers do. Platforms hire contractors, not employees, so you can hold accounts on several. Check each project's confidentiality terms.
Which platforms pay fastest?
Mercor and Outlier pay weekly, micro1 twice a month, DataAnnotation sends PayPal payouts within a few days of a request, and Prolific lets you cash out to PayPal once you have $6 approved. First payments usually take longer because of account checks.