Ten platforms, side by side.
Every number here comes from the 1,367 listings open today, not from the platforms’ marketing pages. Pay is the top of each listing’s stated hourly range.
| Platform | Open jobs | Median top rate | Typical range | Beginner-friendly | Hires most for | Countries named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SME CareersSuperAnnotate’s subject-matter expert network. | 246 | $50/hr | $20–100/hr | 48 | Languages, Generalist | United States, India, Bangladesh |
 micro1Hourly AI-training contracts, from recent grads to specialists. | 230 | $95/hr | $30–200/hr | 46 | Generalist, Medicine & health | United States, United Kingdom, Canada |
 MercorExpert contracts for AI labs, screened by an AI interview. | 227 | $84/hr | $40–170/hr | 43 | Science & engineering, Generalist | United States, Canada, Germany |
 AfterQueryResearch datasets built by working experts. | 224 | $80/hr | $30–135/hr | 48 | Voice & audio, Generalist | United States, United Kingdom |
 Handshake AIAI training work from the Handshake student and grad network. | 173 | $80/hr | $47–125/hr | 14 | Science & engineering, Generalist | Canada, India, Mexico |
 TuringCoding, reasoning and language work for frontier labs. | 107 | $15/hr | $15–30/hr | 56 | Finance & business, Software & data | India, Pakistan, Bangladesh |
 EthosPaid expert opportunities across business and professional fields. | 102 | $80/hr | $70–100/hr | – | Finance & business, Generalist | Mostly not stated |
 Babel AudioVoice, conversation and transcription work, by language. | 37 | $17/hr | – | 37 | Voice & audio | Brazil, United States, Canada |
 MindriftToloka’s freelance AI tutor platform. | 19 | $70/hr | $39–70/hr | – | Medicine & health, Science & engineering | United States |
 OutlierScale AI’s contributor platform, here for specific projects. | 2 | Not stated | – | 1 | Law & compliance, Voice & audio | United States |
“Typical range” is the 10th to 90th percentile of listing top rates. “Countries named” counts only listings that name countries; plain “Remote” is not counted as worldwide.
Which ones should you try?
You have deep expertise
Highest median top rates today: micro1, Mercor, AfterQuery. Apply where your exact specialty has a listing.
You live outside the US
Most listings that name non-US countries: SME Careers, Mercor, Handshake AI. Use the country filter on the job list to see exactly which.
You’re just starting
Most beginner-friendly listings: Turing, SME Careers, AfterQuery. Expect lower rates and stricter tests; that’s the trade for no degree requirement.