On 26 October 2026, we listed 269 open micro1 roles and 295 Mercor roles. The median listed hourly rate was $67.50 at micro1 and $80 at Mercor. The table shows how many roles of each platform we list in each field and the pay they list.

Compare the two inside your own field, because a platform-wide median mixes fields with different listed rates.

Field by field

Fieldmicro1 rolesmicro1 medianMercor rolesMercor median
STEM33$67.5093$84.50
Generalist52$45.5047$70
Coding36$7542$80
Languages23$27.5049$50
Law52$127.5013$105
Medicine33$97.5029$150
Finance14$102.5011$90
Writing14$68.7511$70
Robotics9$140-
Trades3-0-

Fields are ordered by the number of roles on the two platforms together. A dash means fewer than 5 hourly rates, too few for a median.

  • Law: we list 52 micro1 roles with a median of $127.50 and 13 Mercor roles with a median of $105.
  • Medicine: we list 33 micro1 roles with a median of $97.50 and 29 Mercor roles with a median of $150.
  • Coding: we list 36 micro1 roles with a median of $75 and 42 Mercor roles with a median of $80.
  • STEM: we list 33 micro1 roles with a median of $67.50 and 93 Mercor roles with a median of $84.50.

These four are expert fields. The count says how many roles you can choose from, and the median says what those roles list. Neither says how fast a platform hires or how many hours a project gives.

2,605 open roles at 22 platforms today

See all 2,605 rolesCompare the platforms

How the two list their roles

  • micro1 posts 261 hourly rates on its 269 roles, with a middle half from $50 to $110.
  • Of the 295 Mercor roles we list, 259 show an hourly rate, with a middle half from $55 to $105.

Roles on both platforms can list a maximum only or no hourly rate. Where a platform lists a range, we count the middle of it, so a role posted at $40 to $60 counts as $50.

Best-paid expert roles

For doctors, lawyers, PhDs and scientists: the highest hourly pay listed on the 23 platforms we read. Chosen by pay only, at most two per platform.

Referral link: we may earn a fee if you join through it. How this works

How each one pays and how you get in

The money cycle differs. micro1 pays in US dollars twice a month through Deel, around the 5th and the 20th (micro1 payroll policy). Mercor's talent documents say hourly contractors are paid every Wednesday for the previous work week, through Stripe Connect or Wise (read October 2026).

The interview differs too. micro1's recorded AI interview runs 20 to 40 minutes, about 7 minutes per skill. Mercor's runs about 20 minutes, with role-specific questions and up to three retakes (micro1 library and Mercor talent docs, read October 2026).

Both hire in some countries only. micro1 says it cannot hire in 21 countries and regions (its expert page, read 18 October 2026), and each role states its own location rule. Mercor says it cannot onboard experts or issue contracts in a location missing from its supported-countries page (read 22 October 2026). Check the country in the posting and on those pages before you spend time on an interview.

Where to read more

Each platform has its own page: micro1 and Mercor. For the three-way comparison with Outlier, see micro1 vs Mercor vs Outlier. The checks of each company are in is micro1 legit and is Mercor legit, and the pay in micro1 pay rates and Mercor pay rates. AI Work Central is an independent site, not affiliated with micro1 or Mercor.

What to watch out for

  • The listed rate is the posting's. What you earn depends on the hours a project offers and on passing the platform's tests.
  • Roles open and close every day, so the counts move.
  • Both platforms hire for some countries only. Check the country in the posting.
  • A role listed as hourly can turn out to pay per task. Check the pay structure in the contract, and read the clauses on interview recordings and the use of your data before you sign.
  • Never pay to join. The US FTC advises walking away from anyone who asks for an upfront fee for a job (consumer.ftc.gov, job scams, read October 2026).

How we count

Each role counts once, at the middle of its listed hourly range in US dollars. A role that lists only a maximum counts at that maximum. Company-wide ranges that are not the pay of a role are left out. There is no median with fewer than 5 rates. Method: AI Training Pay Index.

Prepare the interview: practice questions for each kind of role.

Sources

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