Head-to-head
micro1 vs Handshake AI
Which pays more, which is easier to start, and which fits the work you want. Compared on real pay, work model, payout, and the roles open right now.
micro1
Handshake AImicro1 vs Handshake AI: the short answer
, AITraining.jobs lists 425 open micro1 roles (typical pay $45 to $180 an hour, median $70) and 186 open Handshake AI roles (typical pay $80 to $215 an hour, median $110).
Handshake AI pays more on typical work ($80-$215/hr typical (live median $110) vs micro1's $45-$180/hr typical (live median $70)), a 79% chance on the rates the two boards state, and its ceiling is higher too.
Handshake AI is easier to get into: of the people we know applied, about 6.5% are accepted there against 3.4% at micro1 (a 78% chance it really accepts more). Both are expert networks: gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Both hire for AI Evaluation, Domain Experts, Coding, Math & STEM, and Agentic & RL Envs; micro1 also covers Data Annotation, Robotics Data, and Multilingual; Handshake AI also covers Writing.
Right now micro1 has more live roles (425 vs 186).
Bottom line: Handshake AI both pays more and is easier to start on here, so it is the default pick; choose micro1 if its specific work (AI Evaluation, Data Annotation, Robotics Data, Domain Experts, Coding, Math & STEM, Agentic & RL Envs, and Multilingual) fits you better.
| micro1 | Handshake AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $45-$180/hr typical (live median $70) | $80-$215/hr typical (live median $110) |
| Work model | Expert network · AI-vetted expert marketplace | Expert network · Credentialed US talent |
| Kinds of work | AI Evaluation, Data Annotation, Robotics Data, Domain Experts, Coding, Math & STEM, Agentic & RL Envs, and Multilingual | AI Evaluation, Coding, Math & STEM, Domain Experts, Agentic & RL Envs, and Writing |
| How you get paid | USD via Deel (bank, PayPal, Wise, Payoneer). | Weekly through Stripe (set up in Handshake AI): Handshake sends each Monday-to-Sunday week's pay to its pay partners by Wednesday afternoon; a W-9 or W-8BEN is required (Handshake AI support, read 2026-10-14). |
| Where you can work | Worldwide, except the 21 places its page for experts says it cannot hire residents of (Ukraine, Ethiopia, Russia, Belarus, China, Hong Kong, Iran and Venezuela among them; read 8 Nov 2026). Heavy multilingual demand. | Primarily US-based with valid work authorization (F-1 students may qualify); some international SWE roles. |
| Open roles now | 425 live | 186 live |
| Worker ratings | Trustpilot 4.7/5 (11,177 reviews) · Glassdoor 4.5/5 (189 reviews) · Indeed 4.8/5 (262 reviews) (read November 2026) | Trustpilot 1.7/5 (32 reviews) (read November 2026) |
Pay shows each platform's live measured band where its feed has enough hourly-stated roles, otherwise our compiled benchmark. How we compile pay.
Best for people with a degree or professional skills who want vetted, higher-skill work.
425 open roles now →Best for professionals and specialists chasing the highest rates.
186 open roles now →Some links on AITraining.jobs are referral links. If you sign up through one, AITraining.jobs may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what a platform pays you.
How their pay compares with the market
micro1. On 11 Nov 2026, 96.0% of its open roles stated an hourly rate. Their 408 distinct advertised rates have a median of $70/hr and typical pay of $45 to $180/hr, against a median of $35/hr across other platforms' rates.Compared within the same kinds of work (11 with enough rates on both sides), the advertised median at micro1 runs 25.1% above other platforms' and is higher in 9 of the 11; the widest gap is in Math & STEM ($90/hr against $40/hr). micro1 Hiring Data
Handshake AI. On 11 Nov 2026, 99.5% of its open roles stated an hourly rate. Their 7 distinct advertised rates (178 more are only an advertised maximum, "up to $X/hr", left out) have a median of $110/hr and typical pay of $80 to $215/hr, against a median of $40/hr across other platforms' rates.In Red-Teaming & AI Safety, the one kind of work where both Handshake AI and other platforms state enough rates to compare, its median is $95/hr against $50/hr (+90.0%). Handshake AI Hiring Data
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micro1 vs Handshake AI: common questions
Which pays more, micro1 or Handshake AI?
Handshake AI pays more on typical work ($80-$215/hr typical (live median $110) vs micro1's $45-$180/hr typical (live median $70)), a 79% chance on the rates the two boards state, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is micro1 or Handshake AI easier to get started with?
Handshake AI is easier to get into: of the people we know applied, about 6.5% are accepted there against 3.4% at micro1 (a 78% chance it really accepts more). Both are expert networks: gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Can you work on both micro1 and Handshake AI?
Yes. They are independent platforms, and many contributors join several at once to keep a steady flow of work, especially since both hire for AI Evaluation, Domain Experts, Coding, Math & STEM, and Agentic & RL Envs. Signing up for one does not affect the other.
More comparisons
Ordered by what applying to their platforms is worth, lifted by a referral boost for a platform that pays us a referral fee; it never changes what a platform pays you.