What AI Training Work Pays: 14 Platforms Rated by Evidence

Summary

The article compares advertised hourly pay for AI training work across 14 platforms, presenting 27 pay bands ranging from under $3 to $250. It emphasizes that these are advertised rates, not guaranteed wages, and notes that the highest band is Mercor's $250 while Toloka lists less than $3. Eleven platforms publish some payout schedule, but only four publish a rating, and the available ratings include a low of 1.2 based on 293 reviews. Each pay band is assigned an evidence class based on a first-party listing, two agreeing guides, or a single source marked as a claim rather than a fact; sources are named and dated, disagreements are shown without averaging, and seven corrections have been published. The comparison also tracks three access tiers across six countries, indicating that eligibility is a significant part of the platform experience. Its ownership section identifies Meta as holding 49% of the market leader, while the article separately maps pay, payment timing, access, ratings, and ownership. The site says it was prepared by one person, with plotting and page code drafted with an AI assistant, but no figure generated by a model. All values are manually transcribed, denominated in USD per hour, and presented as advertised rates rather than advice.