How AI training platforms pay: PayPal, Stripe, Deel, Wise
By AI Global Work editorial team · Facts checked Nov 15 · live numbers update daily
Short answer
Each platform pays through its own provider, and whether that works for you depends on your country. Mercor uses Stripe Connect (Wise in four countries), micro1 uses Deel, Alignerr uses Stripe Connect or PayPal, Outlier uses PayPal, Airtm or ACH, and DataAnnotation uses PayPal only, and CrowdGen offers PayPal, Payoneer, Airtm or bank transfer. Before you apply, confirm that the provider can pay out to an account in your own name where you live.
Platforms with open roles today
From each platform's public listings, refreshed daily. Listed pay is not guaranteed earnings.
| Platform | Open roles | Median rate | Top rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| MercorExpert marketplace that places professionals on AI lab projects. Mostly hourly contracts, many with high rates for specialists.Pay: Set per role. Many listings describe weekly payouts via Stripe or Wise; some pay per task. | 368 | $78/hr | $350/hr |
| micro1AI recruiter (Zara) interviews applicants, then matches experts to AI training and evaluation projects across many fields.Pay: Hourly, paid twice a month. | 353 | $70/hr | $400/hr |
| Anyone AIHires subject experts, PhDs and developers country by country for AI training projects, with a rate listed on each role.Pay: Rate listed per role; confirm payment terms when you apply. | 216 | $40/hr | $150/hr |
| 10x TeamEuropean network placing professionals as freelance AI trainers for 8–20 hours a week. Rates are listed in euros.Pay: Freelance hourly rate in EUR, listed per role. | 125 | €124/hr | €375/hr |
| G2iEngineering network placing senior developers on AI training and evals work.Pay: Hourly contracts. | 29 | $150/hr | $200/hr |
| HumanSignalThe company behind Label Studio. Recruits contributors for data collection, annotation and expert AI-training projects in many countries.Pay: Project-based; confirm rates and payment terms when you apply. | 24 | $10/hr | $100/hr |
| AlignerrLabelbox's expert network. Large catalogue of project roles from generalist writing to specialist coding and science.Pay: Weekly. Some projects pay hourly, others per accepted task. | 23 | $25/hr | $100/hr |
| xAIHires AI Tutors directly, as temporary roles across subjects and languages.Pay: Hourly, as a temporary employee or contractor. | 20 | $35/hr | $50/hr |
| Scale AIRuns the Human Frontier Collective fellowships for senior experts (Outlier is its contributor platform).Pay: Hourly fellowship rates. | 17 | $300/hr | $300/hr |
| TeracSpecialist evaluation projects, especially for medical professionals.Pay: Hourly, rates listed per project. | 11 | $85/hr | $150/hr |
| Handshake AIFellowship program pairing students and experts with AI lab projects.Pay: Hourly fellowship pay. | 3 | $95/hr | $158/hr |
Payout provider and schedule, by platform
- Mercor: hourly contractors are paid every Wednesday in USD for the previous week, through Stripe Connect. In Brazil, Nepal, Turkey and the UAE it pays through Wise instead. Stripe holds the first payout for 7 days.
- micro1: in USD through Deel, twice a month. Work from the 1st to the 15th is paid around the 20th, and the rest of the month around the 5th.
- Alignerr: through Stripe Connect or PayPal, depending on where you live.
- Outlier: weekly on Tuesdays, through PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer.
- DataAnnotation: through PayPal, within a few days of a payout request. PayPal is the only method it lists.
- CrowdGen by Appen: monthly, typically by the 14th for the previous month. You choose local bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer or Airtm, depending on your location.
Platforms that don't name a provider publicly
- Mindrift: paid per completed task, with payments processed every two weeks. The pages we read don't name the payout provider.
- Turing: roles are contractor assignments, and payment terms come with each role.
- OneForma: set per project, per hour, per word or per approved item.
- Prolific: paid per study; see its own site for payout details.
Which countries Mercor can pay
Mercor is the one platform here that publishes a full payout country list: 107 countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. India, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Egypt are on it, for example. Kenya and Pakistan are not. For the other providers, we have not found an official page that lists coverage country by country, so treat it as unclear until you have checked the provider yourself.
What to check before you apply
- Look up the provider's own list of supported countries (PayPal, Stripe, Deel, Wise or Airtm). Receiving money is sometimes restricted even where an account can be opened.
- The payout account must be in your own name. Platforms tie it to your verified identity.
- Most of these platforms pay in US dollars. Check what your bank or provider charges to convert and withdraw.
- Expect a delay on the first payout. Mercor's first Stripe payout is held for 7 days, and its Wise transfers wait until you accept them by email.
- Nobody legitimate offers to “receive your pay for you” for a fee. That is a common route to losing your earnings.
Questions people ask
Which AI training platforms pay through PayPal?
Outlier (alongside Airtm and ACH), Alignerr (PayPal or Stripe Connect, depending on location), CrowdGen by Appen, and DataAnnotation, which lists PayPal as its only method.
Which countries can Mercor pay?
Mercor publishes a list of 107 payout countries. It includes India, the Philippines, Nigeria and South Africa, and leaves out Kenya and Pakistan. Payouts are in USD through Stripe Connect, or Wise in Brazil, Nepal, Turkey and the UAE.
How does micro1 pay?
In USD through Deel, twice a month.
Which platforms pay weekly?
Mercor pays hourly contractors every Wednesday, and Outlier pays every Tuesday. micro1 pays twice a month, and Mindrift says it processes payments every two weeks.
Which platforms pay through Payoneer?
CrowdGen by Appen lists Payoneer among its payout options, alongside PayPal, Airtm and local bank transfer. None of the other official pages we read names Payoneer.
Why was my first payout delayed?
Providers often hold a first payout. Mercor says Stripe holds the first one for 7 days, and Wise payouts wait until you accept the emailed transfer.