Is Mercor legit? Pay, interview and countries (2026)
By AI Global Work editorial team · Facts checked Nov 7 · live numbers update daily
Short answer
Yes. Mercor is a real, venture-funded company that contracts experts for AI lab projects and pays hourly contractors weekly in USD through Stripe or Wise. It can only work with people in the 107 countries on its payout list, it tracks time with screenshots, and projects can end at short notice.
What Mercor is
Mercor is a marketplace that hires professionals (doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, writers, generalists) as contractors on AI training projects for AI labs. Keeper Tax reports it raised money at a $10 billion valuation in October 2025 and pays out more than $4 million a day.
Who can work for Mercor
Mercor can contract and pay people in 107 countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. It also publishes a list of places where it says it cannot onboard anyone, including China, Hong Kong, Kenya, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ukraine and Russia. Individual roles can be narrower still: many list only certain countries.
How getting in works
- Apply to a specific listing. Each one shows a checklist of steps, which you can complete in any order.
- Most roles include an AI interview of about 20 minutes. A finished interview carries over to other roles that need the same one.
- Some roles add assessments, a paid work trial, ID verification and a background check.
- Submit, then wait: Mercor says it can't give feedback on rejections because of the volume of applications.
How Mercor pays
- All contracts are in USD. Hourly contractors are paid every Wednesday (around 12:00 PM PST) for the previous Saturday-to-Friday week, measured in India Standard Time.
- Payouts go through Stripe Connect. In Brazil, Nepal, Turkey and the UAE, Mercor pays through Wise instead, and you must accept each Wise transfer by email.
- Stripe holds your first payout for 7 days. Standard Stripe payouts are free and take up to 5 business days; instant payouts cost 1%.
- Your bank account must be in your own legal name.
What working there is like
Hours are logged in the Insightful desktop app, which can take periodic screenshots, so you need a Windows or Mac computer. Mercor caps weekly hours on projects. Projects end for many reasons, including scope or budget changes; Mercor says an ordinary project ending doesn't affect your standing for new work.
Who it suits
Credentialed specialists who want high hourly rates and can treat the work as project-based income alongside a main job, and who live in one of Mercor's payout countries.
Known issues
Dated, with the source for each. We recheck these when we update the guide.
- Nov 7No feedback on rejected applications: Mercor says application volume makes it impossible. Source
- Nov 7First payout held 7 days by Stripe; Wise payouts stall until you accept the emailed transfer. Source
- Nov 7Time tracking with periodic screenshots; hours can be withheld after a human review for policy violations. Source
- Oct 7Keeper Tax reports a March 2026 data breach exposing contractor IDs, followed by lawsuits, plus pending contractor-classification suits. Source
Questions people ask
Is Mercor a real company?
Yes. Mercor is a venture-funded marketplace that contracts experts for AI lab projects. Keeper Tax reports a $10 billion valuation from October 2025.
Does Mercor actually pay?
Yes. Hourly contractors are paid every Wednesday in USD for the previous week, through Stripe Connect (or Wise in a few countries). Stripe holds the first payout for 7 days.
Which countries can work for Mercor?
Mercor lists 107 countries it can pay. It says it cannot onboard people in places including China, Hong Kong, Kenya, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ukraine and Russia.
How long is the Mercor AI interview?
About 20 minutes for most roles. You can practise first, and retake an official interview up to three times.
Why was my Mercor application rejected?
Mercor says it can't share specific feedback because of the volume of applications. Applying to roles that closely match your background is the best lever you have.
Can I put Mercor on my LinkedIn?
Yes. Mercor's policy lets you say you worked as a contractor for Mercor, but not name its clients, list a client as your employer, or share client work or screenshots.
Best-paid Mercor roles right now
Oncologist
Mercor
Medicine · United States only
Luxury Automotive Strategy Expert
Mercor
Generalist · Countries not confirmed
Radiologist
Mercor
Medicine · Countries not confirmed