Head-to-head
Outlier (Scale AI) vs Mercor
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.
Outlier (Scale AI)
MercorOutlier (Scale AI) vs Mercor: the short answer
, AITraining.jobs lists 5 open Outlier (Scale AI) roles and 232 open Mercor roles (typical pay $55 to $150 an hour, median $75).
Mercor pays more on typical work ($55-$150/hr typical (live median $75) vs Outlier (Scale AI)'s $15–$50/hr; specialists to ~$100/hr), and its ceiling is higher too.
Both are expert networks, so the barrier to start is similar: gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Both hire for AI Evaluation, Writing, Coding, Math & STEM, and Domain Experts; Outlier (Scale AI) also covers Multilingual; Mercor also covers Agentic & RL Envs and Red-Teaming.
Right now Mercor has more live roles (232 vs 5).
Bottom line: Mercor pays more while the barrier to start is similar, so pick Mercor for the higher rate, or Outlier (Scale AI) if its specific work fits you better.
| Outlier (Scale AI) | Mercor | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $15–$50/hr; specialists to ~$100/hr | $55-$150/hr typical (live median $75) |
| Work model | Expert network · Expert queue (Scale AI) | Expert network · Expert credential marketplace |
| Kinds of work | AI Evaluation, Writing, Coding, Math & STEM, Domain Experts, and Multilingual | Domain Experts, Coding, Math & STEM, Agentic & RL Envs, AI Evaluation, Red-Teaming, and Writing |
| How you get paid | Weekly (Tuesdays) via PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer. | Weekly via Stripe (1099 contractors). |
| Where you can work | Global remote; English projects dominate, with multilingual projects. | Global (45+ countries); many projects timezone- or country-restricted (US/UK/AU premiums). |
| Open roles now | 5 live | 232 live |
| Worker sentiment | Trustpilot 4.1/5 (5,505 reviews, bimodal), read 15 Oct 2026 | Glassdoor ~4.0/5; ~81% would recommend |
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.
5 open roles now →Best for professionals and specialists chasing the highest rates.
232 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.
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Outlier (Scale AI) vs Mercor: common questions
Which pays more, Outlier (Scale AI) or Mercor?
Mercor pays more on typical work ($55-$150/hr typical (live median $75) vs Outlier (Scale AI)'s $15–$50/hr; specialists to ~$100/hr), and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Outlier (Scale AI) or Mercor easier to get started with?
Both are expert networks, so the barrier to start is similar: gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Can you work on both Outlier (Scale AI) and Mercor?
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, Writing, Coding, Math & STEM, and Domain Experts. Signing up for one does not affect the other.