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Compare · AI training & evaluation · updated 13 Oct 2026

Ethos vs Mercor

Quick take

Ethos pays more per hour in practice: about $143/h at the middle of its realistic range, against $83/h on Mercor.
Mercor pays sooner: first money from 7 days, against 14 on Ethos.
Mercor is open in more places (worldwide, except Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria) than Ethos (not published).
Neither costs anything to start.
Ethos is open with grade B (reliable source); Mercor is turbulent with grade A (official source).

Side by side

Ethos and Mercor compared on the same fields and dates
	Ethos Grade B: Reliable source Grade B means: Reliable source. The grade says how well-sourced this page is, not how good Ethos is. More in the glossary Open status, as of 13 Oct 2026 Checked 4 days ago	Mercor Grade A: Official source Grade A means: Official source. The grade says how well-sourced this page is, not how good Mercor is. More in the glossary Turbulent status, as of 13 Oct 2026 Checked 4 days ago
Realistic pay	≈ $60–225/h Realistic hourly equivalent	≈ $16–150/h Realistic hourly equivalent
Advertised	—	$20–250/h what the platform says
Median listed rate	$80/h aitrainer.work (P. Romeo), 12 Oct 2026	$75/h aitrainer.work (P. Romeo), 12 Oct 2026
At 10 h/week	≈ $2,580–9,675/mo our estimate	≈ $688–6,450/mo our estimate
First money	14–60 days	7–60 days Days to weeks from application to first contract; first Stripe payout has a 7-day hold
Fees	—	None for talent; instant payout 1% (optional)
Cost to start	$0	$0
Hours	no minimum async + scheduled calls	no minimum async (some projects set weekly caps or minimums)
Where it's open	Not published	Worldwide, except Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria
Education	professional experience	varies by listing; top rates need graduate degree, license or senior industry experience
Status	Open as of 13 Oct 2026	Turbulent as of 13 Oct 2026
Grade	B · Reliable source 3 sourced facts	A · Official source 11 sourced facts
Checked	13 Oct 2026	13 Oct 2026
The catch	Engagements are irregular	2026: a reported data breach via a supply-chain attack on the LiteLLM library was followed by six proposed class actions (pending, allegations not proven). The platform collects ID documents and biometric data for verification, so the stakes of a breach are high

Pay figures are what platforms advertise or what workers report, each with its date. They are not typical or guaranteed earnings: yours depend on your skills, hours, location and how much work is available. Each figure has its source on the entry's page.