Two AI-training platforms side by side, from the roles they have open today and what we know about how each hires and pays. Numbers refresh daily.
| AfterQuery | Handshake AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 227 | 207 |
| Median top rate | $80/hr | $125/hr |
| Middle half of rates | $50/hr – $108/hr | $125/hr – $125/hr |
| Highest advertised | $175/hr | $125/hr |
| Open worldwide | 100% of roles | 100% of roles |
| Hires most for | Languages & translation, Medicine & healthcare, Engineering | Engineering, Business & consulting, Science & research |
| Kinds of work | — | — |
| After you apply | You apply to specific tasks, each with its own published pay, rather than waiting to be placed. Onboarding is lighter than Mercor's. | Applications go through Handshake's career platform. Engagements are part-time and fixed-term — typically 10–20 hours a week. |
| How it pays | — | — |
Rates are what open listings advertise (median of the top of each range), not earnings. How we measure pay
Vertical-specific evaluation tasks tagged by domain — coding, finance, law, science.
The Handshake AI Fellowship — structured part-time research engagements for academics.
