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.
| Handshake AI | Meridial Expert Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 207 | 833 |
| Median top rate | $125/hr | $65/hr |
| Middle half of rates | $125/hr – $125/hr | $65/hr – $65/hr |
| Highest advertised | $125/hr | $200/hr |
| Open worldwide | 100% of roles | 25% of roles |
| Hires most for | Engineering, Business & consulting, Science & research | Languages & translation, Software engineering, Design & creative |
| Kinds of work | — | — |
| After you apply | Applications go through Handshake's career platform. Engagements are part-time and fixed-term — typically 10–20 hours a week. | Your exact rate is set after Meridial weighs your experience and location. Work is an independent-contractor Statement of Work. |
| How it pays | — | — |
Rates are what open listings advertise (median of the top of each range), not earnings. How we measure pay
The Handshake AI Fellowship — structured part-time research engagements for academics.
Invisible Technologies' contractor marketplace — the widest language and dialect coverage we track.
