Head-to-head
Terac 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.
Terac
MercorTerac vs Mercor: the short answer
On pay, Terac is benchmarked at $40–$350/hr expert; per task to $750; studies $1–$315 and Mercor at $63–$90/hr median listing; experts to $450/hr; their boards do not state enough rates to tell which pays more, so compare against your own hours.
Terac is easier to get into: of the people we know applied, about 3.7% are accepted there against 3.5% at Mercor (a 51% chance it really accepts more). Both are expert networks: gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Both hire for AI Evaluation, Coding, Math & STEM, Domain Experts, and Red-Teaming; Terac also covers Data Annotation and Studies & Surveys; Mercor also covers Agentic & RL Envs and Writing.
Bottom line: Terac accepts more of the people who apply, so it is the easier place to start; pick Mercor instead if its specific work fits you better.
| Terac | Mercor | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $40–$350/hr expert; per task to $750; studies $1–$315 | $63–$90/hr median listing; experts to $450/hr |
| Work model | Expert network · Verified-expert marketplace | Expert network · Expert credential marketplace |
| Kinds of work | Data Annotation, AI Evaluation, Coding, Math & STEM, Domain Experts, Studies & Surveys, and Red-Teaming | Domain Experts, Coding, Math & STEM, Agentic & RL Envs, AI Evaluation, Red-Teaming, and Writing |
| How you get paid | Terac wallet, cashed out through its payout partner, which its safety page names as Whop: $12.50 minimum, up to $10,000 a day; in the few countries the partner cannot pay, through Virtual Incentives (its payment docs, read 8 Nov 2026). | Weekly via Stripe (1099 contractors). |
| Where you can work | Payouts in most countries (its payment docs name no list); many gigs US-only, some US/UK/CA. 420,000+ registered experts, US-heavy (its About page, read 8 Nov 2026). | Many projects are timezone- or country-restricted (US/UK/AU premiums). |
| Open roles now | See platform | See platform |
| Worker ratings | Trustpilot 4.2/5 (60 reviews) (read November 2026) | Trustpilot 4.5/5 (1,554 reviews) · Glassdoor 4.2/5 (195 reviews) · Indeed 3.6/5 (36 reviews) (read November 2026) |
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.
Best for people with a degree or professional skills who want vetted, higher-skill work.
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Terac vs Mercor: common questions
Which pays more, Terac or Mercor?
On pay, Terac is benchmarked at $40–$350/hr expert; per task to $750; studies $1–$315 and Mercor at $63–$90/hr median listing; experts to $450/hr; their boards do not state enough rates to tell which pays more, so compare against your own hours.
Is Terac or Mercor easier to get started with?
Terac is easier to get into: of the people we know applied, about 3.7% are accepted there against 3.5% at Mercor (a 51% chance it really accepts more). Both are expert networks: gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Can you work on both Terac 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, Coding, Math & STEM, Domain Experts, and Red-Teaming. Signing up for one does not affect the other.
More comparisons
Ordered by what applying to their platforms is worth, lifted by a referral boost for a platform that pays us a referral fee; it never changes what a platform pays you.