Real pay ranges, an honest take on each, and a referral link only where I
genuinely hold one. No filler, no hype.
Babel Audio
referral link $17.5–28/hr
Get paid to have recorded conversations that train voice AI — the most consistent work in my setup.
My personal sign-up link — Babel's referral bonus isn't published, so I may or may not earn from it, and it never changes your pay.
Pila8
referral link $6–6/hr
Record short voice and video clips that train speech AI — zero interview, just a mic check and a sample.
I earn 25 credits (~$2.50) when your first upload is approved — it never changes your pay.
Mercor
referral link $65–90/hr
Expert AI-work marketplace; the highest ceiling of the platforms I work.
I earn 20% of what you earn, up to a cap, if you sign up via my link — it never changes your pay.
micro1
referral link $20–45/hr
AI-vetted talent platform; flat referral bounties, and anyone can hold a link.
I earn a flat per-hire bonus if you're hired through my link — it never changes your pay.
Handshake AI
referral link $25–50/hr
Beginner-friendly AI training work — no interview to get started.
I earn 10% of your first-project hourly rate per hour worked, up to a cap, if you sign up via my link — it never changes your pay.
Alignerr
referral link $25–125/hr
Design AI-training tasks in your own domain; acceptance can take a while.
I earn $150 total ($25 onboarding + $125 after 10 hrs) if you come through my link — it never changes your pay.
AfterQuery
referral link $25–75/hr
YC-backed expert platform; project-based, high pay, work comes in waves.
My personal apply link — AfterQuery's referral bonus isn't published, so I may or may not earn from it, and it never changes your pay.
Ethos
referral link $50–225/hr
An AI-run expert network for credentialed professionals — advisory calls, research, and AI-training projects. Not beginner annotation work.
My personal referral link — Ethos's member-referral bonus isn't published, so I may or may not earn from it, and it never changes your pay.
DataAnnotation
no code · guide $22.5–30/hr
The #1 beginner search term; written assessment, no credential barrier.
Outlier
no code · guide $15–25/hr
Big and controversial; queues can run empty. I work it, no code to give you.
Turing
referral link $20–40/hr
AI company with image/video annotation roles; remote work advancing frontier models.
I earn a bonus if you sign up via this link — it never changes your pay.
Remotasks
no program $5–15/hr
Low pay, both-sides $10 referral, but work is real.
Prolific
no program $19–20/hr
Research studies, not annotation — but a zero-credential AI-studies on-ramp at ~$19–20/hr.
Surge
no program $18–24/hr
Invite-only, pay claims contradict wildly; nobody explains how to actually get in.