Jobs/Compare/Mercor vs Prolific

Mercor vs Prolific: which pays more?

Mercor has 286 open roles with a median of $80/hr; Prolific has 146 with a median of $25/hr. Mercor pays more at the median, by $55/hr.

Live data

Open roles Mercor286 Prolific146
Posted this week Mercor40 Prolific0
Median pay Mercor$80/hr Prolific$25/hr
Typical range Mercor$60–100/hr Prolific$25–50/hr
Top 10% pay Mercor$130–400/hr Prolific$120–200/hr
Roles that state a rate Mercor88% Prolific83%
Open worldwide Mercor0% Prolific1%
No experience needed Mercor5% Prolific1%
Main kinds of work MercorOther expertise, Maths & STEM, Agents & RL tasks ProlificLanguages & translation, Other expertise, Voice & audio
Most-accepted countries MercorUnited States, United Kingdom, Canada, India ProlificUnited States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany
Languages besides English Mercor27 Prolific38
Usual commitment MercorPart-time ProlificFlexible hours
Screening MercorAI interview, background check Prolificwritten test
Payment methods named MercorStripe ProlificPayPal

Pay side by side

What each pays per hour

Typical range, median, and the range of the top 10% of roles.

  1. Mercor 286 roles median $80/hr top 10% $130–400
  2. Prolific 146 roles median $25/hr top 10% $120–200

Choose Mercor if

  • you work in other expertise and maths & stem
  • you're aiming for the top rates ($130+/hr for its top 10%)
  • you want more roles to choose from

Expert network that hires professionals (doctors, lawyers, engineers, PhDs and more) for AI lab projects. Applications include a short AI interview.

See 286 Mercor roles

Choose Prolific if

  • you work in languages & translation and other expertise

Prolific’s Expert Network: AI training work for verified domain experts and fluent speakers, alongside its research-study platform.

See 146 Prolific roles

Mercor vs Prolific: common questions

Does Mercor or Prolific pay more?

As of 19 October 2026, Mercor pays more at the median: $80/hr against $25/hr for Prolific. The top 10% of roles pay $130+/hr on Mercor and $120+/hr on Prolific.

Which has more jobs, Mercor or Prolific?

Mercor has more open roles today: 286 against 146. 40 Mercor roles and 0 Prolific roles were posted in the last week.

Can I work for both Mercor and Prolific?

Both hire independent contractors, and their job postings don't ask you to work only for them. Check each platform's contractor terms before you sign, as some projects come with confidentiality or exclusivity rules.