Comparison

Mercor vs Handshake AI: how the two data partnership programs compare

Mercor and Handshake both pay established companies to license a de-identified copy of their records to AI labs. Here is how they differ on what they buy, who qualifies, what they advertise, when they pay and what they pay people who refer you.

By Brian BoesenUpdated November 8, 2026Program terms checked November 8, 202610 min read

On this page

Side by side
The two companies
What each buys
Who qualifies
Advertised pay
Payment timing
Fees to the seller
Data handling
Exclusivity
Referral terms
Recent news
Which fits your business
Why competing offers matter
FAQ
Sources

The short answer

Mercor vs Handshake AI comes down to published detail versus published speed. Handshake AI asks for 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years, says its payments to date have ranged from $100K to $4M, prices within 12 to 24 hours and ties payment to delivery milestones. Mercor publishes no size floor, shows $10K to $1.5M by company type on its referral listings, names 100+ connected tools, says it charges no fees, and pays by wire on delivery, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing. For referrers, Mercor advertises up to $100,000 per company and Handshake pays $10,000. They are separate, competing companies.

Mercor vs Handshake AI side by side

	Mercor	Handshake AI
Company	Founded 2023 by Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, Surya Midha; San Francisco (source: Wikipedia, Mercor)	Handshake founded 2014 by Garrett Lord, Ben Christensen, Scott Ringwelski; San Francisco (source: Wikipedia, Handshake)
Scale	$350M Series C at $10B, Oct 2025 (source: TechCrunch, Oct 27, 2025)	Over $1B gross annualized revenue in about 16 months, per its CEO (source: TIME100 AI, Garrett Lord, Aug 27, 2026)
What it buys	Workflow data from Slack, Gmail, Salesforce, GitHub, Notion and 100+ tools (source: Mercor, Monetize your data)	Documentation, workflows, communications and project history from Gmail, Slack, NetSuite, QuickBooks, ServiceTitan and more (source: Handshake AI, license your data)
Eligibility	No headcount, years or geography published; eight target industries (source: Mercor, Monetize your data)	20+ full-time employees and 3+ years; 11 named industries (source: Handshake AI, license your data, Handshake AI, data partnerships)
Advertised pay	$10K to $1.5M by company type on its referral listings; final price on volume, tools and depth (source: Mercor referral app, Mercor, Monetize your data)	“$100K to $4M+”; payments to date $100K to $4M (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships)
Payment timing	Wire on delivery, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing (source: Mercor, Monetize your data)	Pricing in 12 to 24 hours; process 7 to 14 business days; milestone payments (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships)
Fees to the seller	None; no upfront costs, setup fees or deductions (source: Mercor, Monetize your data)	None published; transfer “at no cost to you” (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships)
Data handling	Automated anonymization, approval before anything leaves, SOC 2 Type II (source: Mercor, Monetize your data)	Removes direct and indirect identifiers; company keeps ownership; use limited to training and evaluation (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships)
Exclusivity	Not mentioned	Not mentioned
Referral	Up to $100,000 per company; full amount at 30+ employees (source: Mercor referral app)	$10,000 per company that completes its transfer; no limit (source: Handshake AI, refer a company, Handshake AI, data partnerships)
Recent news	March 2026 security incident and class actions; $7.5M Spirit Airlines bid (source: Fortune, Apr 2, 2026, Forbes, Aug 23, 2026)	Data partnership page redesigned with new FAQ terms, checked Nov 8, 2026 (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships)

Each company's own advertised terms, checked November 8, 2026. Company facts as reported by the linked sources.

Full profiles: Mercor data partnerships and Handshake AI data partnerships. Also see Mercor vs micro1 and the three-way micro1 vs Mercor vs Handshake.

Mercor and Handshake: two separate companies

Mercor (Mercor.io Corporation) was founded in San Francisco in 2023 by Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, and it supplies expert contractors to train AI models for labs including OpenAI and Anthropic (source: Wikipedia, Mercor). It raised $350 million at a $10 billion valuation in October 2025 (source: TechCrunch, Oct 27, 2025), and Dealroom reported a gross revenue run rate above $2 billion in July 2026 (source: Dealroom, Jul 6, 2026 (Mercor)).

Handshake was founded in 2014 by Garrett Lord, Ben Christensen and Scott Ringwelski, students at Michigan Tech, as a careers network for college students; its last confirmed priced round was a $200 million Series F at $3.5 billion in January 2022 (source: Wikipedia, Handshake). Handshake AI is its AI data business. Lord told TIME it went from zero to more than $1 billion in gross annualized revenue in about 16 months, working with eight frontier labs (source: TIME100 AI, Garrett Lord, Aug 27, 2026).

So Mercor and Handshake compete in the same business, recruiting experts to create training data, and both run programs that license company records. They are independent buyers, which means two independent offers.

What Mercor and Handshake buy

Mercor pulls workflow data from Slack, Teams, Gmail, Outlook, Confluence, Salesforce, GitHub, Drive and Notion by name, with “100+ supported tools” in all, and says connecting more tools generally results in a higher payout (source: Mercor, Monetize your data).

Handshake AI licenses internal business records such as documentation, workflows, communications and project history. Its tool list runs from Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox and Notion to Monday.com, Figma, AutoCAD, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Paychex and ServiceTitan (source: Handshake AI, license your data). Its FAQ says records of real organizational decision-making hold the most value (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships).

The difference is reach. Handshake names accounting, payroll, design and field-service systems, which matters for trades, construction and service businesses. Mercor's named list leans toward communication, sales and engineering tools.

Who qualifies for each program

Handshake AI says companies with 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years in operation are “typically more likely to be a fit,” and that eligibility depends on the type, volume and usability of the data (source: Handshake AI, license your data, Handshake AI, data partnerships). It names 11 industries: finance and insurance, hardware and engineering, healthcare, legal, logistics and supply chain, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, professional services, real estate, retail and e-commerce, and software (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships).

Mercor publishes no headcount, years or geography for sellers, names eight target industries, and uses a qualification form (source: Mercor, Monetize your data). Its referral app pays the full referral amount only for companies with 30 or more employees, a hint about the size it values most (source: Mercor referral app).

Advertised pay: Handshake's ranges vs Mercor's formula

Handshake headlines “Earn $100K to $4M+” and says payments to date have ranged from $100K to $4M, depending on the scope of the partnership. Its estimator prices on peak full-time employees: it starts at “up to $100,000” for 20 employees, 5 tools and 3 years in the US, tops out at $400,000 to $800,000+ for 150+ employees, shows lower figures outside the US, and calls the result an indicative estimate, not a guaranteed figure (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships). The estimator was rebuilt since October 15, 2026.

Mercor's referral listings now show a “Company earns” range for 25 company types, from $10K to $300K for R&D records up to $100K to $1.5M for manufacturers (source: Mercor referral app). The final price depends on data volume, the number of tools connected and depth (source: Mercor, Monetize your data). Our company data value checker shows what each program advertises for a business like yours.

Payment timing

Mercor pays by wire on delivery of the anonymized dataset to the buyer, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing (source: Mercor, Monetize your data). Handshake says it gives an initial review and pricing within 12 to 24 hours of receiving the details it needs, that the full process typically takes 7 to 14 business days, and that payment terms are negotiated, tied to delivery milestones and set in writing before any data is transferred (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships).

Handshake is faster to a number. Mercor publishes a single payment event. Either way, define delivery, acceptance and each milestone in the contract.

Fees to the seller

Mercor says there are no upfront costs, setup fees or deductions, and it covers extraction, anonymization and transfer (source: Mercor, Monetize your data). Handshake publishes no seller fee and says its team handles the transfer “at no cost to you,” with remote, in-person and physical options (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships). Confirm in the offer that the price is the amount you receive.

Data handling and ownership

Mercor says nothing leaves your systems until you approve it, extraction and anonymization are automated, no AI lab or third-party vendor sees raw data, data is encrypted in transit, keys are managed in AWS KMS, and it holds SOC 2 Type II (source: Mercor, Monetize your data). In March 2026 it was hit by a supply-chain attack on the LiteLLM library, Meta paused work with it, and contractor class actions followed; Mercor denies wrongdoing (source: Fortune, Apr 2, 2026, Social Media Today, Apr 5, 2026, Staffing Industry Analysts). We found no report that company-data program records were involved.

Handshake AI says it removes direct and indirect identifiers and states plainly that no de-identification process eliminates re-identification risk entirely. It says the company keeps ownership of its data, that Handshake is contractually restricted to using it for AI model training and evaluation, and that it works with “all of the leading frontier AI labs” without naming them (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships).

Exclusivity

Neither company's pages mention exclusivity (source: Mercor, Monetize your data, Handshake AI, data partnerships, Handshake AI, license your data). It decides whether you can take the same records to the other buyer, so ask both in writing before you sign with either.

Referral terms: Mercor vs Handshake

Mercor's referral app advertises “Up to $100,000 per company,” the full amount for companies with 30 or more employees and a proportional share for smaller ones. It is confirmed when the company signs and paid after its first delivery, through Stripe. Referrers need a Mercor Data partner account, the first valid referral counts, and companies already working with Mercor do not qualify (source: Mercor referral app).

Handshake AI pays $10,000 per referred company that becomes a data partner and completes its data transfer, with no limit on referrals. You must be the first to introduce the company. Its FAQ says processing can take up to 30 days after the company is completed and accepted; the referral page says the bonus is paid when the deal closes (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships, Handshake AI, refer a company).

See our comparison of AI data referral programs for the professional rules on referral fees.

Mercor or Handshake AI: which fits your business

These scenarios use only each company's published terms. They are a starting point, not a verdict.

If your business...	What the published terms suggest
Has 20 to 29 employees and 3+ years of records	Handshake's stated floor fits. Mercor publishes no floor, but pays referrers in full only at 30+ employees.
Runs on QuickBooks, NetSuite, ServiceTitan, AutoCAD or Paychex	Handshake names those systems. Mercor's named list does not, though it says it supports 100+ tools.
Runs mostly on Slack, Gmail, Salesforce, GitHub or Notion	Both name these. Mercor prices partly on the number of tools connected.
Wants a price fast	Handshake says pricing within 12 to 24 hours of receiving details. Mercor gives a number after scoping.
Wants one clear payment event	Mercor pays on delivery, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing. Handshake pays on negotiated milestones.
Is outside the US	Handshake's estimator shows lower figures outside the US. Mercor states no geography.
Is a law or accounting firm	Client materials, client books and tax return information are never licensable to either. Only firm-owned material with no client information can be in scope.

Based on each company's pages, checked November 8, 2026.

For every other program we track, see the directory of companies buying business data for AI.

Why competing offers matter

Handshake's own numbers show how wide the spread is: payments to date from $100K to $4M, depending on scope (source: Handshake AI, data partnerships). Mercor will not put a number on the page at all (source: Mercor, Monetize your data). With ranges that wide, the first offer you get tells you little about what the records are worth to the next buyer.

The terms differ as much as the price

Payment trigger, exclusivity, ownership, permitted uses, deletion and liability vary between buyers. Two written offers show you which terms move. Getting those offers and negotiating them is the work a sell-side advisor does.

How Regulr is paid, and how we write these pages

Regulr is a sell-side advisor. When a business we introduce signs a license, we may be paid a fee by the buyer or through a program's referral terms. We list every program we can verify whether or not it pays us, order is never set by fees, and every figure is the company's own advertised term with a link to where it says so. Regulr has not closed a data deal yet, so nothing here describes our results.

Frequently asked questions

Mercor vs Handshake AI: which is better for selling company data?

It depends on your business. Handshake AI publishes a 20+ employee and 3+ year floor, payments to date of $100K to $4M, and pricing within 12 to 24 hours of receiving details. Mercor publishes no floor, shows $10K to $1.5M by company type on its referral listings, and names more connected tools and pays by wire on delivery, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing. The better choice is whichever puts the stronger written offer in front of you, so it pays to ask both.

Handshake AI vs Mercor: which pays more?

Both now publish figures. Mercor's referral listings show what each company type could earn, from $10K to $1.5M. Handshake's FAQ says payments to date have ranged from $100K to $4M depending on scope, and its estimator runs from up to $100,000 at 20 employees to $400,000 to $800,000+ at 150+ employees in the US. Mercor says the final price depends on data volume, tools connected and depth. These are advertised terms, not offers.

Are Mercor and Handshake the same company?

No. Mercor was founded in 2023 by Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha. Handshake was founded in 2014 by Garrett Lord, Ben Christensen and Scott Ringwelski as a college careers network, and Handshake AI is its AI data business. They compete to supply human expert data to AI labs, and both now license company data.

Is Handshake AI the same Handshake as the student jobs site?

Yes. Handshake AI is part of Handshake, the careers network for students and recent graduates. Its CEO Garrett Lord told TIME the AI business went from zero to more than $1 billion in gross annualized revenue in about 16 months. The data partnership program is a separate line from its contributor work.

Which pays faster, Mercor or Handshake AI?

Mercor says it pays by wire on delivery of the anonymized dataset, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing. Handshake says its full process typically takes 7 to 14 business days and that payment terms are negotiated, tied to delivery milestones, and set in writing before any data is transferred. Get the payment schedule and its trigger in the signed agreement with either.

What size company do Mercor and Handshake want?

Handshake AI says companies with 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years in operation are typically more likely to be a fit, and prices on peak full-time employees. Mercor publishes no headcount or years minimum and screens through a qualification form, though its referral app pays the full referral amount only for companies with 30 or more employees.

How do the Mercor and Handshake referral programs compare?

Mercor's referral app advertises up to $100,000 per company, the full amount for companies with 30 or more employees, paid after the company's first delivery through Stripe. Handshake AI pays $10,000 per referred company that becomes a data partner and completes its transfer, with no limit on referrals. Both require you to be the first to introduce the company.

Who owns my data after licensing to Mercor or Handshake?

Handshake says the company keeps ownership and that Handshake is contractually restricted to using the data for AI model training and evaluation. Mercor's page does not address ownership directly; it describes an anonymized copy and says nothing leaves your systems until you approve. Put ownership, permitted uses and deletion in the contract with either.

Can I license the same data to Mercor and Handshake?

Possibly. Neither company's pages mention exclusivity. If one takes an exclusive license, you generally cannot license the same records elsewhere for the term. Ask each in writing whether the license is exclusive, for how long and over which records.

Sources

Program terms checked against each company's own pages on November 8, 2026.

Brian Boesen · Founder, Regulr AI

Brian runs Regulr AI, which works for established businesses that want to license de-identified records to AI companies. He checks each program's published terms against its own pages and updates these guides when they change. Last updated November 8, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice, and Regulr is not a law firm. Rules vary by state, by profession and by contract, and they apply to your facts, not to a category. You approve exactly what is in scope before anything is shared.

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