# Is Mercor legit?

Yes, Mercor is a real company that pays contractors weekly. Here is what workers report, the 2026 data breach and lawsuits, and how to protect yourself.

Short answer

Yes, Mercor is real and pays

Pay

Weekly through Stripe or Wise for logged hours

Watch out for

Projects that end suddenly, strict time tracking and the March 2026 data breach

Never

Pay a fee or share your account

[Browse Mercor jobs ](https://work.mercor.com/?referralCode=cefdb034-d620-d0f4-cd12-f0b3ad7edc3b)See 289 open roles[All Mercor jobs](https://aitrainjob.com/platforms/mercor)

This is a referral link. We may earn a referral fee if you are hired through it, and it never changes your pay.

Updated 3 November 2026 · AI Train Job

## The short answer

Yes. Mercor is a real company that hires doctors, lawyers, engineers, writers, PhDs and generalists to train and test AI models for large AI labs. It posts its roles on its own job board at work.mercor.com, interviews applicants with a short AI interview, and pays contractors every week. Thousands of people work through it.

Being legit does not mean it is perfect. Mercor has real problems that you should know about before you apply, and they are explained below.

## How Mercor pays

Most Mercor work is hourly contract work. You log your time, and Mercor pays weekly through Stripe or Wise. Its help pages say it reviews logged time and can remove hours that look idle or outside the project's scope, so track your time honestly. Rates are set per project and listed on each job, often between $40 and $150 an hour for specialist roles. Some projects, such as live sports evaluation, pay per task instead.

## What workers like and dislike

On Trustpilot, Mercor scores about 4.3 out of 5 from several hundred reviews. Workers like the high hourly rates, weekly pay and the chance to use their professional skills. The common complaints are projects that pause or end with little warning, long gaps between projects, unpaid onboarding on some projects, heavy monitoring, and slow replies from support. In late 2025, Forbes reported contractors saying their rates were cut on one project.

## The 2026 data breach and lawsuits

In late March 2026, attackers got into some Mercor systems through a compromised open source software package, and contractor data was reportedly exposed, including identity details. Several class action lawsuits followed and were combined in federal court in San Francisco in May 2026. A separate lawsuit claims Mercor treats experts as contractors while controlling their work like employees, which Mercor disputes. As of late October 2026 there was no settlement.

If you applied to Mercor before April 2026, check your email for a breach notice, watch your accounts, and consider a credit freeze if you live in the US.

## How to stay safe on Mercor

Apply only on work.mercor.com, never through a recruiter who contacts you on WhatsApp or Telegram. Mercor never charges a fee to apply or to get work. Never share your Mercor account or let someone else work under your name, which breaks Mercor's rules and can get you removed. Read each project contract for the rate, whether onboarding is paid and how the project can end. Treat Mercor as one income source, not a steady job.

## Is it worth applying?

If you have a degree, professional experience or strong writing skills, Mercor is one of the better paid places to do AI training work. Read our guide to [Mercor Project Odin](https://aitrainjob.com/platforms/mercor/project-odin), one of its best known projects, or browse every open [Mercor role](https://aitrainjob.com/platforms/mercor).

## Open Mercor roles

289 live Mercor roles checked 19 minutes ago, with a median top rate of $90/hr. Each one opens the official listing.

$50-60/hr

### [3D Artists & Video Editors (Must own MacBook)](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoVBmLAccb_kWwapPDpVL)

Mercor · Remote · Creative

15d

$60-100/hr

### [Accounting & Audit Domain Expert](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoBt89Pf5xMUItbxMCqGe)

Mercor · Bay Area · Finance

2mo

$85/hr

### [Accounting Expert](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABn0MTnuGa6YO-AKFD_ah0)

Mercor · Remote · Finance

3mo

Pay not stated

### [Agent Engineer](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABn_hJu3e9hgqimAtByK05)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

2mo

$30/hr

### [AI Chat Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoY6KV-qA2S205AlLgrqM)

Mercor · Remote · Generalist

3d

$70-90/hr

### [AI Developer Trace Task Auditor](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoEpz0r9yxMsCwGNKaJl4)

Mercor · United States · Coding

2mo

Pay not stated

### [Analytical Chemist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoKHdST6cTipsJcxHCZ-r)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

49d

$350/hr

### [Anesthesiologist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoWtwpFEaRuHYqcNK6KyX)

Mercor · Remote · Specialist

10d

$30-40/hr

### [Application Users - Adobe Illustrator on Windows - Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgm29LSpSu7mYtHu76n)

Mercor · Remote · Creative

51d

$55-65/hr

### [Application Users - Android Studio on macOS - Code](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgk9ki2WVxQqaREbK2c)

Mercor · Remote · Coding

51d

$45-55/hr

### [Application Users - AutoCAD Mechanical - STEM](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgqKEnGDYqhKlxERLZR)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

51d

$30-40/hr

### [Application Users - Blender on Windows - Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgm6x9CphybYGBCw71A)

Mercor · Remote · Generalist

51d

$30-40/hr

### [Application Users - DaVinci Resolve on macOS - Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgnF8j710kq7tNP9JUX)

Mercor · Remote · Generalist

51d

$45-55/hr

### [Application Users - EViews on Windows - STEM](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgqg0I8vqrLJG1MS64I)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

51d

$60-70/hr

### [Application Users - Excel on macOS - Professionals](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgvejt9L0cNECdNWbCo)

Mercor · Remote · Specialist

51d

$30-40/hr

### [Application Users - FruitLoops Studio on Windows - Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgm-80LGK_vet9Hy7mI)

Mercor · Remote · Generalist

51d

$45-55/hr

### [Application Users - Inventor Professional on Windows - STEM](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgYdke25i__9elOAaFG)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

51d

$60-70/hr

### [Application Users - Linux Ubuntu 24.04 Expert - Professionals](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgvqc1gDoK02dZJpq-m)

Mercor · Remote · Coding

51d

$60-70/hr

### [Application Users - macOS Sonoma 14.5 Expert - Professionals](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgvmGStTJPb_JFMXJv8)

Mercor · Remote · Specialist

51d

$45-55/hr

### [Application Users - MATLAB on Windows - STEM](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgqVi3F6XhyxPFM47qw)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

51d

$45-55/hr

### [Application Users - Origin on Windows - STEM](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgqZViwfNhv2ORD14vu)

Mercor · Remote · Maths & STEM

51d

$30-40/hr

### [Application Users - Photoshop on Windows - Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgmvv154mBck81Ez4MZ)

Mercor · Remote · Generalist

51d

$60-70/hr

### [Application Users - PowerPoint on Windows - Professionals](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgvaf2xJcx9tANJF5O8)

Mercor · Remote · Specialist

51d

$30-40/hr

### [Application Users - Premiere on Windows - Generalist](https://aitrainjob.com/jobs/src-mercor%3Alist_AAABoJgmzdVdKtb1bdNEj7ws)

Mercor · Remote · Generalist

51d

## Is Mercor legit?: common questions

### Is Mercor legit or a scam?

Mercor is legit. It is a real company that pays contractors weekly for AI training work. Its problems are projects that end suddenly, strict time tracking and a 2026 data breach, not fraud.

### Does Mercor really pay?

Yes. Mercor pays hourly contractors weekly through Stripe or Wise for the time they log, after reviewing it. Some projects pay per task.

### Was Mercor hacked?

Yes. In late March 2026, attackers reached some Mercor systems through a compromised software package, and contractor data was reportedly exposed. Several lawsuits followed.

### Does Mercor charge a fee to apply?

No. Mercor never charges you to apply or to get work. Anyone who asks for money in Mercor's name is a scammer.

## Sources

- [Mercor contract policy](https://talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/contracts)
- [Mercor faces lawsuits over data breach (HR Dive)](https://www.hrdive.com/news/ai-industry-recruiting-platform-faces-multiple-lawsuits-data-breach/817319/)
- [Mercor data breach lawsuits (Staffing Industry Analysts)](https://www.staffingindustry.com/news/global-daily-news/ai-staffing-firm-mercor-faces-lawsuits-over-data-breach)
- [Mercor contractors allege wage cuts (Forbes)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/iainmartin/2025/11/12/the-worlds-youngest-self-made-billionaires-just-slashed-these-workers-wages-by-a-third/)
- [Mercor reviews (Trustpilot)](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/mercor.io)

Project names, pay and rules change often, and some details here come from contributors rather than Mercor. Always confirm them on the official listing and in your own contract.

More Mercor project guides

[Mercor Project Odin (Odin Writer): Pay and How to ApplyWhat Mercor's Project Odin is, what an Odin Writer does and earns, the Mac you need, how onboarding works and how to avoid rejected recordings.](https://aitrainjob.com/platforms/mercor/project-odin)

Source: https://aitrainjob.com/platforms/mercor/is-mercor-legit