License My Company Data

Mercor vs micro1

Updated October 25, 2026 · How we research

Both pay companies for internal business records used to train AI. The main differences on their published terms are below; the real answer comes from putting both offers side by side.

Key differences

Side by side

Mercormicro1
TypePays a one-time amount for your recordsPays a one-time amount for your records
Who qualifiesNo minimum published30+ employees
Acceptsoperatingoperating, closing, closed
How it paysupfront: paid by wire once the anonymized dataset is delivered; amount depends on data volume, tools connected and data depth.upfront: micro1 says it pays in full once the delivered data is accepted; separately, it quotes licensing of agent trajectories as an annual figure.
Published rangeMercor's referral page lists what a company earns by industry, from about $20K at the low end (for example AI product companies and design agencies) to $1.5M at the top (manufacturers). Mercor's own figures, not offers.micro1's own figures: headline $200K-$2M+, with payments typically $150K to over $2M. Tiers: $100K-$500K for qualified partnerships, $500K-$2M for large-scale or multi-team datasets, $2M+ for highly unique data; agent trajectories quoted at $1M-$2M a year. Its referral page lists company compensation of $100K-$2M+ for both operating and closed companies. Not an offer. Source: micro1.ai, as of October 2026.
When it paysWire on delivery of the anonymized dataset to the buyer, which Mercor says typically happens 2-4 weeks after the agreement is signed.micro1 says it pays in full within 30 days of accepting the data. Its FAQ describes a 30-day review window after transfer, then an invoice, then payment within 30 days of the invoice.
Exclusivitynot statednot stated
Data handlingAutomated extraction and anonymization; Mercor engineers oversee infrastructure but do not manually review data; buyers never see raw data. Nothing leaves until the company approves. Encryption in transit, per-session credentials, logged access, SOC 2 Type II.The parties agree scope, security, anonymization and redaction rules up front. PII is removed where relevant, data runs in isolated pipelines with limited access, some data may be synthetically rewritten, the company can review samples, and data is deleted on request or at the end of the engagement per agreed terms. micro1 says the data is licensed only to labs and enterprises in the U.S. and allied countries, and the company keeps ownership of its data.
Good fit ifYou want a fast, tool-connection process with no fees and payment within weeks, and you work in one of Mercor's listed industries.You have 30+ staff, mainly English-language documentation, and well-kept procedures, CRM and project records. Closed companies with 30+ employees and substantial Slack or Teams history can apply through its program for closed companies.

You can apply to both at once. Nothing you submit commits you, and two offers make it easier to judge either one. See comparing offers.

Apply to Mercor Apply to micro1

Mercor: We may be paid: this buyer pays us a referral fee if a company we sent signs. You pay us nothing. Among buyers that fit your answers, buyers that pay us are shown first.
micro1: We may be paid: this buyer pays us a referral fee if a company we sent signs. You pay us nothing. Among buyers that fit your answers, buyers that pay us are shown first.

Sources

  1. Mercor Data | Enterprise Workflow Data for Frontier AI, accessed 2026-10-15
  2. Refer a company · Mercor Data, accessed 2026-10-21
  3. micro1 - Data partnerships, accessed 2026-10-25
  4. micro1 - Company referral (lists Enterprise and Defunct Company Data Partnerships), accessed 2026-10-25
  5. micro1 - Sub-affiliate program, accessed 2026-10-25
  6. micro1 - Data payout estimator, accessed 2026-10-25
  7. micro1 referral portal: company data programs (operating and closed companies), accessed 2026-10-23