Pay side by side
What each pays per hour
Typical range, median, and the range of the top 10% of roles.
- Handshake AI 230 roles median $80/hr top 10% $125–300
- Appen / CrowdGen 61 roles median $35/hr top 10% $55–100
Choose Handshake AI if
- you work in other expertise and maths & stem
- you're aiming for the top rates ($125+/hr for its top 10%)
- you want more roles to choose from
Handshake’s AI fellowship: students, graduates and PhDs evaluate and improve AI models on flexible part-time projects (US, India and Canada).
See 230 Handshake AI rolesChoose Appen / CrowdGen if
- you work in voice & audio and data annotation
Appen’s CrowdGen community: voice, language and data annotation projects.
See 61 Appen / CrowdGen rolesHandshake AI vs Appen / CrowdGen: common questions
Does Handshake AI or Appen / CrowdGen pay more?
As of 19 October 2026, Handshake AI pays more at the median: $80/hr against $35/hr for Appen / CrowdGen. The top 10% of roles pay $125+/hr on Handshake AI and $55+/hr on Appen / CrowdGen.
Which has more jobs, Handshake AI or Appen / CrowdGen?
Handshake AI has more open roles today: 230 against 61. 1 Handshake AI roles and 0 Appen / CrowdGen roles were posted in the last week.
Can I work for both Handshake AI and Appen / CrowdGen?
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.