AfterQuery and micro1 both hire experts as remote contractors to train AI models. AfterQuery gives you one unpaid skills assessment in your field, with no retake. micro1 gives you an AI interview of 20 to 40 minutes. From each platform’s own help pages, read 13 to 17 October 2026.
AfterQuery and micro1 side by side
| AfterQuery | micro1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles here | 232 | 246 |
| Hourly pay as stated | $15–175 | $6–400 |
| Screening | An interview, live or recorded, then a short skills assessment in your field | One recorded AI interview with Zara, 20 to 40 minutes |
| Retakes | None on the assessment | Not stated; skills certified since July 2025 carry over |
| Result | No pass or fail notice | Written feedback on request, if you do not qualify |
| Paid | Weekly, on Fridays, through Stripe | Twice a month, in US dollars, through Deel |
| Hours | Not stated per pool | About 15 to 20 a week expected, none guaranteed |
| Before the first payment | Persona ID check; Stripe holds the first payout for 7 days | Background check, ID check with selfie, Deel identity check |
Every pay figure on this page comes from the live postings, checked each morning. The process rows come from each platform’s own pages.
Getting in: one test or one interview
AfterQuery’s process has four steps. You create an account, sit an interview, take a short skills assessment in your domain, and are then invited to matching projects. The assessment is unpaid, you get one attempt, and AfterQuery sends no result. Silence usually means no matching project yet. Our AfterQuery assessment guide covers how to use the attempt.
micro1’s interview is a recorded voice conversation with its AI interviewer, Zara, at about 7 minutes per skill. micro1 says a recruiter reviews it within about 48 hours. A strong result then goes to a hiring manager, which can take up to 30 days. Our Zara interview guide covers how to prepare.
The pay, and when it arrives
AfterQuery’s hourly roles here span $15–175. micro1’s span $6–400, with half between $60 and $120. These are what postings state, not what any one person earns.
The pay dates differ most:
- AfterQuery runs its pay week from Monday to Sunday and releases the payout the following Friday. Stripe holds the first payout for 7 days.
- micro1 pays work from the 1st to the 15th around the 20th, and the rest of the month around the 5th.
Both pay only for approved work. AfterQuery may also pay a fixed rate per completed task, plus quality or volume bonuses, so read each posting.
Where each can pay you
AfterQuery pays through Stripe alone. Its list of unsupported countries includes Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Japan, Monaco and South Korea. This site does not show AfterQuery roles there. micro1 pays through Deel instead. If you live in one of those seven countries, AfterQuery is closed to you, so check micro1’s roles first.
Staying in
micro1 can end its agreement immediately on written notice, and you must give 5 business days. It asks you to confirm you do not work for a company that builds foundational AI models. micro1 says you can keep your day job.
AfterQuery says it guarantees no hours, and a strong assessment does not guarantee a project. Unapproved hours may move to a later week instead of being paid that Friday.
The same professions on both
15 professions have at least 3 open roles on both AfterQuery and micro1 today. Each cell gives the open roles and the hourly pay their postings state. Each profession opens a page comparing the two for that field alone.
| Profession | AfterQuery | micro1 |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | 12 roles, $48–160 | 40 roles, $25–400 |
| Software engineers | 29 roles, $45–150 | 19 roles, $25–300 |
| Doctors and clinicians | 27 roles, $45–160 | 21 roles, $45–200 |
| Bilingual speakers | 37 roles, $30–75 | 7 roles, $35–200 |
| Generalists | 18 roles, $20–150 | 24 roles, $8–125 |
| Business and operations specialists | 14 roles, $50–135 | 26 roles, $8–350 |
| Accountants and finance experts | 24 roles, $50–175 | 15 roles, $20–300 |
| Researchers and academics | 12 roles, $75–135 | 22 roles, $30–200 |
| Engineers | 18 roles, $75–175 | 13 roles, $20–150 |
| Writers and editors | 8 roles, $15–80 | 7 roles, $40–140 |
| Data analysts | 6 roles, $70–115 | 9 roles, $20–350 |
| Life scientists | 7 roles, $75–175 | 7 roles, $45–120 |
| Machine learning engineers | 5 roles, $80–175 | 9 roles, $30–280 |
| Designers | 6 roles, $45–135 | 4 roles, $35–105 |
| Sales and CRM specialists | 3 roles, $93–100 | 4 roles, $40–100 |
Open roles on each
Best-paid AfterQuery roles open now
The 3 highest-paid of 232 open AfterQuery roles this site lists today, with the pay each posting states.
Best-paid micro1 roles open now
The 3 highest-paid of 245 open micro1 roles this site lists today, with the pay each posting states.
Which one to apply to
Apply to AfterQuery if you have professional experience or an advanced degree, can prepare for one test, and want weekly pay. Apply to micro1 if a role names your field, you prefer an interview to a test, or AfterQuery cannot pay in your country. You can apply to both.
The full reviews are on the AfterQuery page and the micro1 page. Our guides Is AfterQuery legit and Is micro1 legit cover each company.
If you’re hired through our link and complete 10 hours, micro1 pays this site a referral fee. If you’re hired through AfterQuery after applying from a link here, AfterQuery pays this site a referral fee. Your pay is unaffected on both.
This site is not affiliated with AfterQuery or micro1, and passing a screen is not a promise of work.