# micro1 alternatives: other companies running data programs

> micro1 alternatives for a company with records to license: Handshake AI, Mercor, Troveo, Replay, Polyshares and SimpleClosure on size, pay and terms.

By Matt Burns, Vaultfish. Canonical: https://vaultfish.com/answers/micro1-alternatives  
Published: 2026-10-14  
Updated: 2026-10-14

## The short answer

Handshake AI, Mercor, Troveo, Replay, Polyshares and SimpleClosure also run programs for company records. They differ on minimum size, how and when they pay, and what you keep. micro1 asks for 30+ employees and states tiers from $100K+. Every figure is each company's own claim.

If a [micro1](/buyers/micro1) ad brought you here, you want to know who else runs a program for company records before you book the call. Fair. I read each company's own pages on 14 Oct 2026 and compared them on the four things that change a deal.

## How does micro1's data partnership work?

micro1 runs company-data partnerships for AI development. Its [data partnerships page](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships) asks for 30+ employees, mature operations and primarily English documentation, with US companies first.

It states tiers of $100K+, $500K+ and $1M+, and says companies keep ownership of their underlying data. The steps, from assessment to agreement, are in [how micro1's data partnership works](/guides/micro1-data-partnership).

## Which other companies run data programs for company records?

Handshake AI, Mercor, Troveo, Replay, Polyshares and SimpleClosure all take records such as Slack, email, tickets and CRM history. Each publishes its own size floor, pay model and ownership terms.

**micro1 and six other company-data programs, side by side**

| Buyer or program | Minimum size | Stated range | Pay model | Payment timing | What you keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [micro1](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/micro1) | 30+ employees, US first | Tiers of $100K+, $500K+, $1M+ | Paid under the agreed partnership | Not published | Companies keep ownership |
| [Handshake AI](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/handshake-ai) | 20+ full-time staff, 3+ years | $100K to $4M+ | License fee | 30 to 60 days after dataset acceptance | Not published |
| [Mercor](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/mercor) | None stated | Up to $300K, press report | One wire, no fees to you | 2 to 4 weeks after signing | Not published |
| [Troveo](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/troveo) | None stated, estimator from 20 | Six figures, per its page | Revenue share on each sale | On each sale | You own it, ownership stays |
| [Replay](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/replay) | Bands start at 20 employees | $10K to $1M+ by headcount | Upfront plus revenue share | Upfront, then on each license | License only, nothing transferred |
| [Polyshares](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/polyshares) | None stated | $100K to $2M+ | License fee, no commission | Net 30 to 60 after approval | You keep data, exclusive by default |
| [SimpleClosure Asset Hub](https://vaultfish.com/buyers/simpleclosure) | None stated, closing or operating | $10K to $100K per company, press | A percentage on a sale or license | Not published | Perpetual license to SimpleClosure |

_Every figure is the company's own claim unless marked press. Terms change, so confirm on each company's page._

## How do minimum size and history compare across micro1 alternatives?

Handshake AI asks for 20+ full-time staff and 3+ years in operation. Replay's value bands and Troveo's estimator start at 20 employees, and Mercor and Polyshares state no minimum.

Against those, micro1's 30+ employees is the highest stated floor.

Below 20 people, the programs with no stated floor are the ones to ask first. Every stated floor, with its source, is in [do you qualify for an AI data program](/answers/ai-data-program-minimums).

## How and when do micro1 alternatives pay?

Mercor wires one payment on delivery, typically 2 to 4 weeks after signing, per its [data page](https://www.mercor.com/data/). Polyshares pays net 30 to 60 once the data is approved and anonymized, per its [homepage](https://polyshares.com/).

Troveo shares revenue on every sale. Replay pays upfront plus a revenue share of every license, per its [homepage](https://www.replay.ai/).

Handshake AI says it typically pays 30 to 60 days after it accepts the dataset. micro1 publishes ranges but no payment timing, so get the date written into the agreement.

Figure: comparison of Three ways the programs pay: One payment (Mercor, Polyshares), Upfront plus share (emphasized: The only one that pays both ways, Replay), Share of each sale (Troveo). Replay is the one program that pays upfront and then shares each later license.

## What do micro1 alternatives let you keep?

micro1 says companies keep ownership of their underlying data. Replay says nothing is transferred and that your data is deleted on request if you stop, on its [data privacy page](https://www.replay.ai/data-privacy).

Polyshares covers defined systems for a defined term, exclusive by default, per its [data handling page](https://polyshares.com/data-handling). Troveo says ownership never transfers and that exclusivity is time-limited, with exit terms.

SimpleClosure's [terms](https://simpleclosure.com/tos/) take a perpetual, irrevocable license to what you submit. Mercor and Handshake AI publish no ownership terms for companies, so ask for them before any export.

## How does Replay compare with micro1?

Replay publishes a small-company band, $10K to $100K for 20 to 50 employees. micro1's pages start at 30+ employees and $100K+. That makes Replay the one to ask first if you have 20 to 29 people.

Replay pays upfront plus a revenue share. micro1 pays under the agreed partnership and publishes no schedule. The full read is in our [Replay review](/answers/replay-review).

## How does Polyshares compare with micro1?

Polyshares states no employee minimum and says the length and texture of the record matter more than headcount. It states $100K to $2M and above, the same span as micro1's listing.

Polyshares licenses for a defined term, exclusive by default, and pays net 30 to 60 after approval. micro1 says companies keep ownership and leaves term, exclusivity and timing to its proposed agreement. More on Polyshares is in [is Polyshares legit](/answers/is-polyshares-legit).

## Which micro1 alternative fits a company that is closing?

SimpleClosure's AssetHub is built for startups winding down. SimpleClosure told Forbes it had done nearly 100 deals at $10,000 to $100,000 per company, as [Gizmodo relayed](https://gizmodo.com/failed-companies-are-selling-old-slack-chats-and-email-archives-to-train-ai-2000747916).

Mercor has approached shuttered startups too, with offers reported up to $300,000. The two routes are side by side in [Mercor vs SimpleClosure](/answers/mercor-vs-simpleclosure).

## How should a company choose between micro1 and the others?

Count your staff and your years of records, then pick the pay model you want. If two programs fit, ask both the same questions in writing: who signs, what the license covers, when you are paid and who removes personal data.

Before any of that, run the [rights check](/rights-check) on whose words sit in your systems.

micro1 may pay us a referral fee if a company we introduce goes ahead with it. [How we are paid](https://vaultfish.com/disclosure)

A lawyer who reads data licenses is cheaper than a lawyer who reads the lawsuit afterward.

[Apply to micro1's data partnership (paid link)](https://req.micro1.ai/post/74520e8b-4673-4da5-b855-53609aaf6710?referralCode=f82e519e-5d64-4e0e-9574-760c84371cf2&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=data_referral) · [micro1's own data-partnerships page](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships)

_Paid link. [How we are paid](https://vaultfish.com/disclosure)_

_Vaultfish helps you run the process. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. If you need counsel who knows this area, we can point you to one._

## Sources

- [data partnerships page](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships)
- [data page](https://www.mercor.com/data/)
- [homepage](https://polyshares.com/)
- [homepage](https://www.replay.ai/)
- [data privacy page](https://www.replay.ai/data-privacy)
- [data handling page](https://polyshares.com/data-handling)
- [terms](https://simpleclosure.com/tos/)
- [Gizmodo relayed](https://gizmodo.com/failed-companies-are-selling-old-slack-chats-and-email-archives-to-train-ai-2000747916)
- [micro1 company referral](https://www.micro1.ai/company-referral)
- [micro1 referral terms](https://www.micro1.ai/legal/referral-terms)