micro1 vs Handshake AI: company data programs
The short answer
micro1 vs Handshake AI: both pay companies for data, on different scales. micro1 states $100K+, $500K+ and $1M+ tiers. Handshake AI states $100K to $4M+.
Both firms also hire experts to train AI models, and most of their reviews come from that side. This page sticks to the company-data programs.
What do micro1 and Handshake AI say they pay?
micro1's page lists $100K+, $500K+ and $1M+ tiers, and its Enterprise Data Partnership listing says $100K-$2M+ for approved data packages.
Its CFO said in an undated recorded forum talk that the corpus track pays $100K to $2M per company. Handshake AI's data partnerships page says partnerships range from $100K to $4M+ depending on the data shared.
Handshake AI also runs a calculator. For 100 employees, 10 years and a US base, it shows $383,083 to $896,969 and labels the result indicative only. I'd read that label before the number.
How do the processes compare?
Handshake AI starts with an intake form about your company and tools, then a scoping call on parameters, de-identification, terms and timeline. Its referral page says the team reaches out within one to two days.
micro1's page lists assessment, evaluation, discovery and partnership. In an undated recorded forum talk, David Revland, who works on human data at micro1, added a data manifest form, a payment proposal and a transfer its own engineers help run.
Who qualifies?
Handshake AI's referral page asks for 20 or more full-time employees and three or more years in operation.
The current public criteria at micro1 list 30+ employees, mature operations and primarily English documentation, with US companies prioritized.
Acceptance depends on its review and current demand. An undated micro1 forum talk gave lower, earlier figures, which are history.
What do they say about de-identification?
Handshake AI says it removes direct and indirect identifiers before delivery, and adds that no de-identification process eliminates re-identification risk entirely.
micro1's page says PII is removed when relevant. In an undated recorded forum talk, Revland said it swaps names for consistent stand-ins, and micro1 staff said companies cannot pre-scrub.
In both cases each company's side does the work, so ask who sees raw data and when.
What do the trust signals show?
Both Trustpilot pages mix worker and company experiences, and the review counts differ widely. Business Insider reported that contractors on OpenAI projects through Handshake AI were suspended, and four said they went unpaid.
For micro1, which shows 4.7 of 5 from about 10.7K reviews, complaints cite interview questions and support.
Read each in full at how micro1's data partnership works and Handshake AI data partnerships. Run the rights check first, and talk to a privacy or commercial lawyer in your state before you sign.
micro1 may pay us a referral fee if a company we introduce goes ahead with it. How we are paid
Apply to micro1's data partnership (paid link)micro1's own data-partnerships pagePaid link. How we are paid
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. Ask for a referral
