# micro1 vs Handshake AI: company data programs > micro1 vs Handshake AI for company data: stated deal ranges, staff minimums, the intake process and the trust signals on record. By Matt Burns, Vaultfish. Canonical: https://vaultfish.com/answers/micro1-vs-handshake-ai Published: 2026-07-30 Updated: 2026-10-14 ## 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](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships) 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](/buyers/handshake-ai)'s [data partnerships page](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/) 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](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/referral) says the team reaches out within one to two days. [micro1](/buyers/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](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/referral) 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](https://www.aol.com/articles/contractors-worked-openai-projects-handshake-050101409.html) 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. Figure: comparison of Stated company minimums at two data programs: micro1 (30+ staff, mature operations), Handshake AI (emphasized: Only one stating company age, Twenty or more staff, 3+ years). Handshake AI is emphasized because it is the only one of the two to state a minimum company age. Read each in full at [how micro1's data partnership works](/guides/micro1-data-partnership) and [Handshake AI data partnerships](/answers/handshake-ai-data-partnerships). Run the [rights check](/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](https://vaultfish.com/disclosure) [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) ยท [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 - [micro1's page](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships) - [data partnerships page](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/) - [referral page](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/referral) - [Business Insider](https://www.aol.com/articles/contractors-worked-openai-projects-handshake-050101409.html) - [micro1 company referral](https://www.micro1.ai/company-referral) - [micro1 referral terms](https://www.micro1.ai/legal/referral-terms)