Is Toptal's vetting really harder than Mercor's?

Yes, significantly. Toptal's process includes multiple rounds — a communication screen, a technical interview with a senior Toptal engineer, a live coding challenge, and a paid test project — taking 2–5 weeks total. Mercor uses an AI-driven review that takes 3–5 days with no live technical interview. The difference in effort required is substantial.

Which platform is better for AI-specific work?

Mercor is more focused on AI lab work by design — its entire client base is AI research and development organizations. Toptal has AI/ML roles but they represent a subset of a much broader marketplace. If AI lab contracts are your specific target, Mercor's specialized pipeline is more directly relevant.

Can I apply to both Mercor and Toptal at the same time?

Yes. Applying to Mercor and Toptal simultaneously is a strong strategy. Mercor's 3–5 day process will complete long before Toptal's multi-week vetting, so you can start earning on Mercor while Toptal's evaluation runs in parallel. If you pass both, you can choose the better engagement or maintain active profiles on both.

Mercor vs Toptal: Which Is Better in 2026?

Mercor vs Toptal: Honest Comparison

Mercor and Toptal are both premium technical talent platforms promising top-tier clients and above-market rates, but their approaches could hardly be more different. Toptal is the established elite network with its famous "top 3%" claim and a famously demanding multi-week vetting process. Mercor is the AI-native challenger with a 3–5 day AI-powered review that gets qualified engineers earning in days rather than weeks.

For senior engineers evaluating where to invest their time, this comparison comes down to one question: is the extra earning ceiling Toptal offers worth the extra vetting time and rigor? For many engineers, the answer is not straightforward.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MercorVSToptal

MercorRecommended

Pay Range

$25-250/hr

Reliability

Very Reliable

Onboarding Time

1-3 weeks (interview + assessment + trial)

Payment Frequency

weekly

Best For

Software engineers, domain experts (medicine, law, finance), data scientists, ML engineers, and language specialists looking for high-paying remote AI gig work. Ideal for experienced professionals who can pass AI interviews and technical assessments.

Pros

High pay rates ($25-250+/hr depending on role)
Weekly payouts via Stripe or Wise

Pay Analysis

Mercor pays $30–150/hr for AI lab and AI-focused engineering contracts. The 3–5 day AI review process is one of the fastest among premium platforms. Once placed, engineers work on AI research and development projects at rates that reflect the strong demand from well-funded AI labs. Payment cadence depends on the specific contract.

Toptal pays $60–200/hr with weekly payments. The floor ($60/hr) is at Mercor's midpoint, and the ceiling ($200/hr) is a third higher than Mercor's. The multi-week vetting process — communication screen, technical interview, live coding challenge, paid test project — is the most rigorous in the market. Workers who pass gain access to enterprise clients like Airbnb, JPMorgan, and Pfizer.

Toptal's earning ceiling ($200/hr) is meaningfully higher than Mercor's ($150/hr), and its floor ($60/hr) is also higher. For engineers who can pass the Toptal process, the long-term earning potential is better. The tradeoff is a vetting process that can take 2–5 weeks and rejects most applicants. Mercor is the faster, lower-friction path to strong AI lab earnings.

Available Job Types

Mercor is purpose-built for AI lab work: RLHF, model evaluation, prompt engineering, and software engineering for AI research organizations. The entire platform is oriented around connecting talent with the AI ecosystem. Non-AI-focused work is available but not Mercor's primary offering.

Toptal covers software engineering, design, finance, and product management across all industries. AI/ML roles are available but represent a subset of total opportunities. The breadth of Toptal's client base — spanning tech, finance, healthcare, and consumer — means engineers aren't limited to AI lab work the way Mercor clients tend to be.

Who Should Choose Which?

Choose Mercor if you...

You want direct access to AI lab projects and AI research organizations specifically
You want to start earning within a week rather than waiting through Toptal's multi-week process
Your background is AI/ML focused and you want clients aligned to that niche
You want a fast AI-native vetting process rather than a live technical interview

Choose Toptal if you...

You want the highest hourly ceiling ($200/hr) and weekly payments
You have a strong portfolio and can handle a 2–5 week vetting process with multiple stages
You want access to the largest enterprise clients across all industries, not just AI labs
You want broad client industry coverage beyond AI research organizations

Our Verdict

Bottom Line

Both platforms are legitimate premium destinations. Mercor is the faster path to AI lab contracts at strong rates; Toptal is the harder path to a higher ceiling with a wider enterprise client base. Engineers who specifically want AI lab work and value speed should start with Mercor. Engineers who want the absolute maximum hourly rate and have the credentials and patience for Toptal's vetting should pursue both in parallel. View Mercor → · View Toptal →

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