Mercor vs Polyshares: how their terms compare
By Gareth HoyleLast updated How we research
In short
Mercor and Polyshares both license a company's operational record, from Slack to CRM history, for AI labs. Mercor suits companies whose workflow data sits in tools such as Slack, Gmail, Salesforce and GitHub, and Polyshares suits companies of any headcount with real operating history that want no fee or commission. Polyshares publishes typical deals of $100,000 to $2 million and above and no headcount minimum. Mercor publishes neither on mercor.com/data.
Key takeaways
- Mercor is a training-data company, and Polyshares is a direct buyer.
- Published payout at Mercor: Not published on mercor.com/data.
- Published payout at Polyshares: $100,000 to $2 million and above typical.
- Mercor publishes 3 of the 6 terms compared here, and Polyshares publishes 6.
- Facts were checked on each company's own pages in November 2026.
How do Mercor and Polyshares compare?
The table sets each company's published terms side by side, copied from our profiles. "Not published" means the company's own pages do not say.
| Term | Mercor | Polyshares |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Training-data company | Direct buyer |
| What it buys | Workflow data from more than 100 supported tools, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Salesforce, GitHub and Notion | Operational data: Slack, email, Drive, spreadsheets, CRM history, support tickets, design files, call recordings, accounting and ERP exports |
| Published payout | Not published on mercor.com/data. ddiy.co reported Mercor's referral page listing $20,000 to $1.5 million by industry (October 2026) | $100,000 to $2 million and above typical. Four published licenses range from $110,000 to $450,000 |
| Size requirement | Not published on mercor.com/data. Target industries include legal, healthcare, finance and insurance, professional services, manufacturing, retail, real estate and logistics | No headcount minimum. Any company with real operating history, in any sector |
| Exclusivity | Not published | All four published case studies are perpetual exclusive licenses. Its terms page does not state exclusivity |
| Fee to seller | None. Mercor covers extraction, anonymization and transfer costs | None. No fee and no commission |
| Payment timing | Wire transfer after delivery, typically within 2 to 4 weeks of the signed agreement | Offer within one to two weeks. Net 30 to 60 days after data is approved, shared and anonymized |
| Facts checked | November 2026 | November 2026 |
Published payouts are ceilings or estimates, not quotes.
Who are Mercor and Polyshares?
Training-data company
Mercor
Mercor is a training-data company that pays businesses to license workflow data from tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Salesforce, GitHub and Notion. Its data monetization page says Mercor covers the cost of extraction, anonymization and transfer, and pays by wire transfer after delivery, typically within 2 to 4 weeks of the signed agreement.
Direct buyer
Polyshares
Polyshares is a direct buyer that licenses a company's operational record, anonymizes it and supplies AI labs itself. Its site says typical deals run $100,000 to $2 million and above, sellers pay no fee or commission, an offer arrives within one to two weeks and payment follows net 30 to 60 days once data is approved, shared and anonymized.
Which fits you, Mercor or Polyshares?
The right fit between Mercor and Polyshares depends on your records and the terms you need. We do not rank either company, and each point below comes from its published facts.
Mercor may suit you if
- your records sit in tools Mercor supports, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Salesforce, GitHub or Notion
- you want the buyer to cover extraction, anonymization and transfer costs
- you want a wire transfer after delivery, which Mercor says typically arrives within 2 to 4 weeks of the signed agreement
Polyshares may suit you if
- you have real operating history but not a large headcount, since Polyshares sets no minimum
- you want an offer within one to two weeks and accept payment net 30 to 60 days after approval
- you have weighed exclusivity, since all four of its published case studies are perpetual exclusive licenses
Terms to ask about
Mercor does not publish its payout, size requirement or exclusivity terms. Polyshares publishes all 6 terms compared on this page. Ask each company for these terms in writing before you share a sample.
Comparing offers?
Published payouts are ceilings, not quotes. We can put your records in front of several vetted buyers and compare offers on the same terms. Get a free valuation.
Frequently asked questions
What do Mercor and Polyshares pay for data?
What size of company do Mercor and Polyshares look for?
Do Mercor and Polyshares charge sellers a fee or require exclusivity?
When do Mercor and Polyshares pay sellers?
Related comparisons
Sources
- Data monetization, Mercor, accessed November 2026
- Sell company data to AI, ddiy.co, accessed November 2026
- Selling company data for AI training: what to know before you say yes, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein and Selz, accessed November 2026
- micro1 tries to beat Google's bid to buy bankrupt Spirit Airlines' data, Fortune, accessed November 2026
- Polyshares homepage, Polyshares, accessed November 2026
- Track record, Polyshares, accessed November 2026
- Data licensing terms, Polyshares, accessed November 2026
- Answers, Polyshares, accessed November 2026