micro1 vs Handshake AI: how their terms compare
By Gareth HoyleLast updated How we research
In short
micro1 suits US, UK and Canadian companies with 30 or more full-time staff and mainly English records, and Handshake AI suits businesses with financial models, process documentation, underwriting workflows or test reports. micro1 asks for 30 or more full-time staff and publishes when it pays. Handshake AI's page text states no size threshold or payment timing.
Key takeaways
- micro1 and Handshake AI are both training-data companies.
- Published payout at micro1: $100,000 to $500,000 (qualified partnerships), $500,000 to $3 million (large-scale or ongoing), more than $3 million (highly unique data).
- Published payout at Handshake AI: $100,000 to more than $4 million (headline).
- micro1 publishes 4 of the 6 terms compared here, and Handshake AI publishes 2.
- Facts were checked on each company's own pages in November 2026.
How do micro1 and Handshake AI 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 | micro1 | Handshake AI |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Training-data company | Training-data company |
| What it buys | Operational records such as engineering documentation, finance SOPs, support tickets, CRM records, legal and compliance procedures and logistics workflows, plus agent trajectories | Operational data such as financial models, process documentation, underwriting workflows, design documentation, specifications and test reports |
| Published payout | $100,000 to $500,000 (qualified partnerships), $500,000 to $3 million (large-scale or ongoing), more than $3 million (highly unique data). Agent trajectories listed at $1 million to $2 million a year | $100,000 to more than $4 million (headline). Its calculator shows estimates up to $100,000 and $400,000 to $800,000 or more |
| Size requirement | 30 or more full-time staff, mainly English records, US first, then the UK and Canada | Not published. The calculator asks for employees, tools used and years in business |
| Exclusivity | Not published | Not published |
| Fee to seller | None stated | Not published |
| Payment timing | Homepage says within 30 days of acceptance. FAQ says up to 30 days to review, then payment within 30 days of invoice | Not published. Payment follows delivery as the final process step |
| Facts checked | November 2026 | November 2026 |
Published payouts are ceilings or estimates, not quotes.
Who are micro1 and Handshake AI?
Training-data company
micro1
micro1 is a training-data company that licenses operational records from established companies and supplies them to AI labs and enterprises in the US and allied countries. Its data partnerships page publishes payments from $100,000 to more than $3 million, asks for 30 or more full-time staff and mainly English records, and prioritizes the US, UK and Canada.
Training-data company
Handshake AI
Handshake AI, the AI arm of the Handshake careers network, buys operational data from businesses to supply AI labs. Its data partnerships page headlines earnings of $100,000 to more than $4 million, lists industries from finance and healthcare to logistics and software, and sets out a five-step process, but its page text does not state size thresholds, exclusivity, fees or payment timing.
Which fits you, micro1 or Handshake AI?
The right fit between micro1 and Handshake AI depends on your records and the terms you need. We do not rank either company, and each point below comes from its published facts.
micro1 may suit you if
- you have 30 or more full-time staff and mainly English records
- you are in the US, which micro1 prioritizes, or in the UK or Canada
- you want published tiers to compare against, from $100,000 to more than $3 million
Handshake AI may suit you if
- your records include financial models, process documentation, underwriting workflows, design documentation, specifications or test reports
- you want an early estimate from a calculator that asks for employees, tools used and years in business
- you are ready to confirm exclusivity, fees and payment timing directly, since its page text does not state them
Terms to ask about
micro1 does not publish its exclusivity terms or fee to seller. Handshake AI does not publish its size requirement, exclusivity terms, fee to seller or payment timing. 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 micro1 and Handshake AI pay for data?
What size of company do micro1 and Handshake AI look for?
Do micro1 and Handshake AI charge sellers a fee or require exclusivity?
When do micro1 and Handshake AI pay sellers?
Related comparisons
Sources
- Data partnerships, micro1, accessed November 2026
- micro1 commits $1bn to enterprise data for AI training, The Next Web, accessed November 2026
- Data partnerships, Handshake, accessed November 2026