Amazon Mechanical Turk (Mturk) is one of the most popular short task sites online. It's flexible, there's lots of easy work, you can get paid daily, and signing up is a piece of cake.
Most people would agree that you're not going to break the bank doing work on Mturk, but it's one of the best “back-up eggs” online for freelancers — one of those things that's good to have access to when you really need it!
A lot of people who love using Mturk start looking around for sites that are just like it, hoping to have access to even more short task work and make more money.
People who are located outside the US may also be in need of an Mturk alternative since it's not possible to get a bank transfer from Mturk if you're not in the US.
I think it's safe to say there's nothing out there exactly like Mturk, but there are some short task sites you can use that are pretty similar to it. I'm already familiar with a few of the more reputable ones, listed below.
1 – Microworkers
This is probably the most popular Mturk alternative. Microworkers is open to workers worldwide, which makes it a decent option if you are outside the US. I have barely used this site myself, but they've been around for years and I know that they do pay.
Microworkers has a lot of different tasks available. Some of the most popular include writing reviews, searching keywords, and engaging on various sites. You'll usually find a lot of work posted at Microworkers. Pay varies by task and there is no flat hourly rate published. Your earnings will depend on the tasks available to you and how quickly you complete them.
To get started, you will need to complete an online KYC (Know Your Customer) identity verification process before you can withdraw earnings.
The minimum withdrawal amounts are $9 for Airtm, PayPal, Skrill, and Onto; $10 for Transpay; and $20 for Payoneer. Payments are processed twice per week, every Wednesday and Sunday.
Go here to sign up at Microworkers.
2 – User Interviews
User Interviews connects participants with paid research studies for companies that want detailed feedback from real people.
This is more involved than the tiny tasks you see on MTurk, but the upside is much better. Many User Interviews studies pay $100 or more for around an hour of your time, although you have to apply and you won't qualify for every project.
Before applying, you can see information about what the study involves and the incentive being offered. Studies may include interviews, focus groups, product research, or other feedback projects.
Go here to sign up for User Interviews, or read my User Interviews review first.
3 – Clickworker
This short task site is pretty popular in the work from home community and they are open worldwide. Tasks available include everything from simple research to tagging, writing, app testing, surveys, and audio recordings. Their UHRS tasks are particularly popular among workers and tend to pay better than the standard task pool.
UHRS stands for Universal Human Relevance System and involves evaluating search results and web content for quality and relevance, similar to what TELUS Digital offers below.
Payments are made via PayPal, Payoneer, ACH, SEPA, and direct bank transfers. They pay every week.
Pay varies by task type since Clickworker does not publish a flat hourly rate. Your earnings depend on how fast you work and which tasks are available to you. UHRS tasks in particular are worth prioritizing once you qualify, as they tend to offer the best return for your time.
Go here to sign up at Clickworker or read the Clickworker review.
4 – TELUS Digital
TELUS Digital (formerly known as Lionbridge) is a site that is almost always looking for people to work at home as “raters.”
While the work is task-based, getting accepted here is more involved than it is with Amazon Mturk. You'll assess online search results to enhance their quality, analyze and rate content relevance to search terms, and review language for grammar, tone, and cultural appropriateness. Your work helps improve a major search engine's quality by evaluating web content using your PC and smartphone.
The requirements to start are minimal and this is very entry-level work. You can work on your own schedule for a minimum of 10 hours per week and up to 25 hours. Pay is currently around $17 per hour based on current data, and TELUS Digital pays via bank direct deposit every two weeks.
One thing worth knowing is that hours are not guaranteed from week to week. Task availability fluctuates depending on project needs, so treat this as supplemental income rather than a reliable primary source.
Go here to apply at TELUS Digital.
5 – DataAnnotation
DataAnnotation is one of the strongest Mturk alternatives available right now and worth signing up for if you have good writing or technical skills. The platform pays you to rate chatbot conversations, evaluate AI-generated content, review code, and provide feedback that helps train large language models.
Pay runs $25 to $30 per hour for general writing and evaluation tasks, and $50 to $100 per hour for domain expert work in areas like coding, law, medicine, finance, and STEM fields.
Payments are made weekly via PayPal. No degree is required, but strong English writing skills are needed for the generalist track, and specialized knowledge unlocks the higher-paying projects.
The application process involves a starter assessment. If you do not hear back within two to three weeks, it typically means you were not accepted for that round, though you may be able to reapply later.
Task availability can be inconsistent, so it works best as one of several income streams rather than your only one.
Go here to apply at DataAnnotation.
6 – Outlier (Scale AI)
Outlier is run by Scale AI, a known AI infrastructure company, and it operates similarly to DataAnnotation. You'll evaluate and rank AI-generated responses, write prompts, and provide feedback to improve large language models.
Pay for general tasks starts around $15 per hour and goes up to $25 or more. Specialized roles in coding, math, science, law, or medicine can pay $25 to $50 per hour or higher. Payments are made weekly.
A few things to keep in mind before you apply: task availability is inconsistent and can go quiet for stretches with no warning. Getting accepted requires passing a qualification assessment, and the process can take one to five hours before you earn your first dollar.
For people with specialist skills, it is one of the more accessible and better-paying remote work options in the AI training world right now.
7 – Swagbucks
Swagbucks is more of a rewards site than a true task site, and it pays significantly less than the options above. It's included here because it is widely used and genuinely pays, and it can be a decent way to earn something during downtime without much effort.
Swagbucks will pay you for completing short tasks, answering surveys, playing games, watching videos, and more. You earn points that you can redeem for gift cards or PayPal cash.
The minimum cash-out via PayPal is $25, so it takes some time to build up to a withdrawal.
Go here to sign up for Swagbucks.
8 – Survey Junkie
Similar to Swagbucks in terms of earning potential, Survey Junkie is a well-established survey and task platform that pays you for sharing your opinions. It's not going to replace Mturk, but it's easy to use, has a clean interface, and consistently earns good marks from users for actually paying out.
You earn points for each survey or task completed, which can be redeemed for PayPal cash or gift cards. The minimum cash-out is $10, which is more reachable than some other platforms.
Survey Junkie is open to US, Canadian, and Australian residents.
Go here to sign up for Survey Junkie.
Be Careful Which Tasks You Accept
I also want to point out that pretty much anyone can post a job on these sites.
Because of that, be super careful about which tasks you accept! If something sounds unethical, scammy, or you think it may lead to you getting a lot of spam, you should probably pass.
Good luck!
Anna Thurman is a work at home blogger and mom of two. She has been researching and reviewing remote jobs for over 15 years. Her findings are published weekly here at Real Ways to Earn.