Yes, Toloka is legit, but the Toloka you may remember has moved. Its tasks for contributors now live on Mindrift, a platform Toloka owns, and the old Toloka contributor page sends you straight there.
This page covers what changed, how the work and pay run now, who can join, and what people on Reddit report. Facts come from Toloka's and Mindrift's own pages and terms, read on 2026-10-12.
Is Toloka Legit?
Toloka AI BV is a Dutch company with its registered office in Amsterdam. Olga Megorskaya founded it in 2014 and is still its CEO.
Today Toloka sells AI training data to companies building AI models. It names Anthropic, Amazon and Microsoft among its clients and lists offices in the US, Israel, Switzerland and Serbia.
People doing the tasks are independent contractors under the Toloka Platforms Terms of Use, last updated on 2026-09-17. Joining is free.
Sources: Toloka about page, Toloka Platforms Terms of Use, Mindrift welcome page.
Where Toloka Tasks Went
Toloka says the tasks and projects from Toloka and Toloka Annotators have moved to Mindrift, so everything sits on one platform.
If you already had a Toloka account, your account, balance and history moved over automatically. You log in to Mindrift with the same details.
The same terms cover mindrift.ai and the toloka.ai sites. For a closer look at expert projects, read our review of whether Mindrift is legit.
Sources: Mindrift welcome page, Mindrift about page.
How Toloka Work Runs Now
There are two levels of work on the platform.
- All-access tasks are open to everyone. You sign up and pick them up straight away, with no application.
- Specialized projects need deeper subject knowledge. You add your skills, pass short qualification tasks, and get access to projects with higher rates.
All-access tasks include rating AI responses, comparing two responses, labeling content, judging search results and recording short videos. Some tasks work on a phone.
Sources: Mindrift welcome page, Mindrift FAQ.
How Toloka Pays
Payouts go through Payoneer or Tipalti, which includes PayPal. Pay is processed on the 5th and the 20th of each month for tasks that were completed and accepted, in two cycles: the 1st to the 15th, and the 16th to month end.
Each task shows a fixed reward before you start. Only accepted tasks are paid.
Two rates are listed on the platform's own pages today:
| Work | Listed at | Where it is listed |
|---|---|---|
| Video recording of everyday activities | $5 to $15 per hour | Mindrift welcome page |
| Specialized projects | $15 to $100+ per hour | Mindrift apply page FAQ |
These are the ranges shown on the listings, not a forecast of what anyone makes. All-access tasks pay less, according to the same FAQ.
Sources: Mindrift FAQ, Mindrift welcome page, 2026-10-12, Mindrift apply page, 2026-10-12.
What the Terms Say About Rejected Work
The terms are worth reading before your first task, because they decide when you get paid.
- Toloka aims to review submitted tasks within 7 days, but does not guarantee it.
- A rejected task can go unpaid. If part of it was usable, you are paid for that part.
- You have 7 calendar days after a rejection to object through the platform.
- Skills assessments are unpaid unless Toloka says otherwise.
- Toloka guarantees no minimum number of tasks and no minimum income.
- You may hold one account only, and an account idle for 12 months can be closed.
Sources: Toloka Platforms Terms of Use, sections 6, 8, 10 and 16.
Who Can Join
You must be 18 or older. Toloka blocks some countries for sanctions reasons, including Russia, Belarus, China, Iran and North Korea.
A second list covers places it cannot support for identity checks or payments. As of the page dated 2026-05-27, that list includes Kenya, Switzerland and Taiwan.
Using a VPN to hide your location breaks the terms and can cost you your pending pay. Single projects can add their own rules, such as a country, a language or an extra agreement.
Sources: Eligibility and Geographic Restrictions, Toloka Platforms Terms of Use.
What Toloka Workers Say on Reddit
Threads in r/Toloka and r/AiTraining_Annotation from the past year repeat a few points.
- Work comes in waves. New sign-ups often find no tasks at first, and the platform can go quiet after a big project ends.
- Commenters say tasks already accepted are still paid if you are removed from a project.
- Qualification tests can be hard to pass, and several people report failing the same one many times.
- On expert projects, some report slow quality reviews and rejections they disagreed with.
- Results vary widely from person to person, and payout methods carry their own minimums.
Reddit threads, read 2026-10-12: r/Toloka thread, r/Toloka thread, r/Toloka thread, r/Toloka thread, r/AiTraining_Annotation thread, r/AiTraining_Annotation thread.
Toloka Compared With Mercor and Ethos
| Toloka (now Mindrift) | Mercor | Ethos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you join | Sign up for open tasks; qualifications for specialized projects | A role-specific AI interview of about 20 minutes | A recorded AI voice interview |
| Who it suits | Anyone for all-access tasks; experts for specialized projects | Professionals and experts | Professionals with domain expertise |
| How you are paid | Twice a month through Payoneer or Tipalti | Every Wednesday for the previous week, through Stripe or Wise | Through Revolut or Wise |
| DigiNo referral | No | Yes | Yes |
Mercor offers a free practice interview and up to three retakes of the real one. Ethos records its voice interview and uses AI to write follow-up questions.
Not sure which suits you? The AI Training Job Matcher asks two questions and points you to the right platform.
Sources: Mercor payments docs, Mercor AI interview docs, Ethos privacy policy.
Should You Sign Up for Toloka?
If you want small tasks you can start today with no application, signing up is free and payment runs on a fixed schedule. Check the country lists first, and read the rejection rules before you take on long tasks.
If you have a professional background, expert platforms that interview you up front are worth applying to in the same week. Read how to tell real AI training work from scams before you sign up anywhere.
Find the AI training platform that fits you
Chat with DigiNo Toucan. Two questions, no CV needed.
DigiNo earns a referral fee if you join Mercor or Ethos through our links. We have no deal with Toloka or Mindrift, and nobody paid for this review.
Toloka FAQ
Is Toloka legit?
Yes. Toloka AI BV is a Dutch AI data company founded in 2014. Its contributor tasks have moved to Mindrift, which Toloka owns, and payouts run twice a month through Payoneer or Tipalti.
Does Toloka still exist for workers?
Toloka tasks now run on Mindrift. Old Toloka accounts, balances and history moved over automatically, and you log in with the same details.
How does Toloka pay?
Through Payoneer or Tipalti, including PayPal, twice a month for accepted tasks. Each task shows a fixed reward before you start, and rejected work can go unpaid.
What are the alternatives to Toloka?
Mercor and Ethos take professionals and experts for AI training projects. The AI Training Job Matcher on DigiNo points you to the right one in two questions.
Find Your AI Training Job
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