Compare · Human task services
MTurk alternatives now Mechanical Turk has closed
Amazon says Mechanical Turk permanently closed on 30 September 2026 [1]. MTurk alternatives depend on what the old HIT actually asked people to do. A former requester comparing sites like MTurk may need data labels, screened study participants or a simple opinion; an MTurk API replacement must support that exact workflow. UK workers should check which services offer paid work now, since PennyForYours answers are unpaid in early access. Last checked: 7 October 2026.
We review requests by hand.
Sites like MTurk compared by task
Mechanical Turk carried many kinds of Human Intelligence Task, or HIT. No single successor is right for every former HIT. Separate data production, research participation and quick judgement before moving a workflow.
| Need | Possible route | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Large data set or annotation | Toloka or Clickworker | Official product pages describe AI data and labelling services [2], [3]. Check the task format and minimum project requirements. |
| Screened participants for a study | Prolific | Its research workflow supports audience filters and links to external studies [4]. |
| Short UK opinion with a reason | PennyForYours | One question to 5 to 50 UK adults; quick takes only, with a signed receipt per answer. |
| Existing MTurk history | Amazon's worker or requester portal | Amazon says transaction history remains available until 28 January 2027 [1]. |
Ask each provider how worker selection, quality checks and payment work for your use case. A generic 'human task' label does not tell you whether the service can show a live website, collect recordings or send thousands of labels.
Which MTurk alternatives fit the work?
Use a data platform for annotation at scale
Toloka's own site describes AI training and evaluation data [2]; Clickworker lists data collection, validation and labelling [3]. Those routes deserve a look if you previously posted hundreds of similar HITs. Compare their supported tasks and quality-control options rather than assuming a direct import from MTurk.
Use Prolific for research studies
If the key problem is finding a participant who meets a screener, Prolific is a more relevant comparison. It supports targeted recruitment and study workflows [4]. An ethics-approved or longitudinal study needs more than a short opinion prompt. Keep your existing study design and consent requirements in view when choosing a replacement.
Use PennyForYours for a small, subjective check
For a product name or two interface labels, a short question may be enough to see what people notice first. Ask one neutral question; read every reason as well as the vote count. A small mixed UK group will not validate a specialist audience. The signed receipt records the checks an answer passed, without naming the person. Our trust page explains what those checks can and cannot establish.
Official sources checked 7 October 2026: [1] Amazon Mechanical Turk closure FAQ; [2] Toloka AI data; [3] Clickworker data services; [4] Prolific research workflow. The closure and remaining account dates come from Amazon, not a third-party report.
An MTurk API alternative for quick judgements
For a requester or developer
A quick judgement here might ask which of two labels is clearer. In the current developer sandbox, any returned answers are synthetic and marked as test data. An early-access human question can use short text or one image, ask for a pick, rating or first impression, and collect a reason with each accepted answer. We aim for first answers within about 15 minutes in UK daytime, though early access can be slower and a full pool can take longer.
The REST API and MCP server remain invitation-only. There is no general HIT import, multi-step workflow or large annotation job. The human-in-the-loop API guide shows the narrower pattern. At paid launch, asking starts from 30p an answer plus 50p a question (launch example); asking is free in early access.
For a former worker
Questions are chosen from a board. The current quick take asks for your own first impression, not a search-relevance grade or a long transcription. During early access, answering is unpaid and optional, with no promise of future work. Paid answers start at launch. The answering guide describes eligibility and the current phase.
Mechanical Turk alternatives for UK workers: first steps
Start with Amazon’s closure FAQ [1] if you have unfinished MTurk account business. It says workers can verify payment preferences until 30 October 2026 and explains how approved HITs are settled. Your account status and any missing payment need to be checked with Amazon directly.
A requester can request early access for one short opinion or read about the invitation-only sandbox. UK workers can apply to answer, while the Clickworker and Prolific comparisons cover services advertising paid tasks today. PennyForYours has no paid-answer launch date.
Your questions, answered
Where should UK workers begin after MTurk closed?
Amazon says Mechanical Turk permanently closed on 30 September 2026 [1]. Its official closure FAQ distinguishes new HIT submissions from account settlement and remaining transaction-history access. The page was checked on 7 October 2026. Follow Amazon's current notices for any change to those dates or instructions.
What happens to my MTurk account and earnings?
Amazon says completed, approved HITs will be paid on the normal schedule [1]. Its closure FAQ also asks workers to verify payment preferences by 30 October 2026 and says transaction history remains available until 28 January 2027. Check your own portal and contact Amazon support about a missing payment; we cannot see your account.
What is the best MTurk alternative for developers?
Match the replacement to the work. Toloka and Clickworker describe data services and annotation [2], [3]; Prolific suits recruited study participants [4]. PennyForYours is limited to a short opinion question from UK adults, with sandbox-only developer access today. An MTurk API integration cannot simply be pointed at our endpoint without redesigning the task.
Are there Mechanical Turk alternatives in the UK for workers?
Yes, but the tasks and payment terms differ. Clickworker describes tasks through its app and website, while Prolific recruits for studies [3], [4]. Check current UK eligibility and payment options on each service. PennyForYours currently accepts UK adults by invitation or approval but does not yet pay for answers.
Can I migrate MTurk HITs to PennyForYours?
No direct HIT-format migration is available. The current product accepts only quick takes: pick between two or three options, rate 1 to 5, or give a first impression. You would need to rewrite a suitable task as one short question and test it in the sandbox. Large data jobs need a different provider.
How much does a PennyForYours question cost?
Asking is free during early access, by invitation. At paid launch, the quick-take example starts from 30p an answer plus 50p a question. A group of 20 would therefore come to about £6.50 at those example prices. This is a price for a small opinion check, not an MTurk-equivalent price for every HIT type.
Find out what people really think.
Free during early access. No card needed.
Free during early access. We review requests by hand. Have an invite code? Join