Addepto vs Mercor: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Addepto (3.9/5) edges ahead of Mercor (3.6/5) overall. Addepto is the better choice for industrial and automotive companies adding AI and data engineers to an internal team. Mercor is the stronger option for AI labs and companies that need evaluation or expert contractors in large numbers. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Addepto vs Mercor: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Addepto | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 | 2023 |
| HQ | Warsaw, Poland | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Team size | 50–99 (directory estimate) | ~300–400 staff; tens of thousands of contractors |
| Rating | 3.9 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | AI-heavy team with manufacturing domain experience, now backed by a larger group | AI interviewing that can screen very large candidate pools quickly |
| Pricing model | Collaborative team model or managed delivery; rates on request | Marketplace fee on contractor pay (about 30% per Sacra); rates set per role |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, Databricks, Spark | Python, PyTorch, OpenAI |
| Industries served | Manufacturing, Automotive, Retail, Aviation | AI research labs, Software & SaaS, Professional services |
Addepto vs Mercor: overview
Addepto
Addepto has worked on AI and data in Warsaw since 2017, with a strong client base in industrial and automotive companies. KMS Technology, an Atlanta engineering firm backed by Sunstone Partners, acquired it in December 2025. Its collaborative cooperation model puts Addepto engineers alongside the client's own team, and the company has said publicly it is not a body-leasing firm. After the deal, its CEO said 97% of the team are AI engineers.
Mercor
Mercor was founded in 2023 and uses AI agents to interview and match contractors, and in October 2025 it closed a Series C at a $10 billion valuation. It began by hiring software engineers, and a spokesperson said in 2025 that engineers were still its most requested talent. More than 90% of its revenue, though, now comes from AI model companies buying expert work for training data. It still places people in full-time, part-time and contract roles with other clients, and an analysis by Sacra puts its recruiting fee at 30%.
Services and capabilities: Addepto vs Mercor
| Capability | Addepto | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| LLM / GenAI engineers | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI agent development | ✗ | ✗ |
| MLOps & deployment | ✗ | ✗ |
| Computer vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP | ✗ | ✗ |
| Data engineering | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fractional / part-time experts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Trial before commitment | ✗ | ✗ |
| Forward-deployed engineers | ✗ | ✗ |
| Access to a wider AI talent network | ✗ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: Addepto vs Mercor
| Framework / platform | Addepto | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | N/A | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | N/A | N/A |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| OpenAI | ✓ | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | N/A |
| Azure | ✓ | N/A |
| Google Cloud | N/A | N/A |
| Databricks | ✓ | N/A |
| MLflow | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Addepto vs Mercor
| Criterion | Addepto | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Embedded team, Project delivery | Fractional experts, Dedicated engineers |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Addepto vs Mercor
| Dimension | Addepto | Mercor |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Manufacturing, Automotive, Retail | AI research labs, Software & SaaS, Professional services |
| Best use cases | Adding Databricks engineers to a manufacturer's data team, Building a GenAI assistant for automotive service documents | Staffing an LLM evaluation project with domain experts, Hiring a contract engineer through AI interviews |
| Typical project type | Embedded team | Fractional experts |
Addepto vs Mercor: pros and cons
| Addepto | |
|---|---|
| + | Nearly the whole team is AI engineers, according to its CEO |
| + | Industrial and automotive client experience |
| + | KMS ownership adds broader engineering capacity behind it |
| - | Acquired by KMS Technology in December 2025; ownership changes can bring new contract terms |
| - | Prefers joint delivery to straight staff placement |
| - | Team size estimates range from 8 to 99 |
| Mercor | |
|---|---|
| + | Can source very large numbers of contractors quickly |
| + | Covers domain experts such as doctors and lawyers as well as engineers |
| + | Well funded |
| - | More than 90% of revenue comes from AI labs, so ordinary product teams are a small part of its business |
| - | Contractors are not employees, and continuity rests with the individual |
| - | A 30% fee is high next to employer-based firms |
Who should choose Addepto?
A typical fit: adding Databricks engineers to a manufacturer's data team.
AI-heavy team with manufacturing domain experience, now backed by a larger group. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Manufacturing, Automotive, Retail, Aviation.
Who should choose Mercor?
A typical fit: staffing an LLM evaluation project with domain experts.
AI interviewing that can screen very large candidate pools quickly. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in AI research labs, Software & SaaS, Professional services.
Decision matrix: Addepto vs Mercor
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need one AI specialist part-time | Mercor |
| You need several engineers working as one team | Addepto |
| You want to test an engineer before committing | Neither publishes a trial; negotiate a short first term |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Addepto (Not published) vs Mercor (Not published) |
| You need engineers deployed inside your organization | Addepto |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Addepto |
Use case fit: Addepto vs Mercor
| Use case | Addepto fit | Mercor fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding Databricks engineers to a manufacturer's data team | Strong | Limited | Addepto |
| Building a GenAI assistant for automotive service documents | Strong | Limited | Addepto |
| Staffing an LLM evaluation project with domain experts | Limited | Strong | Mercor |
| Hiring a contract engineer through AI interviews | Limited | Strong | Mercor |
Verdict: Addepto vs Mercor
Addepto (3.9/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI-Native Staff Augmentation projects. AI-heavy team with manufacturing domain experience, now backed by a larger group.
Mercor (3.6/5) is worth a look if you need hiring a contract engineer through AI interviews. If your situation matches that, Mercor is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Addepto vs Mercor FAQ
Is Addepto better than Mercor?
Addepto (3.9/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Addepto's strongest advantage: nearly the whole team is AI engineers, according to its CEO. Mercor's strongest advantage: can source very large numbers of contractors quickly.
How do Addepto and Mercor differ in pricing?
Addepto uses collaborative team model or managed delivery; rates on request pricing. Mercor uses marketplace fee on contractor pay (about 30% per sacra); rates set per role pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Addepto or Mercor?
Mercor is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Addepto and Mercor?
Addepto's primary differentiator is: AI-heavy team with manufacturing domain experience, now backed by a larger group. Mercor's primary differentiator is: AI interviewing that can screen very large candidate pools quickly. They also differ in team size (50–99 (directory estimate) vs ~300–400 staff; tens of thousands of contractors), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Manufacturing, Automotive vs AI research labs, Software & SaaS).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.