⚠️ UPDATE (08 January 2026): A few days after this was posted, the Atlus Capture process changed. The onboarding no requires a short unpaid work trial to test your understanding of the work. The Surge Rate has also ended. However, users now have the option of doign additional assessments, which lead to higher payout rates. Click here to read our initial write up and sign up.
If you are stuck with an empty Outlier Marketplace or a bunch of “In Review” statuses from Mercor, you can start earning today while you wait. Atlas Capture has resumed work, and they are paying double rates for a limited time for early adopters.
This article contains referral links.
The author may be paid as a result of you using the referrals.
Finding a reliable AI side hustle in 2026 is becoming a waiting game. The big platforms are flooded, and approval can take weeks.
But this week, Atlas Capture has emerged as the fastest alternative for immediate work. Unlike the complex coding or writing tasks on other sites, this is pure video labeling—and right now, they are running a “Surge Pricing” event that doubles your pay. Best of all, approval is based on an assessment only, meaning you can start in less than hour of clicking our referral.
Here is everything you need to know to get started today.
What is Atlas Capture?
Atlas Capture is a lightweight data annotation platform focused on video analysis. Instead of writing long essays or debugging Python code, your job is simple: watch short video clips and tag/label what you see. The videos are all of common household tasks, filmed from a first-person perspective. Your job is to describe what the hands are doing.
It is designed for speed. There are no grueling 3-hour exams, CVs, or AI interviews. Sign up is a short form, ID verification, a 25 question test (90% pass, with re-tries allowed), and a 25 minute example video. Then, you work.
The “Surge” Pay Rate (Why You Should Join Now)
Normally, the base rate for video labeling is 10¢ per labeled minute. It’s not a fortune, but it adds up quickly because the tasks are easy.
However, right now there is a limited-time Introductory Surge.
- Old Rate: 10¢ per minute.
- Current Surge Rate: 20¢ per labeled minute.
This effectively doubles your earning potential just for signing up early. These “Surge” windows are common with new platforms trying to build a workforce quickly, but they never last long.
Based on what we can see, the surge ends on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 1:30 AM GMT
The payments are unrestrictive
All too often, payments systems are what stands in the way of you earning an online income. Between the fees and the geographic restrictions, getting your payments is painful, or impossible.
Atlas appears to offer payment via Wise or cypto (USDC or USDT). Crypto is faster, and faces fewer restrictions. Wise may be preferred for those already using it.
The payouts are processed on the 7th and 21st of each month, and there is a USD20 minimum.
Why It’s The Perfect Backup Plan
Even if you already have an account on Outlier, Abaka, Alignerr, or Mercor, Atlas Capture fills a specific gap in your income stack:
- Instant Onboarding: Users are reporting going from “Sign Up” to “First Task” in just a few hours.
- Low Mental Load: Labeling videos is significantly less draining than creative writing or fact-checking complex physics problems. It is the perfect “podcast work”—stuff you can do while listening to something else.
- No “Empty Queue” Anxiety: Because the platform is new and the entry requirements are lower, there is currently a high volume of raw video data needing processing.
How to Lock In The Surge Rate
Because this is a launch event, you need to move fast before the rate drops back to the standard 10¢.
Follow these steps to fast-track your approval:
- Use the referral link: Click Here to Sign Up for Atlas Capture
- Complete the Basic Profile: Ensure you have valid ID at the ready, and make time to watch the training video.
- Start Labeling: Do not wait. Complete the trial task batch as soon as possible to maximize your Surge Pricing time.
The Verdict
In the volatile world of AI contract work, speed is everything. The users who jumped on Outlier early made the most money. The users who jumped on Appen’s “Project Crescent” early made the most money.
Right now, Atlas Capture is that opportunity. The pay is doubled, the doors are open, and the entry barrier is practically zero.