Seven points to settle besides the amount
1. Is it exclusive?
An exclusive licence stops you selling the same data to anyone else, possibly forever. Some deals Pewter lists are a “perpetual, exclusive license” (Pewter, checked 18 Oct 2026); Troveo says most of its data is exclusive to it (Troveo, checked 18 Oct 2026). Big content licences often are not: Informa says its Microsoft deal is non-exclusive, and Calliope Networks says its AI training licences are non-exclusive (Calliope Networks, checked 18 Oct 2026). If a buyer wants exclusivity, it should pay for it, and limit it in time or scope.
2. How long does the licence last, and what survives it?
Polyshares licenses “defined material for a defined term” (Polyshares, checked 18 Oct 2026). Replay's example buyer licence is perpetual for training, evaluation and model development (Replay, checked 18 Oct 2026). A model trained on your data keeps what it learned after the licence ends, so ask what happens to copies, and whether the buyer can pass the data on.
3. Who de-identifies, and do you approve the result?
Get it in writing: who removes personal data, by what method, before it leaves your control, and whether you see a cleaned sample first. Mercor says it covers extraction, anonymisation and transfer, with no data leaving your systems until you approve it (Mercor, checked 18 Oct 2026). micro1 lets companies review samples before use (micro1, checked 18 Oct 2026). Also ask for a clause forbidding the buyer from trying to re-identify anyone.
4. When are you paid, and in how many parts?
Published terms vary a lot: Grepped says as little as 7 days (Grepped, checked 18 Oct 2026); Mercor pays by wire on delivery, typically within 2 to 4 weeks of signing; Polyshares pays Net 30 to 60 once the data is approved, shared and anonymised; Turing pays once, with no recurring commitment (Turing, checked 18 Oct 2026). Revenue shares (Replay, Troveo, Magma) pay as the data licenses, which may be often or never.
5. Can any of it be clawed back?
None of the programmes we track publishes clawback terms, which is a reason to ask. Look for refunds tied to data quality, completeness, a buyer rejecting the set, or warranties about your rights in the data. A payment that can be reversed months later is worth less than the same amount paid clean.
6. Who pays the company that contacted you?
Some intermediaries are paid by the buyer. Pewter says the licensing firm pays it a fee when a deal closes and the owner pays nothing (Pewter, checked 18 Oct 2026). SimpleClosure takes a percentage if assets sell or license (SimpleClosure, checked 18 Oct 2026). Datarade charges providers 15% to 30% commission (Datarade, checked 18 Oct 2026). Polyshares and Troveo say they take nothing from your payout. None of these is wrong, but you should know whose side the person across the table is on.
7. Is the number an offer or an estimate?
Estimators are marketing. Replay's terms say its figures “do not constitute an offer”; Handshake AI calls its estimate indicative and not an offer to purchase (Handshake AI, checked 18 Oct 2026); micro1 says its estimate is “not a quote or binding offer”. A real offer is a fixed amount, in writing, with the terms above attached.
Red flags
- Pressure to sign before you have seen the licence terms in full.
- Standing access to your live systems with no end date, instead of an export or temporary read-only access.
- No sample review before the data goes to a buyer.
- Silence on who de-identifies, or a promise of “zero risk”.
- Exclusivity with no time limit and no premium.
For the wider market, see the programme directory and the disclosed deals.