# Selling software company data to AI companies in Australia

> Can a software company in Australia sell its data to AI companies? Which buyers accept you, published payouts in AUD, and the rules that apply.

Canonical: https://origindatapartners.com/sell-company-data/australia/software-companies
By: Origin Data Partners
Published: 2026-10-26
Sources checked: 2026-10-26

## Quick answer

Yes. AI companies buy records from software companies, and micro1, Mercor and Handshake AI accept companies in Australia. Published payouts for this kind of company run A$71K to A$710K ($50K to $500K), from Mercor's private-code listing. Confirm IP assignment from contractors, and remove secrets and customer data.

## Key facts

- Published payout: A$71K to A$710K ($50K to $500K)
- Buyers that accept you: 4 (micro1, Mercor, Handshake AI and Turing)
- Privacy law: Privacy Act 1988 (Plus the industry rules below)
- US tax withheld: 5% (With a W-8BEN-E)

## What software company records AI buyers want

Australia sits outside micro1's priority list for operating companies, so Turing and Mercor are the main routes.

Mercor runs a software company listing for private code; Turing buys codebases and full operating records.

| Record | Why buyers want it |
| --- | --- |
| Repositories with full history | Turing buys codebases alone for $10K to $100K+. |
| Tickets linked to commits | Linkage multiplies value. |
| Product specs and design docs | Show why decisions were made. |
| Support histories | Real user problems and fixes. |


## Which AI data buyers accept Australian software companies

Buyers disagree on Australia: some estimators price it with Europe, others with the rest of the world.

| Buyer | Fit for Australia | What to know |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [micro1](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/micro1-company-data-partnerships) | Partial fit | Closed companies with 50+ peak staff; operating companies considered case by case; lists technology companies |
| [Mercor](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/mercor-data-monetization-program) | Strong fit | Software company listing (private code): $50K to $500K published |
| [Handshake AI](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/handshake-ai-data-partnerships) | Possible | Names software; 20+ staff and 3+ years; accepts companies outside the US |
| [Turing](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/turing-project-lazarus) | Possible | Full operating records up to $1M; strongest demand in the US, UK, Canada and EU |


## Published payouts in AUD

Mercor's private-code listing is the closest published figure for software companies, converted to AUD. Larger programs pay more for long, linked histories.

| Published figure | USD | AUD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mercor, private-code listing | $50K to $500K | A$71K to A$710K |
| micro1, large-scale datasets | $500K to $2M | A$710K to A$2.8M |
| Handshake AI, advertised range | $100K to $4M+ | A$140K to A$5.7M+ |


## Australian rules for software companies

Confirm IP assignment from contractors, and remove secrets and customer data.

Any personal data left in the records falls under Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles; the [Australian privacy steps](https://origindatapartners.com/sell-company-data/australia#rules) apply to every industry. Before anything leaves, exclude:

- Secrets, keys and credentials in code.
- Customer data in support tickets and databases.
- Open-source code under licenses that travel with it.

Source: [OAIC: Australian Privacy Principles](https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles)

## How much do AI companies pay for a codebase?

Turing says a repository alone typically pays $10K to $100K or more, and Mercor publishes $50K to $500K for private code. Code linked to its tickets, reviews and design docs earns the upper end.

Our guide covers this in depth: [Can a company sell its source code to AI companies?](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-source-code-ai-training).


## US tax on the license fee

For Australia: 5% with a treaty form (W-8BEN-E).

Source: [IRS: Tax treaty tables](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/tax-treaty-tables)

## Questions and answers

### Do AI companies buy software company data in Australia?

Yes. micro1, Mercor, Handshake AI and Turing accept companies in Australia. Australia sits outside micro1's priority list for operating companies, so Turing and Mercor are the main routes.

### How much do AI companies pay for software company data?

Published payouts for this kind of company run A$71K to A$710K ($50K to $500K), from Mercor's private-code listing, with larger tiers for big or unique datasets. Actual offers depend on your records and rights.

### Is it legal for a software company in Australia to sell company data?

Confirm IP assignment from contractors, and remove secrets and customer data.

### How much do AI companies pay for a codebase?

Turing says a repository alone typically pays $10K to $100K or more, and Mercor publishes $50K to $500K for private code. Code linked to its tickets, reviews and design docs earns the upper end.

## Sources

- [micro1: Data partnerships](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships)
- [Mercor: Monetize your data](https://www.mercor.com/data/)
- [Handshake AI: Data partnerships](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/)
- [OAIC: Australian Privacy Principles](https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles)
- [IRS: Tax treaty tables](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/tax-treaty-tables)
- [European Central Bank: euro reference rates](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html)