# Best Data Annotation Jobs (2026)

Ten platforms that pay people to train AI, compared side by side. What they pay, who they want, how fast the money arrives and what workers actually run into.

Facts checked 8 November 2026. First published 8 November 2026. Canonical: https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/

Data annotation work means teaching AI models by example. You might rate two chatbot answers, write a better one, check a model's maths, label images, or try to make a model say something it shouldn't. Most of it is remote, paid by the hour or by the task, and done as an independent contractor.

The catch is that every platform works differently. Some pay generalists, some only want people with a degree or a licence, and some go quiet for weeks between projects. This page puts the details in one place so you can pick where to apply first.

Every figure below comes from the platform's own pages or from reporting we link to in the sources. Where we could not confirm something, we say so. The "Facts checked" date above is the last time we rechecked them. Pay changes often, so check the platform's own page before you apply.

## The comparison

| # | Platform | Published pay | To join | Payout | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DataAnnotation | $25 to $50/hr general; $40 to $150+ coding (starting rates) | Fluent English, bachelor's or equivalent, assessment, ID check | PayPal, a few days after you request it | Writers, generalists, coders, STEM | Legit |
| 2 | Outlier | Per project. Official examples: up to $15 to $50/hr by role and country | Associate degree+, ID, local phone, work visa, screenings | Weekly (Tuesdays): PayPal, Airtm or ACH | Generalists and subject experts | Legit, with caveats |
| 3 | Mercor | Per project. Past pool rates about $40 to $180/hr by field | AI interview, matching experience, supported country | Weekly: Stripe Connect, or Wise in some countries | Working professionals and experts | Legit, with caveats |
| 4 | Alignerr | Per job card, e.g. $20 to $50 or $40 to $120/hr | Recorded AI interview, ID check, supported country | Weekly, the Friday after: Stripe or PayPal | Experts and researchers; some entry roles | Legit |
| 5 | Prolific | Minimum £6 / $8 an hour set by Prolific | 18+, verified account, supported country | PayPal from £6 / $6; first cash-outs wait 72 hrs | Beginners doing short studies | Legit |
| 6 | Appen (CrowdGen) | Per project; expert ceilings up to $150 to $450/hr | Qualification step; rules vary by project | Monthly invoice; PayPal, bank and others | Multilingual contributors, experts | Legit, with caveats |
| 7 | micro1 | Per project; no public rate card | AI interview, Deel contract, time tracking | Twice a month via Deel (about 5th and 20th) | Experts matched to client projects | Legit |
| 8 | Turing | Not published on its job posts | Varies; e.g. 3+ years' experience, 20+ hrs a week | Not confirmed (contractor terms not public) | Software engineers | Legit |
| 9 | Invisible (Meridial) | Rate range shown on each engagement | Profile, confirmation step, location rules | Every two weeks | Domain experts and students | Legit |
| 10 | TELUS Digital AI | Estimated rate on each listing (not confirmed by us) | Per role, country and language; exam and ID | Not confirmed | Bilingual raters in their own country | Legit |

## Each platform in detail

### 1. DataAnnotation

- Operator: Run by Surge AI (Surge Labs), a San Francisco AI data company founded in 2020.
- Pay: From $25 to $50 an hour for general work, $40 to $150+ for coding, $40 to $125+ for STEM and licensed professional work (its own FAQ).
- Best for: Strong English writers and generalists, plus coders, STEM graduates and licensed professionals.
- Requirements: Fluent English, a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, a starter assessment of about an hour, and a Persona ID check. Countries are not listed on its site.
- Payout: PayPal. Deposits arrive within a few days of requesting them.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.dataannotation.tech
- Full check: https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/is-dataannotation-legit/

### 2. Outlier

- Operator: Operated by Scale AI (contracting entity Smart Ecosystem Inc., d/b/a Outlier AI). Also runs Remotasks.
- Pay: Shown before each project; varies by skill, project and location. Official pages on 8 Nov 2026 showed examples from up to $15 an hour (English writing) to up to $50 an hour (biology; an agent-builder role in eight countries), and up to $27.50 an hour for coding in India.
- Best for: Generalists and experts in coding, maths, STEM and languages.
- Requirements: At least an associate degree, valid ID and a phone from your country, a visa that permits work, plus skill screenings.
- Payout: Weekly, on Tuesdays, by PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer.
- Verdict: Legit, with caveats
- Website: https://outlier.ai
- Full check: https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/is-outlier-legit/

### 3. Mercor

- Operator: Mercor.io Corporation, San Francisco, founded 2023. Backed by Benchmark, Felicis and General Catalyst.
- Pay: Set per project. Mercor's standing expert pools (open networks, not specific vacancies) say past listings have paid about $40 to $75 an hour (maths) up to $60 to $180 an hour (medical). Specific openings show their own rate, such as $90 to $140 an hour for a US maths PhD role. Mercor cites an average of over $95 an hour.
- Best for: Professionals and domain experts: software, medicine, law, maths, finance.
- Requirements: A short AI interview (about 20 minutes on the listings we checked), experience that fits the role, and a home country on its supported list (108 when we checked). Its listings say it cannot support US H-1B or STEM OPT candidates.
- Payout: Weekly through Stripe Connect, or Wise where Stripe is not available (its policy names countries such as Brazil, Kosovo and the UAE). The first Stripe payout has a 7-day hold, and banks can take several more days.
- Verdict: Legit, with caveats
- Website: https://www.mercor.com
- Full check: https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/is-mercor-legit/

### 4. Alignerr

- Operator: Alignerr LLC, powered by Labelbox, a San Francisco AI data company founded in 2018.
- Pay: Ranges on each job card, for example $20 to $50 or $40 to $120 an hour. Its home page shows $80 an hour as average pay.
- Best for: PhDs, researchers and experts, with some entry roles that need no experience.
- Requirements: A recorded AI interview, a Persona ID check once matched to a project, and a supported country (not all countries can join).
- Payout: Weekly. Stripe or PayPal depending on your country, paid the Friday after each Monday to Sunday week.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.alignerr.com
- Full check: https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/is-alignerr-legit/

### 5. Prolific

- Operator: Prolific Academic Ltd, London, UK.
- Pay: Researchers must pay at least £6 / $8 an hour and are told to pay £9 / $12. AI tasks for invited taskers usually pay more.
- Best for: Beginners who want short paid studies, and invited AI taskers.
- Requirements: Age 18+, a verified account and residence in a supported country (mostly OECD, listed on its help centre). Unsupported countries can join a waitlist.
- Payout: PayPal, once a day, from £6 / $6. The first four cash-outs wait 72 hours.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.prolific.com

### 6. Appen (CrowdGen)

- Operator: Appen Limited, listed in Australia (ASX: APX), founded 1996. Contributor work runs on CrowdGen.
- Pay: Per project. Its home page lists expert ceilings such as up to $150 an hour for software engineers; general data tasks pay per unit.
- Best for: Multilingual contributors for data collection and rating, and domain experts.
- Requirements: A qualification step for most projects, one account per person, and location rules that differ by project.
- Payout: Monthly invoice finalised by the 14th. PayPal, local bank, Airtm, SWIFT, Payoneer or gift card, depending on country.
- Verdict: Legit, with caveats
- Website: https://crowdgen.com

### 7. micro1

- Operator: micro1 Inc., founded 2022. Raised $35M at a $500M valuation in September 2025.
- Pay: Hourly or per task, set by project. No rate card on its own site; listings load per role.
- Best for: Experts and professionals matched to client projects.
- Requirements: An on-demand AI interview with its recruiter Zara, a contract through Deel, and Hubstaff time tracking for hourly work.
- Payout: Twice a month through Deel, around the 20th and the 5th.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.micro1.ai

### 8. Turing

- Operator: Turing Enterprises, Inc., Palo Alto, founded 2018. Valued at $2.2B in March 2025.
- Pay: Not published. Its job posts list contract length and hours but no rate.
- Best for: Software engineers and technical specialists.
- Requirements: Varies by project, for example 3+ years of experience and 20 to 40 hours a week with 4 hours overlapping US Pacific time.
- Payout: Not confirmed. Turing's public help article on payment dates and bank transfers covers referral rewards, not contractor pay, and its contractor payment articles need a login.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.turing.com

### 9. Invisible (Meridial)

- Operator: Invisible Technologies Inc. Expert work runs through its Meridial marketplace. Valued at $2B in September 2025.
- Pay: Set per project. Meridial says it publishes the rate range on each engagement before you commit; there is no general rate card.
- Best for: Domain experts in finance, law, coding, STEM and languages, plus students.
- Requirements: A profile, a short confirmation step, and project-by-project location rules.
- Payout: Every two weeks to the account in your profile.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.meridial.ai

### 10. TELUS Digital AI

- Operator: TELUS Digital (formerly TELUS International), owned by Canadian telecom TELUS since its October 2025 buyout.
- Pay: Each listing shows an estimated hourly rate, paid per task. Its job pages block automated checks, so we have not confirmed current figures.
- Best for: Bilingual raters for search, ads and maps in their own country.
- Requirements: Apply per role, tied to your country and language, then pass a qualification exam with ID verification.
- Payout: Not stated on a page we could open.
- Verdict: Legit
- Website: https://www.telusdigital.com


## How we rank

We score each platform on five things, in this order:

1. **Pay you can verify.** Rates published by the platform or in its own job posts count. Rumours do not.
2. **Getting paid.** How you are paid, how often, and whether workers report late or missing payments.
3. **Steady work.** Whether projects keep coming after you pass the tests, or dry up.
4. **Who can join.** Countries, degrees and tests. A platform with lower published entry requirements ranks higher for beginners.
5. **Track record.** Who runs it, how long it has been around, and any lawsuits or public problems.

Referral fees never change the order. See [About and disclosure](https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/about/) for how we make money.

## What about Remotasks?

Remotasks is Scale AI's older tasking brand, and Scale also runs Outlier. Its website is still live and says it pays weekly by PayPal or AirTM, but in 2024 it closed in Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan and paused sign-ups in several other countries. Wikipedia describes the two as separate Scale AI arms: Outlier for training chatbots and other language models, Remotasks for image, video and self-driving data. That is why we cover it inside [Outlier's entry](#outlier) rather than ranking it separately.

## How to spot a fake data annotation job

Scammers copy the names of real platforms. A few rules hold for every legitimate platform we track:

- You never pay to join, to take a test or to "unlock" tasks.
- Offers come from the platform's own website or email domain, not a personal chat app.
- No one asks for your bank login, a crypto deposit or a fee for "training materials".
- Real assessments happen inside the platform's own site after you sign up there directly.

If a recruiter contacts you first, go to the platform's website yourself and apply from there.

## Questions

### Which data annotation job pays the most?
On published figures, the expert platforms. DataAnnotation's FAQ lists coding work from $40 to $150+ an hour. Mercor's medical expert pool says past listings posted $60 to $180 an hour, and Appen's CrowdGen lists ceilings of up to $450 an hour for medical clinicians. Those top figures are for qualified experts, and "up to" means the ceiling, not a typical rate. For general work, DataAnnotation publishes $25 to $50 an hour.

### Can I do data annotation with no experience?
Yes, on some platforms. General tasks such as rating or writing responses can need only strong written English and a passed assessment. Expert projects in coding, medicine, law and maths ask for a degree or professional experience. Prolific asks for no qualifications beyond being 18, verified and living in a supported country. Some Alignerr listings say no experience is needed. DataAnnotation asks for a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, and Outlier for at least an associate degree.

### Are data annotation jobs legit?
The ten platforms above are real companies that pay workers, and the reasons are linked in the sources. That does not make the work easy. Some reviewers report gaps between projects, accounts closed with little explanation and unpaid assessment time; the legit checks for [Outlier](https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/is-outlier-legit/#what-workers-complain-about) and [DataAnnotation](https://bestdataannotationjobs.com/is-dataannotation-legit/#what-workers-complain-about) link dated examples. Scammers also use real platform names, so always apply on the official website.

### Is data annotation full time work?
Usually not. Almost every platform hires independent contractors with no guaranteed hours. Treat it as flexible side income unless a contract says otherwise.

### How do data annotation jobs pay you?
It depends on the platform. Outlier, Mercor and Alignerr pay weekly, through PayPal, Airtm, bank transfer, Stripe or Wise depending on the platform. DataAnnotation pays by PayPal within a few days of your request. Prolific lets you cash out to PayPal once a day. micro1 pays twice a month through Deel, Invisible every two weeks, and Appen invoices monthly. Turing's contractor payment terms are not public, so we could not confirm them.

## Sources

- Wikipedia: Scale AI (Outlier and Remotasks): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_AI
- Glassdoor review: Outlier deactivation (June 2026): https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Outlier-AI-E2858115-RVW104273686.htm
- Trustpilot review: DataAnnotation empty board (4 Oct 2026): https://www.trustpilot.com/reviews/6ac24004f33e0da0f2ca1656
- Trustpilot review: CrowdGen pay shortfall (23 Oct 2026): https://ca.trustpilot.com/reviews/6adba7b1560726658def6c10
- DataAnnotation FAQs (pay tiers, requirements, assessment reply, PayPal), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://www.dataannotation.tech/faqs
- DataAnnotation home page: https://www.dataannotation.tech/
- Clarkson Law Firm: class action against Surge AI (20 May 2025): https://clarksonlawfirm.com/clarkson-represents-surge-ai-workers-in-labor-law-class-action
- PYMNTS: Surge AI fundraise report (July 2025): https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2025/surge-ai-reportedly-targeting-1-billion-in-first-ever-fundraise/
- Outlier FAQ (operator, degree, ID, weekly pay methods): https://outlier.ai/faq
- Outlier terms of use (contracting entities, effective 11 May 2026): https://outlier.ai/legal/terms-of-use
- Outlier coding page, India (up to $27.50/hr), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://outlier.ai/coding/code-quality/en-in
- Outlier About page (role rate examples), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://outlier.ai/about-us
- Outlier role: OpenClaw Agent Builder (up to $50/hr; AU, CA, FI, FR, IT, NO, UK, US), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://outlier.ai/coding/oc-hcc-3r9p
- Outlier community guidelines: https://outlier.ai/legal/community-guidelines
- King & Siegel: Scale AI $12.5M misclassification settlement (Aug 2026): https://www.kingsiegel.com/blog/scale-ai-misclassification-settlement-california-class-action/
- TechCrunch: second wage lawsuit against Scale AI (Jan 2025): https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/09/scale-ai-hit-by-its-second-employee-wage-lawsuit-in-less-than-a-month
- Remotasks home page: https://www.remotasks.com/en
- Rest of World: Remotasks closes in Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan (Mar 2024): https://restofworld.org/2024/scale-ai-remotasks-banned-workers/
- McKinney v. Scale AI settlement administrator FAQ (hearing date, defendants' denial), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://www.mckinneyscaleaisettlement.com/faq
- PAGA filings list for Scale AI (30 Oct 2026 documents, posted 2 Nov 2026), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://pagasearch.com/case/scale-ai-inc--lwda-cm-1066361-24
- Mercor newsroom (founding, backers, average pay): https://www.mercor.com/newsroom/
- Mercor supported countries: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/supported-countries.md
- Mercor time tracking and pay: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/time-tracking-pay.md
- Mercor worker terms (updated 26 Aug 2026): https://mercor.com/worker-terms
- Mercor listing: Expert Model Trainer: https://work.mercor.com/jobs/list_AAABlRvLjyMZ_QjpNyhB6r5E/expert-model-trainer
- TechCrunch: Mercor after its data breach (9 Apr 2026): https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/09/after-data-breach-10b-valued-startup-mercor-is-having-a-month
- Law360: AI startup misclassified 30K workers, suit says (11 May 2026): https://www.law360.com/employment-authority/articles/2475907/ai-startup-misclassified-30k-workers-suit-says
- Futurism: Mercor project pay cut (Nov 2025): https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/mercor-meta-ai-labor
- Mercor maths expert pool (standing listing, not a specific opening), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://work.mercor.com/jobs/list_AAABoKMjug1fFXpwuDdIZ6TO/mathematics-expert
- Mercor medical expert pool ("Healthcare Professional": past listings $60 to $180/hr), checked 8 Nov 2026: https://work.mercor.com/jobs/list_AAABoY6KKlFwa2GA4jxPrI7D/healthcare-professional
- Alignerr home page (pay ranges, average pay): https://www.alignerr.com/
- Alignerr terms of use and applicant privacy notice: https://www.alignerr.com/privacy
- Alignerr payment FAQs: https://intercom.help/alignerr/en/articles/13600616-alignerr-payment-faqs
- Alignerr Persona ID FAQs: https://intercom.help/alignerr/en/articles/12673329-persona-identity-verification-faqs
- Alignerr: location denied error: https://intercom.help/alignerr/en/articles/11086475-what-if-i-see-the-location-denied-error
- Alignerr: what is Alignerr: https://intercom.help/alignerr/en/articles/9540511-what-is-alignerr
- Alignerr community rules: https://www.alignerr.com/rules
- Prolific: deciding on a reward (minimum and recommended pay): https://researcher-help.prolific.com/en/articles/445266-deciding-on-a-reward
- Prolific: AI taskers: https://participant-help.prolific.com/en/articles/445015-ai-taskers
- Prolific: who can take part (countries, age): https://participant-help.prolific.com/en/article/628d72
- Prolific: cashing out: https://participant-help.prolific.com/en/articles/445064-i-m-having-issues-cashing-out
- CrowdGen home page (operator, expert pay ceilings): https://crowdgen.com/
- CrowdGen payout options and fees: https://crowdgen.com/docs/payments/general-payments-faq/payout-options-and-fees/
- CrowdGen invoicing: https://crowdgen.com/docs/payments/invoicing/invoicing-and-disputes/
- CrowdGen contributor standards: https://crowdgen.com/docs/general-onboarding/getting-started/crowdgen-contributor-standards-what-crowdgen-expects-from-you/
- Appen: payments update from the CEO (Oct 2024): https://www.appen.com/blog/payments-update
- micro1 AI interview guide: https://www.micro1.ai/ai-interview-guide
- micro1 payroll policy: https://library.micro1.ai/working/payroll-policy.md
- micro1: working with Deel: https://library.micro1.ai/working/deel.md
- micro1 expert FAQs: https://library.micro1.ai/more/faqs.md
- Dataconomy: micro1 raises $35M (Sept 2025): https://dataconomy.com/2025/09/16/ai-data-startup-micro1-raises-35-million-at-a-500-million-valuation
- Turing Series E press release (Mar 2025): https://www.turing.com/press/turing-111-million-series-e
- Turing help: how to get paid (Referral Program section; referral rewards only): https://help.turing.com/articles/9695053382-how-to-get-paid
- Turing job post: LLM Trainer, SWE Bench: https://work.turing.com/r/7QXqkBqqQD
- TechCrunch: Turing raises $111M (6 Mar 2025): https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/06/turing-a-key-coding-provider-for-openai-and-other-llm-producers-raises-111m-at-a-2-2b-valuation
- Meridial home page: https://www.meridial.ai/
- Meridial FAQ: https://www.meridial.ai/faq
- Business Wire: Invisible raises $100M (16 Sept 2025): https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250916425748/en
- TELUS completes privatization of TELUS Digital (31 Oct 2025): https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/telus-completes-privatization-telus-digital-2025-10-31-0
- Wikipedia: TELUS Digital (rebrand, HQ): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telus_Digital