Review for experts
Outlier for experts: who runs it and what to know
Outlier is the contributor platform run by Scale AI, among the most prominent firms in AI training data. Meta has owned 49% of Scale AI since June 2025. Remotasks, another worker platform, shares the same parent.
Outlier shows an "up to" hourly rate on each open listing and pays weekly. On 28 October 2026 its seven public listings topped out between $8 and $35 an hour, well below the expert rates listed by Mercor and micro1. Its referral bonus amount is not public.
- Operator
- Scale AI
- Meta stake in Scale
- 49% (Jun 2025)
- Listed pay
- Up to $8 to $35/hr (Oct 2026)
- Paid
- Weekly, Tuesdays
01
Our verdict
Outlier is legitimate: it is run by Scale AI, which has a long track record in AI training data. It suits generalists and graduates who want flexible, task-based work with no minimum hours. Its public listings pay far less than expert roles elsewhere, and the referral terms are not public, which holds its score back.
02
The facts
Operator
Scale AI, per Outlier's own site
Sister platform
Remotasks, also powered by Scale AI
Ownership
Meta owns 49% of Scale AI since June 2025
Referral program
Exists; amount not published
Payments
Weekly on Tuesdays, via PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer
Minimum education
At least an associate degree; some projects need a bachelor's, master's or PhD
California settlement
$12.5M wage-and-hour settlement covering California contributors on Outlier and Remotasks (Dec 2020 to Feb 2026); the companies deny the claims; final approval hearing set for 30 Oct 2026 (Claim Depot)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Operator | Scale AI, per Outlier's own site |
| Sister platform | Remotasks, also powered by Scale AI |
| Ownership | Meta owns 49% of Scale AI since June 2025 |
| Referral program | Exists; amount not published |
| Payments | Weekly on Tuesdays, via PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer |
| Minimum education | At least an associate degree; some projects need a bachelor's, master's or PhD |
| California settlement | $12.5M wage-and-hour settlement covering California contributors on Outlier and Remotasks (Dec 2020 to Feb 2026); the companies deny the claims; final approval hearing set for 30 Oct 2026 (Claim Depot) |
03
What the work involves
Contributors complete AI training tasks: writing and rating responses, checking reasoning, and producing examples in their area of expertise. Work is typically task-based, with availability that rises and falls with project demand.
04
What Outlier offers experts
Outlier, operated by Scale AI, connects contributors with AI companies and research labs that need human feedback on their models. Its own examples of the work: writing hard questions with correct answers, building grading rubrics, and rating and ranking model answers. You work as an independent contractor, choose your hours, and can turn down any project invitation.
General Inbound
Who it's for
Generalists in eight countries, including Australia and Canada
Published pay
Up to $35/hr
General Inbound (Coding)
Who it's for
Coders in the same eight countries
Published pay
Up to $30/hr
AI Evaluator, English
Who it's for
English speakers in more than 30 countries
Published pay
Up to $18/hr
Android AI Evaluator by language
Who it's for
Native speakers in one country each (France, Japan, South Korea, Mexico)
Published pay
Up to $8/hr (Spanish, Mexico) to $31/hr (Japanese, Korean)
Contributor referrals
Who it's for
Existing contributors referring people they can vouch for
Published pay
Not published
| Listing | Who it's for | Published pay |
|---|---|---|
| General Inbound | Generalists in eight countries, including Australia and Canada | Up to $35/hr |
| General Inbound (Coding) | Coders in the same eight countries | Up to $30/hr |
| AI Evaluator, English | English speakers in more than 30 countries | Up to $18/hr |
| Android AI Evaluator by language | Native speakers in one country each (France, Japan, South Korea, Mexico) | Up to $8/hr (Spanish, Mexico) to $31/hr (Japanese, Korean) |
| Contributor referrals | Existing contributors referring people they can vouch for | Not published |
- 1
Create a profile
Bring a valid ID and mobile number from your country, a current resume and a LinkedIn profile.
- 2
Pick your skills and screen
Select your fields and complete skill screenings so Outlier can match you to projects.
- 3
Verify your identity
General onboarding takes 30 to 90 minutes in total, per Outlier's FAQ.
- 4
Qualify for a project
Read the project guidelines and pass its assessment tasks. This step varies by project.
- 5
Task and get paid
Work runs Tuesday to Monday (UTC) and is paid the following Tuesday by PayPal, Airtm or ACH.
900K+
Experts Outlier says have joined
Outlier opportunities page
$600M+
Paid out to contributors, per Outlier
Outlier opportunities page
$35/hr
Highest rate on its public listings
Outlier opportunities page, 28 October 2026
30 to 90 min
General onboarding time
Outlier FAQ
05
How we scored it
Pay (30%)
"Up to" hourly rates shown per listing, $8 to $35 on open roles in Oct 2026. Lower than expert listings elsewhere. Low confidence.
Reliability (25%)
Backed by Scale AI and Meta's investment. Weekly payment schedule published. A California wage settlement is pending final approval.
Transparency (25%)
Shows rates per listing and its payment schedule. Does not publish the referral bonus.
Access (20%)
Open to generalists and specialists with at least an associate degree.
| Criterion (weight) | What we found |
|---|---|
| Pay (30%) | "Up to" hourly rates shown per listing, $8 to $35 on open roles in Oct 2026. Lower than expert listings elsewhere. Low confidence. |
| Reliability (25%) | Backed by Scale AI and Meta's investment. Weekly payment schedule published. A California wage settlement is pending final approval. |
| Transparency (25%) | Shows rates per listing and its payment schedule. Does not publish the referral bonus. |
| Access (20%) | Open to generalists and specialists with at least an associate degree. |
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is Outlier legit?
Yes. Scale AI, a major name in AI training data, runs it.
How much does Outlier pay?
Each listing shows an "up to" hourly rate. On 28 October 2026 its seven public listings ranged from up to $8/hr to up to $35/hr. Specialist projects you are invited to may differ.
How does Outlier pay?
Weekly on Tuesdays, for work done the previous Tuesday to Monday (UTC), by PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer.
Is Scale AI owned by Meta?
Partly. A June 2025 deal gave Meta 49% of Scale AI, and reports say that stake comes without voting rights.
Are Outlier and Remotasks the same company?
Both are worker platforms run by Scale AI.
Does Outlier pay referral bonuses?
It runs a referral program but does not publish the amount.
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Keep reading
Sources
Every number on this page links back to one of these.
- 1Outlier websiteoutlier.ai
- 2Outlier blog: Why referring talented contributors benefits everyoneoutlier.ai
- 3Remotasks websiteremotasks.com
- 4TechCrunch: New details on Meta's $14.3B deal for Scale (13 Jun 2025)techcrunch.com
- 5Scale AI: Next phase of company evolutionscale.com
- 6Outlier: FAQoutlier.ai
- 7Outlier: public opportunitiesapp.outlier.ai
- 8The Guardian: the taskers training AI for a firm part-owned by Meta (7 Apr 2026)theguardian.com
- 9Claim Depot: Scale AI $12.5M wage and hour settlementclaimdepot.com
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