Head-to-head
Outlier (Scale AI) vs Prolific
Which pays more, which is easier to start, and which fits the work you want. Compared on real pay, work model, payout, and the roles open right now.
Outlier (Scale AI)
ProlificOutlier (Scale AI) vs Prolific: the short answer
, AITraining.jobs lists 5 open Outlier (Scale AI) roles and 124 open Prolific roles (typical pay $25 to $120 an hour, median $30).
Outlier (Scale AI) pays more on typical work ($15–$50/hr; specialists to ~$100/hr vs Prolific's $25-$120/hr typical (live median $30)).
Prolific is easier to start on (open to most people, but you must match each study's participant criteria to qualify), while Outlier (Scale AI) is gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Both hire for AI Evaluation, Coding, Domain Experts, and Multilingual; Outlier (Scale AI) also covers Writing and Math & STEM; Prolific also covers Studies & Surveys and Data Annotation.
Right now Prolific has more live roles (124 vs 5).
Bottom line: pick Outlier (Scale AI) for higher pay, or Prolific for the lower barrier to entry. Many people do both.
| Outlier (Scale AI) | Prolific | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $15–$50/hr; specialists to ~$100/hr | $25-$120/hr typical (live median $30) |
| Work model | Expert network · Expert queue (Scale AI) | Research studies · Study pool + AI trainers |
| Kinds of work | AI Evaluation, Writing, Coding, Math & STEM, Domain Experts, and Multilingual | Studies & Surveys, AI Evaluation, Multilingual, Coding, Data Annotation, and Domain Experts |
| How you get paid | Weekly (Tuesdays) via PayPal, Airtm or ACH bank transfer. | Cash via PayPal only; ~£6/$6 minimum cash-out. |
| Where you can work | Global remote; English projects dominate, with multilingual projects. | Most OECD countries plus Croatia and South Africa; excludes Turkey, Lithuania, Colombia, Costa Rica. |
| Open roles now | 5 live | 124 live |
| Worker sentiment | Trustpilot 4.1/5 (5,505 reviews, bimodal), read 15 Oct 2026 | Trustpilot ~4.4/5 (thousands of reviews) |
Pay shows each platform's live measured band where its feed has enough hourly-stated roles, otherwise our compiled benchmark. How we compile pay.
Best for professionals and specialists chasing the highest rates.
5 open roles now →Best for anyone who wants flexible, one-off paid studies and surveys.
124 open roles now →Some links on AITraining.jobs are referral links. If you sign up through one, AITraining.jobs may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what a platform pays you.
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Outlier (Scale AI) vs Prolific: common questions
Which pays more, Outlier (Scale AI) or Prolific?
Outlier (Scale AI) pays more on typical work ($15–$50/hr; specialists to ~$100/hr vs Prolific's $25-$120/hr typical (live median $30)).
Is Outlier (Scale AI) or Prolific easier to get started with?
Prolific is easier to start on (open to most people, but you must match each study's participant criteria to qualify), while Outlier (Scale AI) is gated by a screen for a degree, professional expertise, or a skills test.
Can you work on both Outlier (Scale AI) and Prolific?
Yes. They are independent platforms, and many contributors join several at once to keep a steady flow of work, especially since both hire for AI Evaluation, Coding, Domain Experts, and Multilingual. Signing up for one does not affect the other.