Verified on Oct 26, 2026
DataAnnotation pays you to check AI work, like chatbot replies. Its FAQ says General work starts at $25-$50 an hour. First you pass a one-try test.
DataAnnotation hires people to check work made by AI. Companies use this work to train their AI to get better.
In the General track, you rate chatbot answers. You compare two AI answers and pick the better one. You also test AI image generation.
DataAnnotation has other tracks too. Multilingual work covers translation and comparing text across languages. Coding work covers code evaluation. STEM work is domain-specific. Professional work asks for licensed credentials. This page covers the General track.
DataAnnotation calls you an independent contractor, not an employee. An independent contractor is not on a company’s payroll.
DataAnnotation’s FAQ page has one section about pay. It says General work starts at $25-$50 an hour.
DataAnnotation’s own job page for the same work is called Generalist. It says up to $50 an hour, depending on how hard the task is.
Other tracks pay in a different range. Multilingual work starts at $25-$40 an hour. Coding work starts at $40-$150+ an hour. STEM and Professional work start at $40-$125+ an hour.
DataAnnotation sends pay through PayPal. If you have no PayPal account, you need to make one. Once you request a payout, the deposit lands within a few days. Its Generalist job page lists payouts as weekly.
How much work you get is not fixed. It depends on demand for your skills. So plan for your hours to change from week to week.
A tax professional can tell you how taxes work for this pay in your own situation.
This fits you if you are a careful reader and writer. Rating and comparing AI answers is close reading, not typing speed.
It fits you if you have steady internet and read and write English well. DataAnnotation requires both for every worker. We found no page that says which device you must use. We think a computer helps, since the work is close reading. That is our guess, not its rule.
It fits you if you want to pick your own hours. DataAnnotation says you choose when to work and how much. It says there are no minimum hours. Its job page lists the work as remote.
One thing to check first. DataAnnotation’s FAQ says General work needs a bachelor’s degree, or the same real experience without one. Its own Generalist job page says no degree is needed for that same job. The platform’s own pages disagree. Check the exact role you apply for before you count on either answer.
For more sit-down, pay-per-task work, see testing websites and apps for pay and taking paid studies on Prolific. Both are listed under online and remote gigs.
Skip this if a single hard test worries you. DataAnnotation’s Starter Assessment is one try only. There are no retakes. The FAQ says most take about an hour. We found no page that says if that hour is paid. So prepare before you start.
Skip this if you need a steady paycheck. Work depends on demand for your skills. Your hours can change.
Skip this if you have no PayPal account and do not want one. DataAnnotation sends pay through PayPal. You need an account to be paid.
Skip this if you will not show a government ID. You must have a physical copy of one. DataAnnotation checks your identity through Persona, its partner. It recommends doing this on your smartphone.
Before you pay anyone: DataAnnotation says it charges no signup fee. If anyone asks you to pay to join, stop.
Day 1. Read the FAQ pay section so you know what each track pays. Pick the track that fits your skills.
Day 2. Apply and take the Starter Assessment. You only get one try, so do not rush it. The FAQ says most take about an hour. Set aside the full hour.
Day 3. Wait for your approval notice. It usually comes within a few days.
Day 4. If approved, start identity verification with Persona. Have your ID and smartphone ready.
Day 5. Set up PayPal if you do not already have an account.
Day 6. Check your dashboard for open projects in your track.
Day 7. Finish your first projects and request a payout. The deposit lands within a few days.
You need internet, a PayPal account and a government ID. DataAnnotation recommends a smartphone for the ID step. We found no page that says you must have a computer. We think one helps. The list below says why each one matters.
The entry test is a one-shot deal. The Starter Assessment allows one try, with no retakes.
Work is not steady. It depends on demand for your skills. Your hours can go up or down.
Pay moves through PayPal. You need an account to be paid. If you do not want one, this may not be for you.
You must show a government ID and verify your identity through Persona, DataAnnotation’s partner. It recommends using your smartphone.
DataAnnotation’s own pages disagree about the degree requirement for General work. The FAQ says you need one, or equal experience. The Generalist job page says none is required. Check the role you apply for.
The Starter Assessment takes about an hour. We found no page that says if that hour is paid.
DataAnnotation calls you an independent contractor. A tax professional can tell you what that means for your taxes.
Do I need a college degree? DataAnnotation’s own pages disagree. Its FAQ says General work needs a bachelor’s degree or equal experience. Its Generalist job page says no degree is required. Check the exact role listing before you apply.
How much does the General track pay? DataAnnotation’s FAQ pay section says it starts at $25-$50 an hour. Its job page for the same track says up to $50 an hour.
How do I get paid? Through PayPal. A deposit lands within a few days of your request. The job page lists payouts as weekly.
Is there a cost to join? No. DataAnnotation charges no signup fee.
Will I get steady work every week? That depends on demand for your skills.
Taxes for this kind of work are not simple to summarize in a few lines. For the general rules on self-employment tax, read Side Gig Money: Gross Is Not Take-Home.
$0.20-2.38 an audio minute
Per minute of audio, not per minute of your time.
You type what you hear in recordings. English applications showed as closed on Oct 23, 2026. English pays $0.65 an audio minute, not $1.75.
$0.40-1.10 an audio minute
Paid for each minute of audio, not each minute you work.
Rev pays you to type what you hear in a recording. Pay is $0.40-1.10 for each minute of audio, not each minute of your time.
Priced per item or hour
You build flat-pack and boxed furniture inside a customer's home, hired straight, with no app in between. A job is priced per item or by the hour, and the type of piece changes the cost. A basic hand tool kit runs under $85 to start.