We have no paid links for either. Both are compared on the same criteria and dates.
Compare · AI training & evaluation · updated 13 Oct 2026Mindrift vs Outlier
Quick take
- Both pay about $36/h at the middle of their realistic ranges.
- Outlier pays sooner: first money from 7 days, against 14 on Mindrift.
- Mindrift is open in more places (most countries, not Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and 2 more) than Outlier (limited: ~50 countries, list unpublished).
- Neither costs anything to start.
- Mindrift is open with grade C (self-reported); Outlier is turbulent with grade B (reliable source).
Side by side
| Mindrift Grade C: Self-reported Grade C means: Self-reported. The grade says how well-sourced this page is, not how good Mindrift is. More in the glossary Open status, as of 13 Oct 2026 Checked 4 days ago | Outlier Grade B: Reliable source Grade B means: Reliable source. The grade says how well-sourced this page is, not how good Outlier is. More in the glossary Turbulent status, as of 13 Oct 2026 Checked 4 days ago | |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic pay | ≈ $12–60/h Realistic hourly equivalent | ≈ $12–60/h Realistic hourly equivalent |
| Advertised | $15–100/h what the platform says | $15–150/h what the platform says |
| Median listed rate | $45/h aitrainer.work (P. Romeo), 12 Oct 2026 | $20/h aitrainer.work (P. Romeo), 12 Oct 2026 |
| At 10 h/week | ≈ $516–2,580/mo our estimate | ≈ $516–2,580/mo our estimate |
| First money | 14–45 days | 7–30 days Onboarding 30–90 min plus unpaid project qualifications |
| Cost to start | $0 | $0 |
| Hours | no minimum async | no minimum async |
| Where it's open | Most countries, not Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and 2 more | Limited: ~50 countries, list unpublished |
| Education | — | undergraduate-level typical; graduate preferred for top rates |
| Status | Open as of 13 Oct 2026 | Turbulent as of 13 Oct 2026 |
| Grade | C · Self-reported 2 sourced facts | B · Reliable source 8 sourced facts |
| Checked | 13 Oct 2026 | 13 Oct 2026 |
| The catch | Payments routed via a third party (Solar Staff) per community reports | Scale AI agreed to a $12.5M settlement of a California wage-and-hour class action (McKinney v. Scale AI) covering contributors from 2020 to 2026; final court approval was pending as of October 2026 |
Pay figures are what platforms advertise or what workers report, each with its date. They are not typical or guaranteed earnings: yours depend on your skills, hours, location and how much work is available. Each figure has its source on the entry's page.
Advertised vs. reality same scale
Mindrift
- Advertised$15–100/h
- Median listed$45/haitrainer.work (P. Romeo), 12 Oct 2026
- Realistic range$12–60/h
Outlier
- Advertised$15–150/h
- Median listed$20/haitrainer.work (P. Romeo), 12 Oct 2026
- Realistic range$12–60/h
Who each one suits
Mindrift
Pros
- Very broad country coverage
- Mid-range median listed pay
- Run by an established data company (Toloka)
Cons
- Payments routed via a third party (Solar Staff) per community reports
- Community-reported effective pay ($12–20/h) is often well below the listed median
Outlier
Pros
- No minimum payout; weekly pay
- Broad project mix incl. languages
- Specialist tracks pay well when available
Cons
- Unpaid onboarding and qualification time
- Work dries up without warning
- Community reports of unexplained bans and slow support
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