If you’ve ever worked with Appen, you probably remember when it felt like a steady little side hustle.

You could log in, pick up tasks, and actually count on some extra income coming in.

Lately… not so much.

Projects have slowed down, some people aren’t getting work at all, and it feels like something shifted overnight.

You’re not imagining it.

So let’s talk about what’s really going on with Appen, and more importantly, where you can go now to find similar work that actually pays.

What’s Going On with Appen?

1. They Lost Major Contracts

One of the biggest issues is that Appen lost key clients, including a major contract with Google.

That was a huge part of their business.

When something like that happens, the ripple effect is real:

• Fewer projects
• Less work available
• More people competing for what’s left

2. AI Is Replacing Simpler Tasks

With the rise of generative AI, agentic AI, and faster ai development, companies are relying less on basic data sourcing and more on automation.

Now:

• AI models can handle repetitive tasks
• Data scientists focus on higher-level work like model evaluation and active learning
• There’s a stronger focus on high quality data rather than large volumes

3. Higher Standards and Fewer Entry-Level Roles

Companies now want:

• More specialized workers
• Better data quality
• People who can contribute to computer vision, language models, and advanced AI systems

This means fewer beginner-friendly roles and more demand for skilled contributors.

The Good News: Better Remote Alternatives Exist

The work hasn’t disappeared.

It’s just spread out across a list of companies that offer different types of remote roles, from entry-level microtasks to higher-paying AI work.

Let’s go through the best options so you can find the right platform and make the right choice.

Top Appen Alternatives for Remote Jobs

1. TELUS International AI (Also known as Telus Digital)

Apply here: 

This is one of the top Appen alternatives and a remote-first company with a strong focus on AI.

What you’ll do:

• Search and ad rating
• Model evaluation and human review
• Improving customer experience systems

Why it stands out:

• Offers structured remote job opportunities
• Competitive hourly rate
• Works with large organizations and enterprise teams

Good fit for:

Anyone looking for a more stable remote role with flexible jobs and better earning potential.

2. OneForma

👉 Sign up here

A great option if you want variety and flexibility.

What you’ll do:

• Data collection and recording tasks
• Annotation services
• AI training projects

Why it’s a better fit:

• Easy to get started
• Global hiring across different countries
• Great for digital nomads and flexible schedules

Bonus:

Their intuitive interface makes it easier to navigate than some older platforms.

3. Welocalize

Apply

Another strong option for steady work.

What you’ll do:

• Search quality rating
• Data annotation
• AI evaluation tasks

Why it works:

• Reliable projects
• Good support for remote employees
• Strong emphasis on data security and quality

4. Clickworker

Sign up here

What you’ll do:

• Small online tasks
• Writing, categorizing, and data quality checks

Why it’s helpful:

• Easy entry point
• Good for beginners
• Pays directly to your bank account or PayPal

Keep in mind:

Lower hourly rate and inconsistent work, but still useful.

5. Toloka

Sign up here

What you’ll do:

• Image labeling
• Computer vision tasks
• Simple AI training

Why it’s worth trying:

• Very beginner-friendly
• Constant flow of small tasks

6. Outlier AI

Apply here.

This is part of the new wave of AI work.

What you’ll do:

• Review AI responses
• Improve outputs from generative AI systems

Why it stands out:

• Higher pay potential
• More advanced work
• Opportunities to grow into a subject matter expert

7. Mindrift

Apply here:

What you’ll do:

• Evaluate chatbot responses
• Help improve AI systems

Why it’s a good option:

• Flexible schedules
• Focus on human review and quality
• Good for long-term professional development

Other Platforms Worth Mentioning

You may also come across platforms like:

• Scale AI
• Amazon Mechanical Turk
• Virtual Vocations

Scale AI

Scale AI is a company that helps build and improve artificial intelligence systems by providing high-quality data for training and testing AI models.

Instead of simple microtasks, they focus on more advanced work like data annotation, model evaluation, and improving AI responses.

They work with large organizations, governments, and tech companies, and many of their projects involve human review to make AI smarter and safer.

In simple terms:
This is where AI work is going — more advanced, higher-level tasks instead of basic clicking.

Amazon Mechanical Turk

Amazon Mechanical Turk (often called MTurk) is a crowdsourcing platform where businesses post small online tasks that people can complete for pay.

These tasks, known as microtasks, can include things like surveys, data entry, image labeling, and content moderation.

Workers can choose tasks anytime, making it very flexible, but the pay is often low since many tasks only pay a few cents each.

In simple terms:
Easy to start, very flexible… but not great if you’re looking for steady income.

Virtual Vocations

Virtual Vocations is a remote job board that gathers and lists legitimate work-from-home jobs across many industries like customer service, writing, marketing, and project management.

Instead of doing the work itself, the platform helps you find remote job opportunities by curating and screening job listings so you don’t have to search all over the internet.

In simple terms:
It’s not a job platform — it’s a place to find real remote jobs in one spot.

These offer additional remote job board options, especially for those looking for customer service, project management, or even full-time roles with benefits like health insurance and parental leave.

The Smart Way to Make This Work

Here’s the most important factor:

Don’t rely on just one platform.

Instead:

• Join multiple platforms
• Mix higher-paying work with quick tasks
• Build a steady flow of income

Think of it as building your own remote team of income sources.

Final Thoughts

Appen isn’t completely gone, but it’s no longer the perfect fit it once was for many people.

When I first started with them, I had a steady amount of work.

Now, there are no projects available. So I no longer depend on them to make money.

The industry is changing fast, with new standards, better tools, and more focus on quality over quantity.

The good news?

There are still plenty of remote job opportunities out there — you just need to find the right platform that works for you.

And once you do, you’ll realize something important:

There are more options now than ever before… you just have to know where to look.