Is Appen Legit or a Scam? (Appen Review 2024)

Man in wheelchair working on desk
Jen Graudenz

Hi, I'm Jen! I'm a personal finance expert and money coach aiming to help you take control of your money. I went from being broke to a six-figure net worth and am now on track to be financially independent at age 40. Discover Jen's story

If you have encountered Appen, you may wonder if it is legit. This work-from-home opportunity sounds too good to be true. So, is it yet another scam?

In fact, Appen is legit. But that does not mean there are no dangers. It also doesn’t mean that Appen is worth your time. Read this Appen review to determine if you should join this crowd-sourcing giant.

πŸ’‘ Quick Answer: Is Appen Legit?

Appen is a legit data collection company. However, while Appen is legit, many users report payout issues. There are also Appen scams that are not connected to the real Appen platform.

When you sign up to Appen, you must be careful that you are on the right website. Don’t respond to unsolicited emails from Appen.

Key Details

  • πŸŽ‚ Founded: 1996
  • 🌍 Available: Over 170 countries (based in Australia)
  • πŸ§‘πŸΌβ€πŸ€β€πŸ§‘πŸΎ Number of employees: 1000+ full time and 1M+ flexible
  • ⭐ Trustpilot score: 1.3/5.0

What Is Appen?

Appen homepage

Appen is a data company. Appen provides or improves data for machine learning and artificial intelligence. To do this, Appen needs help from real humans. Appen offers real work-from-home jobs to over one million people in 170 countries.

You could be one of them. Signing up to Appen and applying for projects is free. It also offers a flexible schedule, and you can pick projects you like.

Founded in 1996, Appen is an Australian company established by Julie Vonwiller. Currently, Appen has over 1000 employees and over 1 million crowd workers. In 2019,Β Appen acquired Figure Eight, a machine learning software and data annotation platform.

To learn more about machine learning, watch the video below.

Is Appen a Registered Company?

As a legitimate organisation, Appen is registered as a company in the countries with offices. In Australia, its registration number is ABN 60 138 878 298 (Appen Limited or Appen Holdings). Appen is registered as APPEN (UK) LIMITED in the UK with the company number 06647360.

Beware of Appen Scams

Appen is a legit company. However, there appears to be a common scam involving Appen. A person pretending to be from Appen emails you, asking for personal details. They aren’t from Appen, though and are after your personal data.

⚠️ Appen only contacts you from their email addresses @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com. If you receive an email from any other sender, it is a scam.

What Do Appen’s Reviews Say?

On Trustpilot, Appen has an overall rating of 1.3 out of 5.0. Of all reviewers, 81% gave Appen the lowest score of 1 (bad).

Appen reviews on Trustpilot

The most common complaints are about:

  • πŸ‘Ž Low payment for time-consuming tasks
  • πŸ‘Ž Not receiving payouts
  • πŸ‘Ž Harsh requirements for screening tests

When reading these reviews, remember that Appen imposters are common. At least some reviewers likely didn’t use the real Appen.

What Is Trustpilot?

Trustpilot is an independent consumer review platform. It has no affiliation with the sites mentioned in this post. On Trustpilot, users can anonymously rate and review companies they have used.

Overall, there are over 150 million reviews on Trustpilot. You can generally get a good understanding of the legitimacy and customer-friendliness of a company.

How Does Appen Work?

You can work for Appen in two ways: as an ordinary employee or a flexible worker. For this Appen review, I worked for Appen as the latter.

You don’t need a CV or complete interviews to become a flexible worker. You can sign up and complete a screening assessment. Once approved, you can pick online jobs from Appen’s database. You can work on as many projects as you like.

What Projects and Jobs Can You Find on Appen?

There is a range of different Appen projects. All of them relate to processing data. Each work-from-home job is paid depending on its complexity.

List of projects at Appen.

Example types of jobs include:

  • Data annotation
  • Translation
  • Transcription
  • Speech collection
  • Social media evaluation
  • Search engine evaluation
  • Data entry

How Much Does Appen Pay?

Each project pays a different rate. Additionally, you can choose the number of projects you apply to. How much money you can earn on Appen depends on the projects.

In the UK, the average hourly pay is Β£10 for data collectors and can go up to Β£30 for some projects. You must pay tax on these earnings if you exceed your tax-free allowance.

Tax means your take-home pay is lower, and you may get less than minimum wage. Example projects pay:

ProviderTypePay per Task
MendotaData collection$35.00
WaughopData collection$70.00
WhatcomSearch engine evaluation$0.01
WhidbeySearch engine evaluation$0.01
AmurSocial media$7.00
WakarusaData collection$45.00
Currently available projects at Appen.

How Can You Work for Appen?

Requirements

Anyone can apply to Appen. Signing up is free. However, you need to buy your equipment. Standard devices such as a working computer and a mobile phone are enough for most projects. You only need an email address and password to create your account.

Sign-up Process

To start working from home with Appen, you need to:

  • Complete the sign-up
  • Fill in your profile (required for long-term projects)
  • Go to the list of projects
  • Click “Apply” once you have found a suitable project
  • Fill in the application form
  • Pass the screening quiz
  • Wait until you receive instructions via email

What Does an Appen Search Engine Evaluator Do?

Projects requiring search engine evaluators are one of the most common jobs on Appen. You need to search for different terms. Then, you rate the results’ relevance based on predetermined specifications. Your input helps search engines to show more relevant results.

You need a fast internet connection to become a search engine evaluator with Appen. Some projects may also require a university degree. Being a search engine evaluator is only one of many ways to get paid for searching the web.

How Do Appen Independent Contractors Get Paid?

To get paid with Appen work from home, you must submit an invoice at the end of the month. This invoice should account for all your project work.

Appen will pay your invoice within 30 days through Payoneer. Payoneer charges Β£1.50 for withdrawals in pounds and 2% for foreign-currency withdrawals. You can create a Payoneer account for free if you don’t have one.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Appen?

πŸ‘πŸΎ Appen Review Pros

  • Flexible work-from-home work opportunity
  • Can pick which projects to work on
  • A decent variety of projects available
  • Easy to sign up

πŸ‘Ž Appen Review Cons

  • Some users report problems with payouts
  • Need to pass qualification exams for some projects
  • Can earn more per hour with other side hustles

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Appen Really Paying?

Yes, Appen really pays its workers. Remember to send an invoice if you are a flexible worker for Appen. Appen will only pay you if you invoice them.

Does Appen Pay Immediately?

Appen doesn’t pay immediately. Once you send your invoice, you will get paid within 30 days. Appen pays at the end of the month.

What Are Common Projects on Appen?

Appen offers a variety of projects for its remote workers. These projects often involve:

  • Improving data
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Electronic processes

Examples of projects include search engine evaluation, data annotation, and transcription. The nature and availability of projects vary by region.

How Is Appen’s Work-from-home experience?

Appen’s work-from-home experience varies depending on the project, workload, and individual preferences. Many users appreciate the flexible hours and remote working opportunities. However, some may find the nature of the tasks repetitive or monotonous.

Are There Any Major Appen Complaints?

While some individuals have positive experiences, others raise concerns about Appen. One notable complaint involves terminating accounts without clear explanations.

Another issue relates to inconsistent project availability. This may make it difficult for some users to maintain a stable income. It’s essential to consider these complaints when evaluating working with Appen.

What Do Search Engine Evaluators Say About Appen?

Search engine evaluators’ opinions on Appen vary. Some praise the role’s learning opportunities and flexibility. However, others mention concerns about job stability, unreliable hours, and uncertainty.

What Is Appen Connect?

Appen Connect is the platform through which Appen connects users with work-from-home projects. This platform allows you to create an account, access project listings, and complete various tasks.

The platform also allows for communication between project managers and remote workers. It ensures smooth collaboration and completion of assignments.

Are There Remote Jobs Alternatives to Appen?

There are alternatives to Appen if you want to earn money from home. You can try:

  • Fiverr. Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelancers. If you have any specific skills, you can advertise your expertise there. Read more in my Fiverr review.
  • UserTesting. UserTesting is a site like Appen. On UserTesting, you can profit from testing websites and completing simple tasks. Read more in my UserTesting review.

Is Appen Legit? Summary

Appen is a legit data company that offers genuine work-from-home jobs. Appen pays its users for completing projects involving data collection or evaluation. There are various projects to choose from, and jobs are flexible.

However, some users have reported difficulties with receiving their pay. Be cautious when signing up and complete one project at a time.

If you like this post, please help My Money Yard grow by sharing it with your friends.

Jen's signature
Scroll to Top