Appen is a legit Australian AI data company, founded in 1996 and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and it still pays remote contributors through its CrowdGen platform. The catch is that work comes project by project, most projects need you to qualify, and Appen lost its biggest client, Google, so the flow of tasks isn't something to bank on.
Appen has been around far longer than most of the AI work apps people ask me about, which is exactly why the reviews are so mixed. Some people remember steady search-rating work from years ago, others joined recently and found very little. I've looked at Appen's history, its own scam warnings, its filings and what the financial press reported, so you get the full picture.
Appen's history in plain English
According to Wikipedia, Appen was founded in Sydney in 1996 by a linguist, Dr. Julie Vonwiller. Its head office is in Chatswood, New South Wales, with a US base in Kirkland, Washington. It's been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the code APX since 2015.
Its business is building the datasets that AI systems learn from, for things like speech recognition, computer vision and chatbots. Over the years it bought other data firms, including Leapforce in 2017 and Figure Eight in 2019. Wikipedia says its tasks cover more than 180 languages and 130 countries. A company of that age and size, answering to a stock exchange, isn't a fly-by-night operation.
Appen Connect, CrowdGen and where the work lives now
If you worked with Appen before, you'll remember Appen Connect. Wikipedia says the platform was renamed CrowdGen, and Appen told the Australian exchange that it launched CrowdGen in 2024. So when you see CrowdGen job ads, they're Appen's, not a separate company's.
Appen also told investors that, following the CrowdGen launch, it's using generative AI in its interview process and in matching contributor skills to projects. In other words, how well your profile describes your languages and expertise has a big effect on what you're offered.
The kind of tasks Appen contributors do
Appen's projects are about making AI more accurate. Depending on your skills, that can mean:
- Recording or transcribing speech in your language or dialect.
- Rating search results, adverts or AI-generated answers.
- Labelling images, video or text so a model can learn from it.
- Expert reviews in fields such as finance, law, medicine or coding.
Language work has always been a big part of Appen's business, which makes sense given it was started by a linguist. If that side appeals to you, my explainer on what audio-to-text transcription work involves explains what that day-to-day work looks like.
How Appen pays contributors
Contributor pay now runs through CrowdGen. According to its site, rates are shown before you begin, pay depends on your location and skills, and money is paid in your local currency. You can withdraw by bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer or Airtm, among other options.
I'm not going to quote typical hourly figures, because Appen's pay varies so much by project and country, and the numbers floating around forums aren't reliable. Read the rate on each project before you accept it, and don't assume the next project will pay the same.
On tax, check the agreement you accept when you join a project. AI data work like this is usually self-employed, so keep your own records and ask an accountant how it's taxed where you live.
Why Appen work can dry up
Here's the downside I'd want a friend to know. Appen's work depends on its clients, and it lost a very big one. The Motley Fool Australia reported that Google ended its global services contract with Appen, that Google had accounted for 82.8 million US dollars of Appen's revenue in FY 2023, about a third of the total, and that all Google projects would end in the first quarter of 2024. Appen called the news unexpected and disappointing, and its shares fell 37% that morning.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
For contributors, that's a reminder of how project-based this work is. When a client leaves, the tasks tied to it disappear too. Other things to keep in mind:
- Qualifying first. CrowdGen says most projects have a qualification process, so you may spend unpaid time on tests.
- No set hours. You'll get work when there's a project that fits you, not on a timetable.
- Location matters. Pay and project access depend on where you live.
- Quality counts. Expect your accuracy to be checked, which affects your access to future work.
Appen job scams and how to check a message
Appen is one of the most impersonated names in remote work, and it publishes a scam awareness page to help. The points I'd memorise:
| Real Appen | Likely a scam |
|---|---|
| Emails from @appen.com addresses | Emails from free webmail or lookalike domains |
| Applications through official channels | Offers made through random chat apps |
| Never asks for money to apply or start | Asks for a fee, a deposit or an equipment payment |
| Never sends a cheque in advance | Sends a cheque and asks you to deposit it |
| Meeting invites from @appen.com | Meeting invites from unknown addresses |
Appen also says it won't ask for personally identifiable information outside its official channels. If you're unsure about a message, contact Appen directly using details from its own website, not the message. For more on checking a recruiter's profile, my piece on using LinkedIn to find legitimate transcription jobs covers the warning signs to look for on profiles and posts.
My verdict on Appen
In short, yes, it's legit: Appen is a long-established, publicly listed AI data company, it publishes how contributor pay works through CrowdGen, and it's clear that it never charges people to apply. What it can't offer is predictability. Losing Google showed how quickly projects can vanish, so treat Appen as flexible side income, keep your profile detailed, and check every message against its scam advice before you reply.
Frequently asked questions
Is Appen legit?
Yes. Appen is an AI data company founded in 1996 and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange as APX, and it pays contributors through its CrowdGen platform.
Is Appen Connect still running?
Appen Connect was renamed CrowdGen. Appen told the Australian exchange it launched CrowdGen in 2024 as its platform for contributors.
How does Appen pay?
Through CrowdGen, which says pay is in your local currency and can be withdrawn by bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer or Airtm, among other options.
Why is there less Appen work than before?
Work depends on Appen's clients. The Motley Fool Australia reported that Google ended its contract with Appen, with all Google projects ending in the first quarter of 2024.
Does Appen ask for money to start a job?
No. Appen's scam awareness page says it will never ask you to send money to apply or start a job, and never sends a cheque in advance.
