Why I Left Outlier AI for a More Reliable Side Hustle
Today, I will review Outlier based on my personal experience after working with it for a few months.
Outlier AI was aggressively running ads on LinkedIn, and that’s how I found out about it. Every time I opened LinkedIn, I saw an ad from them.
I have a postgraduate degree in Math and some knowledge of Computer Science since I’ve taken several programming courses. So, I was excited about the idea of using my math and coding skills to make some money.
Before signing up, I decided to do some research. I came across a YouTube video from a creator who claimed they worked just 106 minutes on Outlier AI and earned $546. That number shocked me.
I had tried small side hustles before — platforms like Clickworker and OneForma — but none had ever made me hundreds of dollars in just a few hours. Naturally, I wanted to test Outlier AI for myself.
But before I even signed up, I noticed multiple contrasting opinions. Some people boasted about raking in $30 to $40 per hour “training AI,” while others had horror stories about missing payments or nonexistent tasks.
To get clarity, I watched quite a few videos, read comments, dug into public review sites like Trustpilot, and even spoke to a couple of individuals who said they were outlier “veterans.”
It felt almost like I was investigating a mystery: on one side, numbers around $500 a day, on the other side, gripes about disorganization and heartbreakingly slow support. The question was, would Outlier AI be a game-changer or just another “outlier” that doesn’t deliver?
Early Fascination with AI Training
I’ve always found AI interesting. The idea is that you help “teach” AI models to be more humanlike in their responses or evaluate how well they’re performing tasks. I’d done similar “app testing” side gigs before.
Usually, these gigs are posted on platforms like Remotasks or Clickworker, where you get small tasks — label images, type short prompts, or rate how relevant a piece of text is. The pay on such sites typically runs from a few cents a task up to a few dollars if you’re lucky.
When I heard that Outlier AI was supposedly paying $35 an hour (or more), that felt massive. One content creator explained that on some missions (which are basically bonus tasks), the pay could jump $10 an hour on top of your base rate.
Another person claimed, “I made $614 in under two hours.”
But in the same breath, I read scathing 1-star reviews on Trustpilot: People said they either never got tasks or they never got paid.
I wanted to see for myself. So, I started the sign-up process on Outlier’s website.
Right away, they asked for an ID check. This is typical for remote work platforms that pay internationally. However, some folks in the Outlier comment section expressed fear: “Is it safe to give my passport or ID?”
One user said they refused to proceed after seeing that requirement. Another user said they provided their ID but never got any tasks, making them feel like they’d just handed sensitive info to an unknown entity.
But for me, I’d done it before with other platforms, so I wasn’t entirely put off. My main question: How often do they pay, and how consistently do tasks appear?
The Disorganized Onboarding Experience
When I first tried to get into Outlier, I was immediately undone by a glitch. The website asked me to fill out a profile, confirm my email, and do a short skill test.
But I couldn’t get through the final step. It kept freezing, bizarrely displaying error messages.
I was forced to email their support. I got an auto-reply saying, “We’re going through changes; please allow more time for a response.”
Let’s just say that response took weeks. By the time they did get back to me, they’d “migrated systems,” meaning I had to do it all over again. So, ironically, I was stuck in a sign-up loop, waiting for the site to let me do the tasks.
Yet I saw in YouTube comments that some users breezed through the sign-up and got a project assignment right away.
A commenter named “Gary” said it took him a week, while others reported waiting a month or more to see any referrals, tasks, or pay.
A friend of mine applied from Colombia and was told he could do tasks at $7.50 an hour, but never actually received a project assignment.
Meanwhile, someone in Canada was reportedly getting $20 an hour and started within a week.
Over time, I realized Outlier’s “randomness” was part of the problem: it’s not guaranteed that you’ll ever see tasks or consistent communication.
My First Project: A Reality Check
Eventually, after all the ID verification hoops, I got assigned to a math-related AI training project. My own background is somewhat math-heavy, so I thought I’d be perfect for it.
The pay rate: $40 an hour, which was more than fair. The first day was “training,” just reading instructions and taking a short quiz to prove I understood the tasks.
The instructions were fairly messy: random video tutorials, outdated references, and poorly organized sample tasks. It took me nearly two hours just to parse everything. According to the website, training was unpaid.
This left me with a mild frustration: “Why not at least pay a symbolic rate for the training hours?”
Anyway, I aced the quiz. Great, all set. Then, the real tasks opened up. My “math tasks” involved verifying simple algebra solutions, noticing if the AI had made an error, and providing the correct step-by-step if it was wrong.
On the surface, it seemed easy. But I soon realized the instructions were extremely precise — a single misstep in formatting or failing to label an answer properly could lower my “quality score.”
If my score stayed below a certain threshold, I would be kicked off the project. I had to be meticulous.
In the first hour, I managed maybe four tasks. But that hour was complicated by flipping back and forth in the instructions to confirm the rules on how to note corrections.
Part of me was worried: “If I only do four tasks an hour, am I still getting $40 an hour? Or is there some hidden piecework rate?”
Indeed, from reading user experiences, I learned that some tasks pay a “primary rate” for a standard time limit.
If you exceed that time limit, you earn a lower “secondary rate.”
So you might have $35 an hour in theory, but if you’re slow, you’ll effectively dip to $25 or $20.
This was consistent with what I saw in a video where the user tracked their first 50 minutes at $24.56 , less than $35 an hour, though it evened out later.
Payment Confusion: Are We Really Earning $40?
One of the more confusing aspects: Outlier’s official job listings might say “$30 per hour,” but many workers say it varies widely by region and difficulty.
Comments under YouTube videos read, “I have a Master's in math, I get $25/hour,” while others claim $10 an hour if they are from a lower cost-of-living region.
On top of that, the pay can drop if you don’t finish tasks quickly enough.
Now, you can see how the advertised $40 an hour can be misleading. It’s not that Outlier is lying, but it’s that you only get that rate if you meet specific speeds and you hold the right skill set.
There are also “missions,” which are basically bonus deals. If you get assigned a “mission,” you might bump your rate up by $10. Suppose your base is $30, the mission lifts you to $40. That might last a few days or weeks. Then you’re back to $30 again.
One user said missions helped them consistently push their effective pay closer to $45 an hour, but that’s a best-case scenario. Another user, from a lower-paying region, complained they never once saw missions appear.
The Reality of Work Availability
During my second and third weeks with Outlier, I was assigned a single project at a time, sometimes with only 2–3 tasks a day.
Some days, I’d log in, see zero tasks, and just keep refreshing. Wait an hour. Still zero.
Another user told me, “They’re a project-based platform, so if the client’s backlog is empty, you have nothing.”
This reality is true for a lot of gig style or AI training sites. Sometimes you get loads of tasks; sometimes you go days or weeks with none.
For me, that unpredictability meant I couldn’t rely on Outlier to pay any bills. I was just hoping for some decent side income.
Then again, a few folks mention they do more advanced tasks or handle multiple skill sets, letting them bounce between projects.
One comment read: “I do math, coding, and data annotation, so I usually have something to do — even if the pay can fluctuate between $15 and $40 an hour.”
That’s the type of user who might earn $600 or more each week. But it’s not guaranteed for everyone.
Payment Experience: Weekly, Sort Of
The official promise is that Outlier pays weekly via PayPal or AirTM. I personally opted for PayPal.
On my first “payday,” it was delayed by a day due to “server updates.” Then the next week, I got an email: “Some of your tasks have not been quality verified, so we can’t finalize your payment. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Only on the third week did all my tasks get verified, and I received a chunk of around $212. It was less than I’d hoped.
At that point, I read multiple stories of people waiting five weeks with no pay, or receiving partial pay when they expected more.
Some claimed they never saw a cent. Others said they got their money without a hitch. “It’s basically a coin toss,” wrote one reviewer on Reddit. “If you get a good manager, or if you live in a top country with decent tasks, it’s fine. Otherwise, it’s a mess.”
Based on my experience, I can’t call it a scam, because I did receive some money eventually.
But I can see how it might feel scammy to someone who invests hours, only to be told “Oh sorry, we have no tasks or your tasks didn’t pass QA, so no pay.”
A Mess of Mixed Feedback
Let me share some snapshots of user feedback I encountered, so you can see how all over the place it is:
- One person: “I made $500 in a single day, thanks to missions and being super fast at labeling. This is the best side hustle I’ve ever done.”
- Another person: “I got the job, was assigned tasks for a week at $25 an hour. After the first day, tasks dried up. Next week, I was removed from the project with zero explanation.”
- Trustpilot: 63% 1-star reviews as of me writing this, with complaints about missing pay, incompetent support, or sudden changes in pay rates. Meanwhile, some 5-star reviews glow about “Outlier changed my life. I get $100–$300 a day with no issues.”
- Commenters: “They’re going through ‘growing pains,’ so you have to be patient.” Another wrote: “No, they’re not just going through growth. They’re incompetent and pass the blame around.”
In short, Outlier AI is real, but quite chaotic. If you’re lucky, you might snag a decent, flexible gig. If you’re unlucky, you might waste time training and never see tasks.
Dropped from Projects: The Kicker
During the second month, I got “kicked off” my math project. Why? The project manager said I’d mislabeled some steps in the final line of the solution.
Admittedly, I’d made a small error. But they declared I was no longer eligible to continue. The issue is, I got no recourse.
Some folks in the official comments said, “You can’t appeal. You’re just done.”
The manager apologized, so at least it felt more like a mismatch than them accusing me of wrongdoing. But basically, it ended there.
I tried to apply for a different AI training project. No dice. The system said I had to wait for new roles or “missions,” which never arrived.
At that stage, I realized I was out. I’d made around $310 total, so not the worst, but not the dream scenario I’d once imagined.
Is Outlier a Scam or Just a Hot Mess?
I don’t personally think Outlier is a scam.
They do pay some people for their tasks. They have real AI training contracts.
But the key question: Is Outlier a stable, worthwhile place to spend your time? Possibly not. It’s hit or miss.
If you get accepted to a decent project and meet their (admittedly tough) quality standards, you can see decent money.
But you risk random changes in pay rates, inconsistent tasks, or being removed from projects for small mistakes.
Yes, some 5-star success stories are floating around, but negative experiences abound. For every user bragging about $500 days, there’s another who never saw a dime.
Consistency is lacking.
Meanwhile, folks from certain countries get assigned a lower pay rate, or no tasks at all. If you don’t have a specialized background (like advanced math or coding), the pay might be so low it’s essentially not worth your time.
Hence, “Outlier” is an apt name. The platform is unpredictable and out of the mainstream. They might get better.
Some say they’re rebranding from Remotasks, or they’re trying a new approach, and eventually they’ll fix the chaos. But at the moment, you’re basically rolling the dice.
My final stance on them: Not a flat-out scam, but disorganized enough that you need a plan B. For me, that plan B (or new plan A, really) turned out to be something else entirely.
Turning to a More Reliable Alternative (Wealthy Affiliate)
After seeing how inconsistent the tasks were, I asked around in Facebook groups about other flexible ways to make money online.
A friend recommended Wealthy Affiliate, an AI Affiliate Marketing System that also comes with training and done-for-you resources.
I’d previously tried affiliate marketing but never got serious. So I said, “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.”
The difference with WA is:
You put your effort in up front, learning the skills, implementing AI tools, and creating your business hub with AI. In return, Wealthy Affiliate makes recurring income for you.
My friend explained, “It’s not quick money like answering math questions or labeling pictures. You watch trainings, build your business hub, use AI tools, create content, drive traffic, and hopefully earn recurring commissions.”
I dove in, set up the funnel, followed their training, hammered out a unique angle for social media, and gave it maybe 10 hours a week of focus.
After about a month, I saw my first commissions. They weren’t huge, but they were consistent. Soon, I was making $50 to $90 daily. That might not sound like a ton, but compare that to the sporadic nature of Outlier’s tasks.
With WA, I can scale it by boosting traffic or expanding my reach. I’m not “stuck” waiting for tasks to appear in a queue.
And truly, I don’t have to do all the hustling day after day like you do on Outlier, where tasks vanish if you aren’t on them instantly.
As my funnels matured, the commissions started showing up more reliably. I can keep my job and do WA as a side hustle. My dream is maybe to go full-time with it if it continues to grow.
I’m not pushing WA on anyone, but from personal experience, it’s been leaps and bounds better than waiting for random micro jobs from Outlier.
The main difference is that Wealthy Affiliate is heavily about building a small online business, whereas Outlier is more like performing digital labor.
Observations and Key Insights
- Task Payment Doesn’t = Guaranteed Salary
Many people assume that if a job listing says $30/hour, that’s your guaranteed wage. With Outlier, you might average less due to partially paid training times or lower “secondary rates.” Also, no tasks = no money. So it’s not a stable paycheck. - You Need to Pass Assessments
Multiple people pointed out that more advanced tasks require passing a tricky test. If you fail, you’re out. If you pass, but your quality later dips, you can be dropped. Make sure you’re comfortable with that risk. - Short Notice Kicks
You can be unceremoniously removed from a project. You can’t necessarily fix or argue your case. That ephemeral nature can stress out folks who want job stability. - Regional Pay Differences
If you’re from the US, Canada, or Australia, you might see $20–$40 an hour. But countries in Southeast Asia or Latin America may see $5–$15. Some claim that’s “unfair,” but it’s how Outlier segments wages. - Quality Management Bottlenecks
They have “quality managers” who apparently get overloaded, so verifying tasks and releasing pay can be slow. Many negative reviews revolve around missing or delayed payments because of slow verification. - Support Issues
Possibly because they’re scaling quickly, the support team can’t keep up. People mention sending multiple emails or messages, only to get the same generic responses. If you need quick answers, you might be out of luck. - It’s Not Entirely Fake
Some users do well, especially with specialized knowledge. It’s not an outright scam. However, if you’re expecting a stable, day-to-day job, you could be disappointed.
Should You Try Outlier AI?
If you have a strong math or coding background and you don’t mind the risk, it’s free to apply.
Maybe you’ll land a decent short-term project, pick up a few hundred bucks. Just be ready for the possibility of no tasks or tasks only lasting a few days.
You also need thick skin if you get dropped from a project or have to repeatedly email support about payment.
If you want something more stable or a consistent, growing side income, you might want to skip it.
For me, Outlier was a brief fling that ended with me feeling frustrated. Once the tasks dried up, I moved on.
I gained a few hundred dollars, but in the bigger picture, I wasted a lot of time rechecking guidelines and waiting on slow systems.
Now, if your passion is lifting your monthly finances with minimal unpredictability, consider other routes.
For me, that’s exactly why I tried Wealthy Affiliate.
Instead of performing micro tasks, I’m building an affiliate funnel that doesn’t vanish one day if the manager decides.
It’s not instant wealth, but I only have to put in the main hustle once. Then it becomes more or less a side hustle that keeps ticking along even if I only check it a few times a week.
Note: You can create a free Wealthy Affiliate account without any verification and start right away.
Final Thoughts on Outlier AI and Why I Pivoted
I jumped into Outlier AI with high hopes, inspired by claims of big pay for short sessions.
My reality was a mix of partial successes, slow support, and eventually not enough tasks to keep me busy.
I did earn some money, so it’s not a total scam.
However, the company is known for glitchy onboarding, unpredictable tasks, and sometimes spotty payments. I’ve read countless stories from others in the same boat.
At the end of the day, if you happen to get good projects, you might be that lucky person who banks $30 or $40 an hour.
But for many, it’s basically an on/off switch — one week it’s on, the next week it’s fully off.
If that’s the environment you’re comfortable with, give it a shot. Just do so with your eyes wide open.
As for me, I found a simpler system-based approach like Wealthy Affiliate more appealing.
Instead of chasing tasks daily, I spent time setting up my marketing funnel.
Now, I earn $50 to $90 a day without constantly refreshing a dashboard or worrying about “did I get kicked from the project?”
It’s obviously not a zero-effort model.
It required me to learn about affiliate marketing, build an email sequence, test different angles, and keep up some social media presence.
But after I got those pieces in place, it felt more stable. Some folks keep a traditional job and run Wealthy Affiliate on the side. Others develop it into a full-time gig.
You control the pace, rather than being at the mercy of a platform that might or might not have tasks that day.
If you’re curious, you can look up Wealthy Affiliate and see if it aligns with your goals.
I personally like that it’s free to sign up, with an option to get more advanced tools if you want them. That’s definitely less nerve-racking than waiting to find out if you even qualify for tasks on Outlier.
So that’s how my own story evolved. I started starry-eyed, hearing about magical $500 days “training AI, encountered the messy reality, and moved on.
If you see outlier.ai ads or articles claiming it’s the easiest path to remote riches, remember that you might only be seeing one side of the story.
Don’t feel guilty if it doesn’t pan out as advertised.
There are other ways to earn a living online — ones that might better fit your goals for stability, growth, and your own sanity. I sure am happier with the approach I ended up with.
I would recommend creating your free Wealthy Affiliate Account.
I have also created a post on how to make money by creating animations using different AI tools.
If you are interested further you can also read a post about so-called AI platform called coursiv.io. You should be aware of such platforms.