Does Braintrust really take zero fee from workers?

Yes. Braintrust's model charges a fee to clients but takes nothing from workers — 100% of the rate the client pays the worker goes to the worker. This is funded by a token-based platform model where Braintrust charges clients a marketplace fee. It is a genuine structural advantage versus Scale AI, Mercor, and most other platforms that charge workers or take a spread.

Which pays more, Scale AI or Braintrust?

Braintrust pays substantially more for qualified workers — $50–200/hr versus Scale AI's $20–50/hr. But Braintrust requires senior engineering credentials, while Scale AI is accessible to annotation specialists and domain experts without traditional software engineering backgrounds. The comparison is somewhat apples-to-oranges given the different worker profiles.

How long does it take to start earning on each platform?

Scale AI's project-by-project qualification tests can take days to complete and you can start earning once approved for a specific project. Braintrust's full vetting process takes 1–2 weeks. For workers who qualify for both, Scale AI offers faster time-to-first-payment, but Braintrust's higher rates make the wait worthwhile for senior practitioners.

Scale AI / Outlier vs Braintrust: Which Is Better in 2026?

Scale AI / Outlier vs Braintrust: Honest Comparison

Scale AI and Braintrust represent two very different philosophies in the AI work market. Scale AI built its business on high-volume, high-quality annotation pipelines — it recruits domain experts to train the world's most powerful AI models at scale. Braintrust is a Web3-native, zero-fee talent marketplace where senior engineers and technical professionals connect with enterprise clients, keeping 100% of what clients pay.

These platforms serve genuinely different workers. Scale AI is for annotation specialists, AI trainers, and technical domain experts. Braintrust is for senior engineers, data scientists, and product people who want to freelance for enterprise clients without a platform taking a cut of their earnings.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Scale AI / OutlierVSBraintrust

Scale AI / OutlierRecommended

Pay Range

$15-60/hr

Reliability

Very Reliable

Onboarding Time

3-5 days

Payment Frequency

weekly

Best For

Workers looking for consistent AI training tasks

Pros

Consistent work availability
Clear guidelines and expectations
Good training resources for new workers

Pay Analysis

Scale AI pays $20–50/hr for most annotation and review work, with rates higher for specialized coding, math, or scientific domain work. The task-based model means earnings are variable — busy annotation periods pay well, slow periods do not. Weekly payments are reliable and consistent.

Braintrust pays $50–200/hr and takes zero platform fee from workers. Clients pay a fee to Braintrust, but the worker-facing rate is 100% kept by the worker. This is a structural advantage over nearly every other platform in the market. Enterprise clients including major banks, tech companies, and consumer brands use Braintrust, supporting rates at the top of the range. Vetting takes 1–2 weeks and is more involved than Scale AI's project-by-project qualification tests.

Braintrust's earning ceiling ($200/hr) is four times Scale AI's typical ceiling ($50/hr) for annotation work. The comparison is almost unfair — these platforms target fundamentally different skill levels and work types. Workers with senior engineering backgrounds should prioritize Braintrust; annotation specialists without that background will find Scale AI more accessible.

Available Job Types

Scale AI focuses on AI training and annotation: RLHF, code review, image annotation, math evaluation, and model assessment. The work is specialized within the annotation category but not engineering in the traditional sense. You don't need to ship production code to work at Scale AI — you need deep domain knowledge and the ability to evaluate AI outputs.

Braintrust covers the full engineering stack: software development, data science, AI/ML engineering, product management, and design. AI-focused roles are available but represent a subset of the overall market. The platform's strength is connecting senior practitioners with enterprise clients who have significant technical needs and budgets to match.

Who Should Choose Which?

Choose Scale AI / Outlier if you...

Your background is in annotation, AI training, or domain expertise (coding, science, math) rather than production engineering
You want task-based flexibility without committing to long-term project engagements
You're comfortable with variable hourly rates in the $20–50/hr range
You want weekly payments and don't want to wait for a 1–2 week vetting process

Choose Braintrust if you...

You're a senior engineer, data scientist, or technical professional targeting the $50–200/hr range
You want zero platform fee — 100% of the client rate going directly to you
You have 1–2 weeks to invest in a thorough vetting process for higher earnings

Our Verdict

Bottom Line

Scale AI and Braintrust don't really compete for the same workers. If you're an annotation specialist or domain expert wanting to train AI models, Scale AI is where you belong. If you're a senior engineer or data scientist wanting to freelance for enterprise clients at premium rates with no platform cut, Braintrust is the better choice. Apply to whichever matches your actual work profile. View Scale AI / Outlier → · View Braintrust →

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