Comparing CloudFactory vs. Appen: An In-Depth Overview

When choosing an appropriate data labeling provider, you consider multiple parameters: the quality of services they offer, their scalability, turnaround time, and cost, among others. Balancing between all of them can be difficult, especially when managing extensive annotation projects.

CloudFactory and Appen are some top data labeling companies. They offer scalable end-to-end solutions that meet the needs of both small and big labeling projects. While CloudFactory focuses on a human-in-the-loop approach, Appen supports AI models' training and evaluation. Read our comparative overview that can help you decide on the best match for your annotation projects.

CloudFactory vs. Appen: Company Profiles

CloudFactory Company

CloudFactory provides human-in-the-loop (HITL) data labeling services, utilizing a global, on-demand workforce enhanced by AI technology. With over 7,000 data annotators, CloudFactory is relied upon by more than 700 AI companies. Founded in 2010 by Mark Sears, the company operates in the UK, US, Nepal, and Kenya. In 2024, Kevin Johnston became CEO, while Sears moved to the position of Executive Chairman.

Appen Company

Established in 1996 by linguist Dr. Julie Vonwiller, Appen is a premier Australian firm focused on human-annotated data for AI and machine learning. Appen boasts a worldwide network of over 1 million contributors, delivering services in more than 130 countries and 180 languages. With over 25 years of expertise, Appen company provides customized data solutions for a range of industries, drawing clients from tech giants to automotive manufacturers.

Services and Products

CloudFactory Services and Products

CloudFactory provides an extensive array of human-driven AI services. They offer you data curation and annotation services, quality assurance, and model optimization. CloudFactory's main expertise lies in computer vision data annotation, while its capabilities in natural language processing (NLP) are more restricted, particularly for non-English languages.

Among their main services, the company offers:

• Accelerated Annotation: CloudFactory’s premier data labeling service features AI-enhanced labeling for 2D images and videos, achieving speeds up to 30 times faster while maintaining high accuracy.

• Workforce Plus (workforce + tech): This comprehensive solution includes video and LiDAR data labeling, along with the necessary tools. You have the option to use their platform or integrate it with your own.

• Vision AI Managed Workforce: CloudFactory provides a specialized workforce trained specifically for computer vision tasks, known as Vision AI.

• NLP: If you need assistance with text or audio data labeling, CloudFactory’s Workforce can handle it using either their platform or yours.

• Data Processing: Beyond data labeling, CloudFactory’s Workforce can also assist in optimizing your business processes through data processing and other back-office tasks.

Their product includes:

• Hasty: Acquired in 2022, Hasty is a data-focused machine learning platform designed for computer vision applications. It provides AI-driven image annotation, quality control, and a no-code model building solution.

Appen Services & Products

Appen delivers an extensive range of data labeling services, including annotation and evaluation services tailored for AI development. Additionally, the company offers a complete platform that supports the entire AI development lifecycle.

Services

• Data Collection. Appen collects diverse data types for AI training, such as text, audio, video, and geospatial data, ideal for NLP, computer vision, and location-based services.

• Data Annotation. Appen offers labeling data for machine learning projects. They have a human-in-the-loop approach via a crowdsourcing platform, with expertise in NLP, speech processing, and computer vision.

• Search Relevance. Appen improves search engine algorithms with services such as model evaluation, content moderation, and search refinement.

• Reinforcement Learning (RLHF): Appen provides RLHF services specifically designed for developing large language models (LLMs).

• Document Intelligence. Appen enhances document processing AI by curating and annotating data for tasks such as summarization and data extraction.

• Location-Based Services. Appen boosts location-based services by annotating geospatial data, enhancing accuracy in mapping and location intelligence.

• Pre-Labeled Datasets. Appen provides a collection of over 270 pre-labeled datasets in audio, image, video, and text formats across more than 80 languages, speeding up AI project timelines.

• Data for Large Language Models (LLMs): Appen delivers tailored data solutions for developers of large language models (LLMs), offering datasets for fine-tuning, evaluation, and AI chat feedback.

Platform

A worldwide crowdsourcing network consisting of over 1 million contributors in more than 170 countries. It includes features such as project management, performance tracking, data quality assurance, and security oversight. Additionally, it offers access to subject-matter experts (SMEs).

The platform helps with the following tasks:

• Data Collection

• Data Annotation

• Transcription

• Translation

• Speech Modeling

• Model Evaluation

Pricing Models

Dataset Types

CloudFactory Dataset Types

CloudFactory supports both computer vision and NLP data. The formats for data annotation include PNG Masks, JSON, and COCO for importing, and COCO, Pascal VOC, JSON, and PNG Masks for exporting. They handle 2D images and video files in various formats such as PNG, JPG, WEBM, HEIC, BMP, TIFF, and any video types supported by FFmpeg.

Appen Dataset Types

Appen provides diverse datasets tailored for various ML needs. They process and annotate text data like emails, documents, and chats in over 80 languages. Audio data, including phone calls and voice commands, are transcribed and labeled for features such as speaker identification. Their visual data annotation services encompass image annotation for objects and scenes, facial recognition, and video analysis for object tracking and activity recognition.

Supported Data Formats:

• CSV (Comma-separated values)

• TSV (Tab-separated values)

• XLSX (Microsoft Excel spreadsheets)

• ODS (OpenDocument Spreadsheets)

Encoding:

• All files must use UTF-8 encoding.

Formatting:

• Each column in your data file must have a clear and descriptive header.

Data Annotation Tools

CloudFactory Annotation Tools

CloudFactory offers a flexible platform for data annotation, enabling clients to either utilize their tools or integrate with their own software. Key features include:

• Flexibility: Clients have the option to utilize CloudFactory's proprietary tools or integrate with their own software, ensuring a seamless workflow tailored to their specific requirements.

• Tool-Agnostic Analysts: CloudFactory's data analysts are flexible and proficient in learning custom tools specified by clients, offering a highly customizable service.

• Partnerships: CloudFactory partners with data labeling companies such as Dataloop, Datasaur.ai, and Labelbox to offer complementary workforce solutions, thereby enhancing their service offerings with additional expertise and resources.

• Automation Features: include label assistants, fully automated labeling, active learning, and AI-consensus scoring, all of which accelerate the annotation process while ensuring high accuracy.

Appen Annotation Tools

Appen doesn't offer standalone data annotation tools for public use but provides a comprehensive platform as part of their services. This platform combines human annotators with machine learning to ensure high-quality training data for AI models. Appen can integrate with client-provided tools, though these might not scale well with increased workloads, necessitating a switch to Appen's platform.

They also claim the ability to automate tasks using Large Language Models (LLM), based on a project with a retail client, though it's unclear if this is a standard feature. Overall, Appen serves as a data annotation partner, offering a managed service with their platform and global annotator network for AI projects.

Integrations

CloudFactory Integrations

Integrates seamlessly with leading cloud storage solutions, including AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, and Azure Blob Storage. Compatible with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch. Key integration capabilities include:

• Cloud Storage: AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage

• Machine Learning Frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch

• REST API: Automates and manages labeling projects

• Data Security: Prioritizes secure cloud environments

• Data Ownership: Users retain full ownership of all uploaded data

Appen Integrations

In Appen projects, you have two primary integration options: using APIs or employing Live Large Language Model (LLM) APIs.

API Integration:

• Automate tasks associated with Appen’s data annotation services.

• Programmatically set up, modify, and initiate annotation tasks.

• Retrieve results from finished jobs.

• Integrate effortlessly with your current workflow.

Appen utilizes a RESTful API with JSON data format and key-based authentication. They advise manually testing the process before configuring the API.

Live LLM API Integration:

• Connect your Large Language Models (LLMs) with Appen’s platform.

• Test your LLMs against real-world data.

• Gather insights to improve your models.

• Create a feedback loop with human experts to fine-tune your LLM.

This integration guarantees that your LLMs are precise, pertinent, and tailored to your specific requirements.

Annotation Process

CloudFactory Annotation Process

CloudFactory reviews and integrates human expertise, established workflows, and advanced technology for data labeling. Here’s an overview:

• Pre-Commitment: CloudFactory provides a free 10-hour mini pilot that includes analysis, task testing, and feedback. This pilot labels a sample set and delivers a detailed report with recommendations, showcasing their service's capabilities and benefits before clients commit.

• Getting Started: A dedicated team is onboarded in two weeks, assessing needs and recruiting additional workers if necessary. CloudFactory’s global network efficiently handles large projects, ensuring a smooth start for any annotation task.

• Data Annotation Process: The team labels data according to your specifications, performing quality checks at each step. Continuous monitoring and adjustments ensure high-quality outputs.

• Support and Management: Each project includes a Client Success Manager, Delivery Team Lead, and Channel Manager to provide ongoing support and ensure clients have the necessary resources throughout the project lifecycle..

Appen Annotation Process

Appen’s data annotation platform offers customizable workflows for efficient management from start to finish:

• Onboarding and Training: A Customer Success Manager assists your team in familiarizing themselves with the platform, allowing them to swiftly create and initiate annotation tasks.

• Setting Up Annotation Jobs: Utilize customizable templates to specify the data type (text, image, audio, etc.) and the required annotations. Jobs can be configured through Appen’s user interface or programmatically via API.

• Data Annotation by Global Contributors: Tasks are distributed to a global network of skilled contributors. The platform provides tools and guidelines to maintain consistency in annotations.

• Monitoring and Adjustment: Monitor job progress and review data to make necessary adjustments, like refining instructions or modifying annotation requirements.

• Data Download and Reporting: After completion, download the labeled data for your AI or ML projects. Appen offers dashboards and reports to help optimize jobs for cost, quality, and efficiency.

Appen's working process is designed to simplify data annotation, utilizing an intuitive platform, a worldwide workforce, and robust management tools.

Quality Assurance

CloudFactory QA

CloudFactory's data analysts ensure highly accurate annotations through a blend of automated checks and human review, and they offer a 100% quality assurance guarantee. Their multi-layered quality control includes:

1. Gold Standard: Assessing quality by counting the number of all labeled tasks, both correctly and incorrectly.

2. Sample Review: Consistently reviewing a sample of annotations to maintain accuracy and uniformity.

3. Consensus: Employing several annotators to reach a consensus on intricate tasks.

4. Intersection over Union (IoU): Quantifying accuracy by measuring the overlap between predicted annotations and ground-truth data.

5. Model Feedback: For computer vision tasks, CloudFactory offers feedback to enhance your model in addition to the data labeling.

Appen QA

Appen ensures top-notch training data for AI projects via a multi-tiered QA process tailored to your requirements, supported by a global network of contributors.

• Customizable Solutions: Customized QA plans incorporating human expertise and advanced features such as real-time learning for ongoing enhancement.

• Seamless Workflow: Incorporates your team, labeling tools, and workers, providing automated or managed solutions for performance monitoring and quality assessment.

• Rigorous Quality Control: Appen ensures superior data quality by conducting multiple checks from pre-production to post-production.

• AI-Powered Crowd Management: Leverages a network of over 1 million contributors and AI to align tasks with worker skills, optimizing the labeling process.

• Detailed Quality Reports: Comprehensive dashboards track project progress, including labeled units and overall accuracy. Data is segmented by annotator to identify training needs.

Security and Data Compliance

TL;DR

Let's recap the main points. CloudFactory provides adaptable, scalable solutions with human-in-the-loop services, making it well-suited for healthcare and finance sectors, although it falls short in supporting advanced NLP tasks and does not offer a free trial. Appen, boasting over 25 years of expertise, delivers extensive data solutions through a global network and an all-inclusive platform, with flexible pricing and a wider range of services. Your decision should be based on your project's specific needs, budget, and desired features.

• No commitment

• Flexible pricing

• Tool-agnostic

• Data-compliance

Run a free pilot with our experienced team.

FAQ

Written by

Maria Shepeta Editor-at-Large

Maria is one of the passionate tech writers on Label Your Data's content team. She enjoys combining the art of words with technological innovations. Interested in hot topics such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data annotation, she contributes to our knowledge base. Read some of her articles to discover evolving tech topics!