Category guide · Software

Data Labelling Software for Machine Learning Training Data

Annotate images, video, text, audio and documents, manage labelling teams and quality, and produce training data for AI models.

Quick answer

What is data labelling software?

Data labelling software helps teams annotate raw data so machine learning models can learn from it. It provides annotation interfaces for images, video, text, audio and documents, workforce and task management, quality control, AI-assisted pre-labelling, and dataset management. It is also used to create evaluation and preference data for generative AI.

Category overview

Data Labelling Software, explained.

Problems it solves

Models are only as good as their training data, and labelling large datasets by hand in spreadsheets or ad-hoc tools is slow and inconsistent.

Why businesses need it

High-quality labelled data improves model accuracy and is required to evaluate and fine-tune AI systems responsibly.

How it works

Data is imported, labelling guidelines and schemas are defined, tasks are assigned to internal or external labellers with model-assisted suggestions, reviews check quality, and datasets are exported to training pipelines.

Who should use it

ML engineers, data scientists, AI product teams and labelling operations or vendors.

Where it fits in your stack

Labelling tools connect data storage, ML platforms and model evaluation workflows.

Key features

Key features and capabilities of Data Labelling Software.

The capabilities that define the category. Not every product offers all of them, and depth varies a lot between entry-level and enterprise tools.

  • Image and video annotation

    Boxes, polygons and tracking.

  • Text and document labelling

    Entities and classification.

  • Audio transcription and tagging

    Speech data.

  • Model-assisted labelling

    Pre-labels to speed work.

  • Quality control

    Consensus, review and metrics.

  • Workforce management

    Assign and track labellers.

  • Dataset versioning

    Manage datasets.

  • LLM evaluation and RLHF

    Rank and rate model outputs.

Business use cases

How businesses use Data Labelling Software.

  1. 01

    Computer vision training

    Label images for detection.

  2. 02

    Document AI

    Annotate forms and invoices.

  3. 03

    Speech recognition

    Transcribe audio.

  4. 04

    Chatbot evaluation

    Rate responses.

  5. 05

    Content moderation

    Classify content.

  6. 06

    Medical imaging

    Expert annotation.

Who should use it

Who Data Labelling Software is for.

ML engineers

Need training data.

AI product teams

Evaluate models.

Labelling vendors

Run annotation projects.

Research teams

Build datasets.

Regulated industries

Expert-labelled data.

Benefits and business impact

What Data Labelling Software changes in practice.

Practical outcomes teams report when the category is implemented well. Results depend on adoption, data quality and process, so we do not quote percentages.

Better models

Higher-quality data.

Faster labelling

AI assistance.

Consistent quality

Review workflows.

Scalability

Manage large teams.

Traceability

Versioned datasets.

Responsible AI

Evaluation data.

Buying guide

How to choose Data Labelling Software.

Use these criteria to build a shortlist, then test the finalists with your own data and workflows.

Essential features

Check data types, annotation tools and quality workflows.

Pricing models

Pricing by users, tasks, data volume or managed services.

Integrations

Check storage, ML platform and export format integrations.

Scalability

Consider dataset sizes and workforce numbers.

Security and compliance

Review data security, on-premises options and labeller access controls.

Implementation

Write clear labelling guidelines. Plan who owns data labelling software day to day after go-live.

Support

Check access to managed workforces. For data labelling software, ask how quickly the vendor responds when something breaks and whether onboarding help is included.

Customisation

Look for custom schemas and APIs. The more data labelling software must fit your own processes, the more this matters.

Questions to ask before you buy

  • Which data types and annotation tools are supported?
  • How is quality measured?
  • Can it run in our cloud?
  • Do you provide labelling workforces?
  • How is pricing calculated?
  • Which export formats are supported?
Marketplace listings

Data Labelling Software on Stack18.

Listings in preparation

Solutions for every stage of your growth.

We are researching data labelling software products now. Each listing will show sourced pricing, capabilities, integrations and limits, with dates, and no paid placement.

Until listings are published, use the buying guide above to shape your shortlist, or explore related categories that already have sourced profiles.

FAQ

Data Labelling Software questions and answers

What is data labelling?

Adding labels or annotations to data so machine learning models can learn from it.

Why does labelling quality matter?

Errors in training data lead to errors in models.

What is model-assisted labelling?

Using a model to pre-label data that humans then correct.

What is RLHF?

Reinforcement learning from human feedback: training models using human ratings of outputs.

In-house or outsourced labelling?

Sensitive or expert data often stays in-house; large volumes may be outsourced.

Can AI agents label data?

Agents can pre-label and check data, but human review remains important for quality.

Next step

Build a smarter technology stack.

Explore software and AI agents across every category, read sourced profiles and side-by-side comparisons, or talk to Stack18 about what to buy, build and connect.