Prodigy
Prodigy is a developer tool and Python library for building training and evaluation data for machine learning models.
What Prodigy is
Prodigy is a developer tool and Python library for building training and evaluation data for machine learning models. Its built-in recipes support tasks such as named entity recognition, text classification, image annotation, transcription, and model evaluation. A customizable web app includes 23 interfaces for text, images, audio, video, relations, multiple choice, HTML, and conflict resolution. Developers can shape workflows with Python recipes and create interfaces using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Prodigy supports spaCy, Hugging Face model plugins, and integrations with major LLM API providers. Data can be stored in SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL and exported as JSON or JSONL. It runs on the user's own machines, can operate without an internet connection on an air-gapped machine, and can be deployed on cloud infrastructure or on-premise. Pricing is $390, paid once for Personal and $490, paid once per seat in packs of five for Company, both excluding tax. A trial is available, but hosted trials are not offered to individuals.
Good
- 23 interfaces cover multiple annotation formats.
- Custom workflows can use Python recipes.
- Runs locally and can operate air-gapped.
- Exports data as JSON and JSONL.
Watch out
- No free plan is listed.
- Personal costs $390, paid once, excluding tax.
- Hosted trials are not offered to individuals.
Who it suits
Prodigy suits developers and machine-learning teams comfortable with Python and the command line. After setup, its annotation web app can also be used by annotators without programming experience.
Verdict
Prodigy combines configurable annotation workflows with local data handling and several storage and export options. Its developer-oriented setup and paid licensing are important considerations for teams choosing an annotation tool.
Plans and prices
From Prodigy's own pricing page, checked 21 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $390, paid once | 12 months free upgrades · unlimited personal and professional use · one individual license · per lifetime license, excluding tax |
| Company | $490, paid once | lifetime license · 12 months free upgrades · transferable company seats · HTTP authentication and OpenID Connect SSO · per seat in packs of 5 seats, excluding tax |
The facts
Each one read from Prodigy's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Active learning
- Active-learning workflows are provided for named-entity recognition, text classification, part-of-speech tagging and dependency parsing.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Annotation interfaces
- The product includes 23 customizable interfaces for text, images, audio, video, relations, multiple choice, HTML and conflict resolution.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Annotation tasks
- Built-in recipes cover tasks including named entity recognition, text classification, computer vision, audio and video annotation, transcription, and model training and evaluation.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Annotation workflows
- Built-in workflows cover named-entity recognition, span categorization, text classification, part-of-speech tagging, dependency parsing, coreference, computer vision, audio, video, transcription and speaker diarization.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Custom front end
- The interface can be extended with custom HTML, CSS and JavaScript and by combining built-in interface components.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Customization
- Users can define workflows with Python recipes and build custom interfaces using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Data formats
- Built-in loaders accept JSONL, JSON, CSV, plain text and image directories.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The standard Python web server and application can be deployed on any cloud provider or entirely on-premise.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Documentation and support
- The maker provides extensive online documentation, examples and a community support forum; company plans add priority forum and email support.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Custom Python recipes can define data streams, preprocessing, model callbacks, annotation interfaces and training logic.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Hugging Face integration
- The Prodigy-HF plugin can train transformer models, use Hugging Face checkpoints for correction workflows and upload datasets to the Hub.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Licensed users install through pip using a private download index and license key, or install a downloaded wheel.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Prodigy has first-class support for spaCy, plugins for Hugging Face models, and out-of-the-box integrations with major LLM API providers.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Intended users
- Prodigy is designed as a developer tool and assumes basic familiarity with Python and the command line, while its annotation web app can be used without programming experience after setup.checked 29 Sep 2026
- Licence
- Prodigy is proprietary commercial software; the licence is revocable, non-exclusive and non-transferable, with some bundled components potentially under open-source licences.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Licence restrictions
- The terms prohibit redistribution, sublicensing, charging third parties for access and hosting on public-facing servers.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: API exposure
- The same comparison characterized Prodigy’s rich API as local rather than remotely accessible out of the box.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: project management
- The documentation says Prodigy does not provide much annotation-adjacent functionality such as user accounts or project management.checked 21 Oct 2026
The company
- Company headquarters and founding
- LinkedIn lists Explosion as headquartered in Berlin, founded in 2016 and employing 2–10 people.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Company legal name
- The maker is ExplosionAI GmbH, registered in Berlin, Germany.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2016checked 28 Sep 2026
- Funding and ownership
- Explosion says SignalFire invested $6 million for 5% in 2021, invested another $3 million in 2022 and retained 7.7% after the company returned to self-sufficient operation in 2024.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Berlin, Germanychecked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Limit: G2 collaboration and price
- G2 reviewers report that collaboration is limited for larger teams, pricing is high, project management requires another tool and high-level segmentation is missing.checked 21 Oct 2026
Alternatives to Prodigy
- 1
Roboflow
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI8.3From $39 a month - 2
Label Studio
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinuxmacOS8.2From $99 a month - 3
doccano
Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWebAPI7.9Free plan - 4
VGG Image Annotator
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.7Free plan - 5
CVAT
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted6.9Free plan - 6
Supervisely
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted6.9From €199 a month