Last updated: January 2026

What Is Cluely?

High-pressure moments—job interviews, sales calls, client presentations, technical assessments—can make even prepared people stumble. Cluely is a desktop application that provides real-time AI coaching during live video calls on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and similar platforms.

The application listens to your microphone, watches your screen, and displays an invisible overlay only you can see. That overlay suggests talking points, answers to questions, code snippets, product facts, or contextual responses—delivered in real-time as the conversation unfolds. Participants on the other end see only you; the coaching remains invisible.

Fans describe Cluely as a modern teleprompter that responds dynamically to conversation. Critics raise ethical concerns about undisclosed AI assistance in professional settings. The tool exists in a gray zone between productivity enhancement and authenticity questions.

[cta text="Try Cluely for Free"]

Key Features Explained

Invisible Overlay Interface

Install the desktop client, join any video call, and press a hotkey to activate Cluely. A floating panel appears on your screen—positioned outside the area you're sharing—visible only to you. Meeting participants have no indication that AI assistance is active.

The overlay displays suggestions, talking points, and responses that update in real-time based on conversation context. Scroll through options, select relevant suggestions, or let new ones appear as the discussion evolves.

Context-Aware Response Generation

Cluely's intelligence comes from combining multiple input streams:

Speech-to-text: Real-time transcription of what everyone on the call says, understanding questions and context.

Screen OCR: Optical character recognition that reads text visible on your screen—documents, slides, code editors, websites.

Knowledge base: Your uploaded materials and selected playbooks providing domain-specific information.

These inputs feed GPT-4-level models that generate contextually appropriate suggestions. When an interviewer asks a specific question, Cluely's suggestion directly addresses what was asked, not generic responses.

Pre-Built Playbooks and Custom Knowledge

Choose from dozens of pre-built playbooks optimized for specific scenarios:

Technical Interview: Coding problems, system design questions, algorithm explanations.

Enterprise SaaS Demo: Product positioning, objection handling, competitive differentiation.

VC Pitch: Investor questions, market sizing, financial projections.

Customer Success Call: Upselling, renewal conversations, issue resolution.

Power users create custom knowledge bases by uploading PDFs, product documentation, company wikis, flashcards, or training materials. The AI references your specific content when generating suggestions.

For AI writing assistance outside of live calls, see QuillBot.

[cta text="Try Cluely for Free"]

Code-Friendly Features

Cluely recognizes when you open coding environments—LeetCode, HackerRank, CoderPad, or whiteboard tools. The system suggests code solutions in Python, JavaScript, Java, and other languages, complete with logic explanations.

For technical interviews involving live coding, this feature provides real-time assistance as you work through problems. Suggestions include not just code but explanations of approach, time complexity, and edge cases.

Multi-Platform Support

The desktop client runs on macOS 12+, Windows 10+, and experimental Linux builds. Integration plugins support Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. The overlay works inside popular coding assessment platforms.

Anti-Detection Design

The overlay renders through a low-level graphics layer designed to bypass standard screen recording and proctoring software. Screen share shows your camera feed and shared content—not the floating coaching panel. Standard recording captures what you display, not Cluely's suggestions.

Note: "Undetectable" is never guaranteed. Behavioral cues (eye movement, response latency, style shifts) may still reveal AI assistance to observant participants.

Real-World Use Cases

Job Interview Preparation

Candidates use Cluely as a safety net during high-stakes interviews. When nerves cause blanks or unexpected questions arise, real-time suggestions help maintain composure and coherent responses.

Sales Calls and Demos

Sales reps handle product questions, competitive objections, and pricing discussions with AI-powered backup. Playbooks ensure consistent messaging across the team.

Technical Assessments

Developers working through live coding challenges receive algorithm suggestions, syntax help, and debugging guidance as they work.

Client Presentations

Consultants and account managers present to clients with AI assistance for data points, case studies, and response to questions outside their immediate expertise.

Internal Considerations

Some organizations use Cluely internally with full disclosure—a training tool for ramping new hires or standardizing customer-facing communication. Disclosed use removes ethical concerns.

Pricing (2026)

See official site for current rates. 7-day refund window on all paid plans.

Free — 30 minutes of coaching per week, access to 2 playbooks, basic customization. Enough to evaluate the tool.

Starter — $19/month. 5 hours of coached calls monthly, 500 custom prompt slots.

Pro — $49/month ($490/year annual discount). Unlimited transcription and coaching time, unlimited prompts, priority access to newest models.

Team — $99/seat/year. Shared playbooks across team members, admin dashboards, SSO integration, optional disclosure banner for transparent use.

[cta text="Try Cluely for Free"]

Pros and Cons

What We Like

Real-time coaching during live calls—genuinely responsive to conversation

Context-aware AI that references what was actually said and asked

Pre-built playbooks for interviews, sales, technical assessments

Code snippet suggestions with logic explanations

Custom knowledge bases from your own materials

Free tier to evaluate before committing

Multi-platform support (macOS, Windows, major video apps)

What Could Be Better

Ethical concerns about undisclosed use in professional settings

Can create dependency that stunts genuine skill development

No mobile or ChromeOS support

Subscription-only model (no lifetime license)

Detection remains possible through behavioral observation

Quality depends heavily on playbook selection and knowledge base setup

Ethical Considerations

Cluely exists in contested territory. Consider these perspectives:

Enhancement view: Humans have always used tools to perform better—notes, teleprompters, earpieces for live TV. Cluely is sophisticated note-taking that responds to context.

Authenticity view: Job interviews and sales calls assess the individual. AI-assisted performance misrepresents actual capability and may lead to poor hiring decisions or disappointed customers.

Practical view: In an AI-enabled world, the relevant skill may be effective AI collaboration rather than unassisted performance.

Users should consider organizational policies, professional ethics codes, and relationship trust when deciding how—and whether—to use Cluely.

Cluely vs. Alternatives

vs. ChatGOT: ChatGOT provides multi-model AI chat for research and writing. Cluely provides real-time overlay coaching during live video calls. Different use cases entirely.

vs. Interview Copilot: Both assist during interviews. Cluely adds screen OCR, broader platform support, and code-specific suggestions. More comprehensive feature set.

vs. Manual preparation: Traditional prep requires memorization and hoping the right questions come up. Cluely provides dynamic responses to whatever actually gets asked.

vs. Teleprompter apps: Teleprompters display pre-written scripts. Cluely generates dynamic responses based on live conversation—reactive rather than predetermined.

vs. Nothing: Using no assistance means your performance reflects only your preparation and real-time thinking. Some contexts demand this authenticity.

Tips for Best Results

Build custom knowledge bases: Generic playbooks help; your specific materials help more.

Practice with the overlay: Reading suggestions while speaking takes practice. Rehearse before high-stakes calls.

Don't read verbatim: Suggestions are starting points. Paraphrase in your voice to sound natural.

Know your limits: Cluely can't replace genuine expertise. Over-reliance in areas where you lack fundamentals will show.

Consider disclosure: Team plans include disclosure banners. Transparent use removes ethical concerns entirely.

FAQ

Is using Cluely legal?

Legality varies by jurisdiction and context. In most places, the software itself is legal. However, misrepresenting knowledge or capability may violate fraud statutes, employment contracts, or professional codes of conduct. Organizational policies often prohibit undisclosed AI assistance. When uncertain, disclose.

Does Cluely record my screen or audio?

Temporarily. The client buffers audio and screen text locally, sends context windows to AI models for processing, then purges data after the session. According to the founders, nothing is stored long-term on Cluely's servers.

Can Cluely be detected during a call?

The overlay is invisible to standard screen share and recording. However, latency patterns, eye movement (reading suggestions), and style shifts can reveal assistance to observant participants. "Undetectable" is never guaranteed.

What platforms does Cluely support?

macOS 12+, Windows 10+, and experimental Linux. ChromeOS and mobile are not yet supported. Works with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and major coding assessment platforms.

Is there a free version?

Yes. 30 minutes of coaching per week, two playbooks, and basic customization. Enough to evaluate whether Cluely fits your needs.

What's the difference between Starter and Pro?

Starter limits you to 5 hours of coached calls monthly. Pro provides unlimited coaching time and priority access to newer AI models. For frequent use, Pro is worth the upgrade.

Final Verdict

Cluely occupies an unusual position: genuinely powerful productivity tool that raises genuine ethical questions. The technology works—real-time AI coaching during live calls is impressive and can meaningfully improve performance.

Whether you should use it depends on context. Internal use with disclosure? Training tool for new hires? Preparation aid you combine with genuine knowledge? Reasonable applications exist. Undisclosed use in job interviews or client relationships? Ethical territory gets murky quickly.

Treat Cluely like a sharp tool: powerful when used responsibly, potentially damaging when misused. Your judgment about appropriate contexts matters as much as the technology itself.

[cta text="Try Cluely for Free"]