Why I Ditched Cluely AI :My Honest Take on the Best Cluely AI Alternatives That Actually Work

Peter Liu

·July 22, 2025

·8 min read

Cluely AI has undoubtedly become a phenomenal topic in the "cheating" domain—it provides real-time guidance for interviews, sales calls, and meetings through its overlay prompts and suggestions.

However, the intense discussions cannot mask the issues I encountered while using it, which is why many users online are searching for alternatives or similar app products for each of its specific features, from interviews to sales and online meetings. This article is a review based on my personal experience with Cluely, and it offers a comparison of Cluely with currently mainstream AI interview assistant products.

For me, the problem of Cluely lies in its lack of specificity in usage scenarios. Because of this, its answers and responses are often too vague and the reply lengths are too short. I discovered some issues during my usage and also generated a review that evolves first-hand Cluely experience.

I conducted some basic research and read several articles on the the best AI interview tools. Below are some Cluely alternatives and other similar apps that I have personally tested. They outperform Cluely AI in various usage scenarios.

Cluely vs Linkjob AI – Best Cluely AI Alternative for Interview Copilot Features

I must say that in the realm of real-time interview cheating, Linkjob.ai is an outstanding product and a competitor that I believe surpasses Cluely. During the interview process, it remains completely invisible; even with screen sharing enabled, the interviewer cannot tell that I am using AI. Most importantly, as an alternative to Cluely in the interview space, its foundational model solutions are better and more professional. For instance, for online coding, it utilizes the state-of-the-art Claude Code Opus model. Additionally, for scenarios like mathematics, industry understanding, and behavioral interviews, it invests in the latest models such as GPT 5.1 and Gemini 3 Pro, offering you more choices.

The classic aspect of this product lies in the fact that, in addition to real-time interview cheating, it also offers online written exam cheating and call-type interview simulation features. It customizes personalized answer styles based on your inputted resume, job track, and speaking style—this allows you to come across as a “real person” with minor flaws rather than a perfect “answer machine” during the interview!

Compared to its peers (like CtrlPotato and other companies), Linkjob AI's subscription price is on average 10%-15% higher—but this is definitely a worthwhile investment! Especially considering that the return after you receive an offer can be tenfold or even a hundredfold of your current expenditure! This product supports a free trial feature, and trust me, once you use it, you won’t want to part with it. I believe this product is the best alternative for Cluely!

Dive In Now !

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If you are looking for the best alternative to Cluely AI in interview scenarios, then Linkjob AI is the most recommended choice. Linkjob AI is an AI interview assistant specifically designed for the technology and finance sectors. I will introduce it in three parts: AI real-time interviews, AI simulated interviews, and AI programming interviews.

AI real-time interviews:

Many people use Cluely AI for interview cheating, but it must be said that compared to the professional AI interview cheating assistant Linkjob AI, Cluely AI's features seem less user-friendly. Linkjob AI's real-time interview assistant has extremely fast response times and very low latency (reportedly just 0.23 seconds according to their official website). During the real-time interview process, it automatically assesses the interviewer's tone and pauses, providing AI reference answers.

It is important to note that most AI interview products on the market require the interviewee to manually choose when to have the AI answer the interviewer's questions, which can easily lead to confusion and panic during a tense interview. Moreover, for professional interviews in the technology and finance sectors, Linkjob AI's answer quality is indeed very high (thanks to its use of the best and latest large models), far surpassing Cluely AI's brief and hasty responses.

A Real-time & Undetectable AI Interview Assistant

AI mock interviews:

Another very practical feature of Linkjob AI is its AI simulated interview. It is not a mechanical simulation that simply provides answers based on your resume; rather, it is a true AI that can engage in real-time conversation with you. It automatically pauses when you speak and waits for you to finish, independently deciding when to ask follow-up questions or move on to the next interview question. Furthermore, all its questions are tailored based on the position and company information for your upcoming interview.

Additionally, it has a fantastic feature—AI prompt answers. When you find yourself stumped by the AI interviewer, this feature allows you to view the AI's reference answers, just like checking AI reference answers during a real-time interview.

AI coding interviews

Its coding interview product is indeed incredibly powerful. It can directly take screenshots and analyze the current screen, effectively bypassing screen sharing detection and active tab detection. The AI then provides complete code analysis ideas and answers—essentially "copying the answers" directly. I have seen some reviews about their product on Reddit, and the feedback has been quite positive. Most importantly, it can operate completely discreetly on commonly used platforms like Codesignal, Hackerrank, and Coderpad. This is crucial for me, as no one wants to be caught using artificial intelligence during an online exam.

Cluely vs Fathom – Best Cluely AI Alternative for Free Meeting Notes and Summaries

Fathom impressed me right away with its simplicity and zero-cost entry point, making it a no-brainer for everyday meeting support.

I tested it on Zoom and Google Meet, and it transcribed and summarized calls in under 30 seconds post-meeting, pulling out action items and key insights without me lifting a finger. The multilingual support (over 28 languages for translations) was handy for international chats, and it integrates smoothly with tools like Salesforce or Notion.

What I appreciated most was the ethical angle—no sneaky overlays, just straightforward notetaking that respects privacy. Uptime was rock-solid in my trials, and the free unlimited version covers basics perfectly.

That said, if you're sensitive about recording (even though you can pause it), it might cause some attendee hesitation. Still, for free, reliable summaries that save hours weekly, Fathom became my go-to.

Cluely vs Claap – Best Cluely AI Alternative for Sales Teams and B2B Workflows

If sales calls are your focus, Claap felt like a breath of fresh air compared to Cluely's sometimes clunky prompts.

I liked how it auto-records and transcribes in 99 languages, then generates AI notes, follow-up emails, and even CRM updates (like syncing to HubSpot). The objection reports and deal insights helped me analyze patterns in real calls, and the video library for training clips was a nice touch for team onboarding.

Pricing starts at $0/month with a 14-day trial, making it accessible, and the automation saved me about 30 minutes per meeting.

Cons? It's geared more toward teams, so solo users might not need all the features, and setup took a bit longer than expected. But for collaborative sales environments, it's reliable and feels more professional.

Cluely vs SalesEcho – Best Cluely AI Alternative for Real-Time Sales Assistance

SalesEcho stepped up for me in sales scenarios where Cluely felt too generic or risky.

It listens to calls in real-time, analyzes conversations, and delivers instant responses or objection handling, which boosted my close rates in demos by suggesting tailored rebuttals. The AI adapts to your style, and integration with common platforms was smooth.

No specific pricing was listed, but it felt cost-effective based on the efficiency gains—users report up to 30% better closes.

Downsides include occasional lag in complex discussions, and it's more sales-focused, so not ideal for general meetings. For freelancers or founders handling objections, it's a practical, ethical tool that keeps things natural.

Cluely vs ScreenApp – Best Cluely AI Alternative for Screen Recording with AI Insights

ScreenApp surprised me with its blend of recording and AI analysis, making it a versatile pick for capturing and reviewing content .

I used it to record meetings, lectures, and calls, then let the AI summarize, take notes, and even analyze for insights—all from a browser without downloads. The transcriber handles audio/video well, and features like URL-based capture were handy for webinars.

The free aspects covered basics, and pro features add value for professionals. Users praise its professional quality and ease.

Cons? It might overlap with dedicated notetakers if you don't need recording, and AI accuracy dips with poor audio. For visual-heavy workflows, it's a solid, no-fuss alternative.

Conclusion

Whether you're prepping for interviews, handling sales pitches, or just surviving back-to-back meetings, these 5 Cluely AI alternatives tackle the reliability gaps I faced with the original. Linkjob AI is my overall favorite for its balance of features and usability for interview copilot, but if you need free notes, go with Fathom; for sales depth, Claap or SalesEcho might click better.

Dive into each one's trial to see what fits your flow—these made my AI assistance feel more human and less like a gamble, ultimately saving time and stress in my daily grind.

FAQ

Does Cluely actually work？

It does work, but its scope is too broad, which prevents it from focusing on a specific area to generate the most targeted and personalized answers. This is particularly important in scenarios like interviews, video conferences, and sales, where standard answers can stifle the unique qualities of the participants. Personal characteristics help build genuine and lasting trust—something that a script-reading robot simply cannot achieve.

Are cluely alternative products free？

There are some tech stacks that offer open-source and free AI interview assistant extensions, which you can find on GitHub. However, these products often integrate only the most basic open-source models, and the actual experience is far from that of the latest professional paid models like Claude Code, GPT-5.1, and Gemini 3 Pro. For products that use these cutting-edge models, they are typically not free, but they all offer free trial features!

How does using cluely compare to other transcription services in terms of ease of use?

The advantage of Cluely is that, compared to other transcription services, its design is relatively simple and intuitive. In terms of functionality, Cluely may offer integration with various tools and real-time platforms. However, it lacks timeliness, depth of content, and professionalism in responses for specific scenarios.