Comparison
Interview Cheat vs Cluely
Cluely went viral as the "cheat on everything" desktop overlay and has since pivoted into a broader meeting copilot. Interview Cheat is narrower on purpose: a Mac-native overlay built specifically for live job interviews, with screen-share stealth, your own LLM key, and a one-time price.
Why pick Interview Cheat
Interview Cheat is the right choice if you want a focused interview tool that you pay for once, runs on your own API key, and stays out of every screen capture path on macOS. The free tier already covers transcription, AI-drafted answers, and hotkeys — you only ever pay $29.98 to unlock Invisible Mode, with no subscription. Because it pipes audio straight to your Anthropic or OpenAI key, you get the latest Claude or GPT models the day they ship, with no markup.
Where Cluely is stronger
Cluely is more general — it works for sales calls, demos, and meetings outside the interview context — and has heavier brand momentum. If you want one overlay across every type of conversation and don't mind a monthly subscription, Cluely is the broader product. Its UI polish and onboarding flow are excellent.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Interview Cheat | Cluely |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $29.98 one-time, free tier included | Monthly subscription |
| Bring your own API key | Yes — Anthropic & OpenAI | Hosted, fixed model selection |
| Mac-native (ScreenCaptureKit stealth) | Yes | Cross-platform overlay |
| Built specifically for job interviews | Yes | General meeting copilot |
| Stores audio or transcripts on vendor servers | No — local + your API key | Depends on plan |
| Open-source desktop app | Yes | No |
| Screenshot context for technical interviews | Yes — hotkey burst | Yes |
| Windows support | Not yet (macOS 13+) | Yes |
When to pick which
Pick Interview Cheat if…
- You only need this for the next ~10 interviews and want a single $29.98 unlock, not a recurring bill.
- You already pay for an Anthropic or OpenAI account and want the latest models without a markup.
- You're on a Mac and care about a true OS-level screen-capture filter, not just window-hiding tricks.
- You want your interview audio and transcripts to never touch a third-party server.
Pick Cluely if…
- You want one tool for every meeting type — sales, demos, internal calls — not just interviews.
- You need Windows or Linux support today.
- You prefer a managed subscription with hosted models and don't want to manage your own API key.
Frequently asked questions
Is Interview Cheat a Cluely clone?
No. The two products solve adjacent problems with different design choices. Cluely is a general overlay across every meeting type; Interview Cheat is purpose-built for job interviews with Mac-native stealth, BYO-key pricing, and a one-time $29.98 unlock instead of a subscription.
Is Cluely or Interview Cheat better for technical interviews?
Both support screenshot capture of shared code or system-design canvases. Interview Cheat lets you point it at the latest Claude or GPT model directly through your own key, which matters when interviewers expect current model-quality reasoning. Cluely uses hosted models on its own infrastructure.
Is Cluely detectable on screen share?
Both products use OS-level screen-capture filtering on macOS. Neither hides from a physical camera pointed at your screen or from reflections in your glasses — that is a fundamental limit of any overlay tool, not a vendor difference.
How much cheaper is Interview Cheat than Cluely?
Interview Cheat is free to use; the only paid upgrade is the $29.98 one-time Invisible Mode unlock. If you'd use the tool for a month or more, Interview Cheat is dramatically cheaper because you pay once. You also pay your Anthropic or OpenAI bill directly at cost — no per-token markup.