LockedIn AI vs Cluely: Honest 2026 Comparison

LockedIn AI is the more interview-purpose-built of the two: a real-time copilot with a dedicated Coding Copilot, a "Duo" mode that lets a friend feed you live guidance, fast ~116ms responses, and direct integrations with HireVue, CodeSignal, Codility, and HackerRank. Cluely is a broader real-time meeting assistant with a viral brand — flexible across any call, but its screen-share stealth costs $149.99/month and it disclosed a 2025 data breach (83K users). For interview-specific use, LockedIn is the sharper tool; for general meeting help, Cluely. Both render on-screen and neither has a real free tier for sustained use.

Feature	LockedIn AI	Cluely	Interview Sidekick
Built for	Interviews	Any meeting	Interviews + prep
Response speed	~116ms (claimed)	300ms claim / 5–10s reported	Real-time
Coding copilot	Yes + integrations	Limited	Yes
Stealth pricing	Subscription	$149.99/mo	Free tier included
Detection approach	On-screen overlay	On-screen overlay	Off-screen overlay
Prep / question bank	Limited	None	10,000+
Trust / track record	Established	Viral + 2025 breach	Established

Interview-Specific vs General-Purpose

LockedIn AI is engineered around the interview: a Coding Copilot for technical rounds, integrations with the platforms interviews actually run on (HireVue, CodeSignal, Codility, HackerRank), a fast claimed ~116ms response, and a "Duo" mode that lets a trusted friend feed you live guidance. Cluely is general-purpose — it works in any meeting, which is flexible, but it is not tuned for the specific mechanics of a technical interview, and independent testing has clocked its real latency at 5–10 seconds against a 300ms claim.

Pricing & Detection

Cluely gates its screen-share undetectability behind a $149.99/month tier and disclosed a 2025 breach affecting ~83,000 users. LockedIn AI is subscription-based and interview-focused. Both are on-screen overlays that rely on hiding from screen capture — the surface recruiter-side detection products are built to catch — so rehearse on a screen-share first regardless of which you choose.

The Free Third Option

Both tools are paid and both render on-screen. Interview Sidekick matches LockedIn's interview focus — real-time copilot plus a coding assistant — but adds 10,000+ practice questions and AI mock interviews for prep, uses a native off-screen overlay, and starts on a genuine free tier with no credit card. For detail, see our Cluely review, the LockedIn AI alternatives, and the Cluely alternatives breakdowns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LockedIn AI or Cluely better for interviews?

LockedIn AI is more interview-specific — it has a coding copilot, platform integrations (HireVue, CodeSignal, Codility, HackerRank), and a fast claimed response time. Cluely is a general meeting assistant with a stronger brand but is not tuned for interview mechanics, and its stealth tier costs $149.99/month.

How fast is LockedIn AI compared to Cluely?

LockedIn AI advertises around 116ms response time. Cluely advertises 300ms, but independent testing has reported 5–10 seconds in real conditions. In a fast technical round, response speed matters, which is a point in LockedIn's favor — though always verify latency yourself before relying on it.

Are LockedIn AI and Cluely detectable?

Both render an on-screen overlay that is hidden from normal screen recording but still lives on your screen, so recruiter-side detection tools target that surface. Cluely also disclosed a 2025 data breach. A native off-screen overlay (as in Interview Sidekick) avoids the on-screen capture surface entirely, though no method is guaranteed.

Is there a free alternative to LockedIn AI and Cluely?

Interview Sidekick has a genuine free tier (no credit card) with a real-time copilot, coding support, 10,000+ practice questions, and AI mock interviews — covering both prep and the live round without Cluely's $149.99/month stealth tier.