Pluely: Undetectable AI Assistant for Meetings & interviews (Cluely Alternative)

Pluely is an open-source personal AI assistant built for live video meetings, online interviews, calls, and screen-sharing sessions where you need private prompts without opening a visible chatbot window.

It runs as a translucent overlay on your desktop. You can keep the main meeting window in focus while asking for help in the background.

GitHub

Download Page

What Problem Pluely Solves

Pluely is aimed at live situations where normal AI tools are too visible or too slow. In an online interview, a client call, a sales demo, or a technical meeting, the user needs quick context, answer suggestions, summaries, or screen analysis without breaking eye contact with the call window.

The tool addresses that workflow with three core ideas: a low-visibility overlay, real-time context from audio or screenshots, and fast controls through shortcuts. The newer dashboard, prompt templates, provider setup, and markdown improvements matter because they make that live-assistance workflow easier to prepare before the call starts.

Features

Translucent overlay interface: Pluely stays on top of other apps and can be positioned where it remains useful during calls, interviews, presentations, or screen work.
System audio capture: The app can capture and transcribe audio from meetings, videos, calls, educational content, and other computer audio sources.
Voice input: You can record your own voice and send it to a speech-to-text provider for hands-free prompting.
Screenshot capture: Pluely supports full-screen screenshots and selection-based captures for visual analysis, documentation, or screen-based questions.
Multi-provider AI setup: The app supports OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, xAI Grok, Ollama, and custom providers through cURL-based configuration.
Speech-to-text provider options: Pluely includes support for OpenAI Whisper, ElevenLabs, Groq Whisper, Google Speech-to-Text, Deepgram, Azure Speech-to-Text, Speechmatics, Rev.ai, IBM Watson, and custom STT endpoints.
Dashboard controls: The Pluely Dashboard centralizes chats, system prompts, settings, screenshots, audio, cursors, shortcuts, response behavior, license status, and provider setup.
Prompt templates: Pro users can use prompt templates with model suggestions and default Pluely integrations for repeated workflows.
Markdown and code rendering: Recent versions added better streaming markdown, syntax highlighting, tables, code blocks, Mermaid support, ASCII diagrams, and math rendering improvements.
Local chat history: Pluely stores conversations in a local SQLite database and lets you continue, search, or export previous chats.
Custom global shortcuts: You can remap shortcuts for toggling the overlay, opening the dashboard, recording audio, capturing screenshots, and moving the assistant window.
Cross-platform desktop app: Pluely runs as a native desktop app built with Tauri for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Use Cases

Meeting assistance: Capture system audio, transcribe discussion, ask follow-up questions, and keep context available during a live call.
Online interview support: Prepare answer frameworks, practice technical or behavioral questions, and use prompt templates for permitted coaching workflows.
Live screen review: Capture a screenshot or selected screen area and ask the AI to explain an error, summarize a chart, review a document, or analyze a code snippet.
Presentation support: Keep prompts, notes, or follow-up suggestions nearby while presenting or answering questions.
Learning sessions: Use system audio and screenshots to get explanations while watching tutorials, lectures, or technical walkthroughs.
Custom AI workflows: Connect your preferred AI or speech-to-text endpoint through cURL when built-in providers do not match your setup.

How To Use It

1. Download the Pluely desktop app for your operating system from the release page.

2. Install the app and open the dashboard. Use the dashboard to configure your AI provider, speech-to-text provider, screenshots, audio devices, response length, prompt templates, and shortcuts.

3. Add your API key or configure a custom provider. Pluely can work with major hosted models, local providers such as Ollama, and custom AI or STT APIs that expose compatible endpoints.

4. Place the overlay where it does not interrupt your main window. Adjust transparency, always-on-top behavior, cursor visibility, and global shortcuts before using it in a live session.

5. Ask questions through text, voice input, screenshots, system audio, or attached files. Use chat history and prompt profiles when you need a repeated workflow rather than a one-off answer.

Pluely vs Cluely

	Pluely	Cluely
Product type	Open-source desktop assistant	Commercial AI meeting assistant
Source code	Public GitHub repository	Closed-source product
Setup	Requires app install and provider configuration	More managed product experience
AI provider model	Bring your own provider or use optional Pluely API	Commercial service model
Customization	High; custom providers, shortcuts, prompts, and local configuration	Lower for users who want a packaged service
Best fit	Power users, developers, privacy-focused users, and users who want control	Users who prefer a managed product with less manual setup

Pros

Open source: You can inspect the code, follow releases, and modify the app for your own workflow.
Flexible provider support: Pluely works with major AI providers, local model setups, custom AI APIs, and custom speech-to-text providers.
Strong desktop controls: Overlay placement, transparency, shortcuts, screenshots, system audio, and cursor behavior give you detailed control during live work.
Local storage approach: Conversations, settings, prompts, and provider configurations are designed around local storage rather than a fully hosted workflow.
Useful for power users: The dashboard, prompt profiles, provider presets, cURL setup, and SQLite chat history make it more configurable than a simple meeting assistant.

Cons

Setup still takes work: Non-technical users may need time to configure providers, audio devices, screenshots, and shortcuts.
API costs can still apply: The app may be free to install, but usage costs depend on the AI and speech-to-text providers you connect.
Some features are Pro-oriented: Prompt templates, premium model access, and optional Pluely API workflows may not fit users who want a purely free setup.
No mobile version: Pluely is focused on desktop use across macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Stealth use has context risk: Hidden AI assistance can violate interview rules, workplace policies, class rules, or consent expectations if used carelessly.

Related ScriptByAI Resources

AI meeting assistant tools: Browse more tools for meeting notes, transcription, summaries, and live meeting support.
AI interview tools: Find AI tools for interview preparation, live interview support, and practice workflows.
Meetily: Compare Pluely with a local-first meeting transcription and summary tool.
cue: Open-Source AI Assistant for Private On-Screen Help.
Best open-source AI agents: Explore broader open-source AI agent projects for automation, research, and local workflows.

FAQs

Q: Is Pluely a Cluely alternative?
A: Yes. Pluely is positioned as an open-source Cluely alternative, but it is not just a clone. It adds bring-your-own-provider setup, custom AI and STT endpoints, local chat history, shortcuts, screenshots, and dashboard controls.

Q: Is Pluely free?
A: Pluely is open source and can be used with your own API keys. Some connected AI providers, speech-to-text providers, Pro features, or Pluely API access may involve separate costs.

Q: Which operating systems does Pluely support?
A: Pluely provides desktop downloads for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Q: What changed in the latest Pluely versions?
A: Recent updates added the Pluely Dashboard, system audio improvements, selectable screenshots, audio device selection, prompt templates, better markdown rendering, custom shortcuts, and broader provider configuration.

Q: Does Pluely work with local AI models?
A: Pluely supports Ollama and custom providers through cURL-based configuration, so users can connect local or self-managed endpoints when their setup supports the required API flow.

Q: Is Pluely safe for private meetings?
A: Pluely stores core app data locally, but AI prompts, audio transcriptions, screenshots, and file content may go to the provider you configure. Review provider privacy rules before sending sensitive content.

Q: Can I use Pluely during job interviews?
A: Pluely is designed for low-visibility AI help during live conversations, including interview-style workflows. Use it only when the interview rules, platform terms, employer policy, and consent expectations allow AI assistance.