Interview copilots in 2026: six services compared with JobPath

The "AI helps during a live interview" category emerged around 2023, exploded in 2025, and by 2026 there are at least seven active products in the Russian-speaking tech market with nearly identical promises: launch the app, hit a hotkey, get the answer to whatever the interviewer just asked, window invisible during screen share.

Under the hood they differ: separate teams, model providers, operating systems and price tags. On the landing pages they look alike. In daily use, they don't.

We installed six of the most popular ones in the Russian-speaking interview-prep scene, ran them through test calls and real interviews, and wrote down what we found: where each one is strong, where it falls short, and where JobPath differs on specific facts. Where JobPath doesn't lead, we say so too.

TL;DR table

Prices in the table were re-checked on September 29, 2026. The category reprices fast: public listings now put ChadView at about $49 a month, up from about $19, but we couldn't confirm it on their pricing page as of September 29, 2026. Sobes.tech has moved to short periods starting at a week. Figures for Hintsage and InterviewHunter come from their sites, so check them before you pay. "Not found" means we didn't see it in our check on September 29, 2026.

Try JobPath on your own call: download the app, 15 free minutes a month, no card.

Now in detail.

ChadView: a copilot that lives in your browser

What it is. A Chrome extension. According to their site, it transcribes the call directly inside the Zoom/Meet/Teams browser tab using WebAPI and sends the text to an OpenAI model. The answer comes back as an overlay on top of the tab.

Strengths. One-click install from Chrome Web Store, no .exe required. Works on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, anywhere Chrome runs. According to their site, six languages including Ukrainian and Portuguese, useful for engineers looking for work abroad. Public listings put the price at about $49 a month (see the note under the table).

Weaknesses.

• Browser clients only. If the interviewer sends a desktop Zoom link, the extension can't attach.
• No OS-level stealth in our tests. The Chrome window itself is captured by screen share: the overlay is hidden via CSS focus, which is not OS-level filtering.
• In our tests it didn't read screenshots for live coding, so Codility or HackerRank tasks got no help.
• By our check it runs on a single model provider, with no model choice.
• Check the price on their site before paying: sources show anything from about $19 to $49 a month.

Who fits. People who don't want to install anything and live entirely in the browser. A reasonable entry point to the category. If the interview runs in the desktop Zoom client, you'll need a different option.

ShadowHint: a Russian-language desktop app for Windows and macOS

What it is. Native Windows and macOS desktop app with a hidden mode: by their description, the window doesn't show up on screen share. They state a 236 ms response time (their own figure). The question bank on their site lists 13,550 questions, and auto-apply on hh has been working again since February 2026 (their Telegram post of 02.02.2026).

Strengths. Works with a long list of call platforms: Discord, Google Meet, Teams, Yandex Telemost, VK Calls, Jitsi Meet, Webex and more, with Zoom through the browser. Interface, prompts and question bank are built for the Russian-speaking candidate. Pricing is public: up to 15 free minutes a month, and the Unlimited plan costs 2,499 ₽ a month, 4,999 ₽ for 3 months or 11,999 ₽ a year.

Weaknesses.

• No Linux build. Their download page says the Linux version isn't available yet, so only Windows and macOS are covered.
• The site is Russian-only and no English interface is advertised. For international screening that makes it a less obvious pick, although speech recognition itself handles other languages.
• Auto-apply covers hh. On their auto-apply page LinkedIn is still marked "coming soon" as of September 29, 2026.

Who fits. If you're on Windows or Mac and interview mostly in Russian, ShadowHint is a solid option. JobPath competes here directly: the same 15 free minutes a month, Premium at the same 2,499 ₽ a month, a question bank of similar size (about 13K) and auto-apply on hh. The differences are auto-apply on LinkedIn on Premium (beta), a Linux beta (without hidden mode) and an English interface.

Enigma AI: a desktop copilot with credit-based pricing

What it is. Native app for Windows 10/11 and macOS 11+. According to their site: a top-tier model, 50–100 ms latency, 95% transcription accuracy, sliding-window memory and system-design diagram generation, plus testimonials from candidates hired at Yandex, Sber, VK, Tinkoff and Ozon. These are their own figures.

Strengths. Native macOS app, and in our tests the window didn't show during screen share. You can upload your own knowledge base of up to 100,000 characters, for example docs on a specific company or framework. There's an open base of 14,000+ questions, a Practice mode and mock interviews. System-design diagrams are a feature we didn't see in the other services here.

Weaknesses.

• Credit-based pricing, no subscriptions. You get 150 credits on signup with no card. How many credits a live interview takes is hard to estimate in advance, so a direct comparison with subscriptions doesn't work.
• By our check the interface is Russian-only, which makes it a less obvious pick for interviews in English.
• No auto-apply: the service focuses on interviews and preparation.
• No Linux: their download page says there are no Linux or mobile versions.

Who fits. Engineers targeting large Russian tech companies who want a strong model and system-design help. If you interview now and then, paying per use can suit you. If you interview often, compare the total cost with a monthly plan.

Sobes.tech: an all-in-one subscription with short periods

What it is. Desktop app for Windows 10/11 x64 and macOS 15+ (Intel and ARM). Besides the interview helper, the subscription includes mock interviews with post-interview analysis, resume review and generation, auto-apply, a question bank, vacancies from Telegram, market analysis, an interview tracker and mentors. According to their site, you can choose between several model providers.

Strengths. One of the widest bundles in this list, and every feature is available on any plan: only the length of access changes. You can practice ahead of time, run mocks and get a post-interview breakdown. Auto-apply on hh is included (by their site, with cover letters and filters). It also supports platforms that are less common on the market, such as Salute Jazz, MeetZone and BigBlueButton, which some enterprise interviewers use.

Weaknesses.

• No free plan or trial on their pricing page or homepage. Plans cost 990 ₽ for 7 days, 1,690 ₽ for 14 days and 2,490 ₽ for 30 days, so you pay before you can try it on a real call.
• Russian-language service.
• No Linux build: the listed platforms are Windows and macOS.

Who fits. If you need the all-in-one bundle for the Russian market (auto-apply on hh included) and don't mind paying upfront. The short periods suit a sprint of interviews in a single week. JobPath covers similar ground (mock interviews, question bank, helper, auto-apply) at a similar monthly price, and has a free plan you can test before paying.

Hintsage: a feature-rich copilot for interviews and live coding

What it is. Native desktop app for Windows and macOS (13+), a copilot for interviews and live coding.

Strengths. According to their site, it supports several model providers, works with your own documents through a RAG knowledge base and keeps track of conversation context. In our tests the answers were solid. Speech recognition and the interface support foreign languages, and you can translate questions and answers into the language you need. Its screen-share invisibility is well thought out: the window is hidden from screen-capture software, plus click-through and a virtual cursor. For interviews, including ones in a foreign language, it's a feature-rich tool.

Weaknesses.

• No Linux build in our check. Their site lists Windows and macOS (13+) builds.
• We didn't find auto-apply on their site (our check on September 29, 2026).

Who fits. If you're on Windows or macOS and want a feature-rich helper with foreign-language support and polished stealth, it's a strong option. If you need Linux or auto-apply, look at the others.

InterviewHunter: an international copilot with a Linux beta

What it is. Native app for Windows, macOS and Linux (beta). According to their site: 50+ languages, a flat $20 a month and a free plan with 200,000 tokens a month (about 8–12 minutes).

Strengths. Besides JobPath, the only service here where we found a Linux build (a beta, by their site). Clean minimalist UI. Auto mode: the assistant decides when to answer, no hotkeys needed. Document uploads (resume, job description) for context. At $20 a month the price is competitive.

Weaknesses.

• The Russian version of the site is brief: the product is aimed at the international market first.
• 200,000 free tokens is enough for a test call, but not for a series of real interviews, so you move to the paid plan quickly.
• We didn't find auto-apply on hh (our check on September 29, 2026).
• The Linux build is a beta, better suited to experienced users for now.

Who fits. If you need Linux, don't need Russian and have a $20 a month budget, it's a solid pick. For English-language interviews from Russia it's a reasonable foreign option.

Where JobPath differs

We don't lead on everything. Below are the specific facts where JobPath differs from the others, and the places where it doesn't.

Windows, macOS and a Linux beta. JobPath has native Windows and macOS apps with hidden mode, plus a Linux beta (without hidden mode). InterviewHunter also has a Linux beta, by their site. ShadowHint, Sobes.tech and Enigma list no Linux build, Hintsage didn't have one in our check, and ChadView runs in the browser.

RU + EN interface. Switch the interface language before the call and everything works. ShadowHint, Enigma and Sobes.tech are Russian-language services by our check. JobPath supports both languages natively.

Auto-apply. JobPath, ShadowHint and Sobes.tech all offer auto-apply on hh. JobPath also applies on LinkedIn on Premium (beta), while ShadowHint's auto-apply page marks LinkedIn as "coming soon". Applications go out from your own account at a careful, human-like pace, with generated cover letters and 16 filter parameters.

A free plan you can test on a real call. 15 free minutes of the interview assistant a month plus one mock interview a month, no card. Paid plans: Basic at 999 ₽ a month and Premium at 2,499 ₽ a month (699 / 1,749 ₽ a month on a quarterly plan, 599 / 1,499 ₽ a month on a yearly plan). ShadowHint's free plan gives the same 15 minutes a month, Enigma starts with 150 credits, and Sobes.tech lists no free plan on its pricing page.

A bank of 13,000+ questions for prep before the interview. Here we're on par: ShadowHint (13,550 questions), Enigma (14,000+) and Sobes.tech have question banks too.

Where JobPath doesn't lead:

• System-design diagrams. Enigma offers these, and we didn't see them elsewhere.
• The widest language list. InterviewHunter states 50+ languages.
• The widest bundle in one subscription. Every Sobes.tech plan includes mocks, resume tools, auto-apply, vacancies from Telegram, market analysis and mentors.
• Model choice. ShadowHint lets you pick the model, and by their sites so do Sobes.tech and Hintsage.
• Hidden mode on Linux. Our Linux beta doesn't have it yet.

If one of these features is critical for you, take the matching product. If not, compare the rest using the table above.

What to take for your situation

MacBook + Russian-language interviews. JobPath, ShadowHint or Enigma AI. JobPath Premium and ShadowHint Unlimited both cost 2,499 ₽ a month, and JobPath also has Basic at 999 ₽ a month. Enigma charges per credit, which suits occasional use.

Windows + Russian market only. JobPath or ShadowHint. These are direct competitors with the same 15 free minutes a month, so try both on a test call.

Linux. JobPath (beta, without hidden mode) or InterviewHunter (beta, by their site). ChadView also works in Chrome on Linux as a browser extension.

Want to try something free right now. JobPath (15 min a month plus a mock interview), ShadowHint (15 min a month), InterviewHunter (200K tokens a month) or Enigma (150 credits). We didn't find a free plan at Sobes.tech or ChadView (our check on September 29, 2026).

Chrome only, refuse to install. ChadView, the browser extension in this list.

Need auto-apply too. On hh that's JobPath, ShadowHint or Sobes.tech. JobPath also applies on LinkedIn on Premium (beta) and lets you test the assistant on the free plan.

Interviewing at Google or Stripe from Russia. JobPath (RU+EN) or InterviewHunter (50+ languages, by their site). Hintsage also supports foreign languages. The Russian-language services are built mainly for local interviews.

Where to start

Interview next week? Start on JobPath's free plan: download the app, install it and set your role. 15 free minutes of the interview assistant a month are enough to try it on a test call. If it helps, upgrade to Basic at 999 ₽ a month. If it doesn't, uninstall it, no harm done.

Want a backup option? Install InterviewHunter or ShadowHint alongside. Both have free plans, and one or two interviews will show you the difference.

The category is young, and the picture will keep changing. On September 29, 2026, JobPath's differences for the Russian-speaking market are the Linux beta, auto-apply on LinkedIn and an English interface. If your requirements are different, the table at the top of this article shows who else to consider.

Western products are out of scope here and get their own breakdowns: six Final Round AI alternatives with prices and the five billing models this category uses.

JobPath is not affiliated with the services reviewed here or with hh. Data checked on September 29, 2026. Found an inaccuracy? Write to hello@jobpath.world.