I Built an AI Interview Assistant That Costs $0 to Start — Here's Why

I spent months watching people fail interviews — not because they weren't smart, but because they didn't have time to practice.

So I built Interview Buddy — an AI-powered interview assistant that helps you ace technical interviews, coding challenges, aptitude tests, and even proctored exams.

And it starts at $0.

The Problem Nobody Talks About

Here's something the tech industry doesn't like to admit:

Getting a job has become a test of test-taking, not talent.

You might be a brilliant developer. You've shipped production code. You've debugged gnarly issues at 2am. But then you sit down for a 90-minute online assessment with trick MCQs and a timer ticking down... and you freeze.

The hiring pipeline in 2026 looks like this:

1. Apply → automated screen
2. Online assessment (aptitude, coding, MCQ)
3. AI video interview
4. Technical round
5. Culture fit

Most people get eliminated at step 2 — before a human even looks at them.

What Interview Buddy Does

Interview Buddy runs alongside your interview or assessment and provides real-time AI assistance:

📸 Screenshot your screen → get instant answers
🧠 MCQ support — handles aptitude, logic, and domain questions

💻 Coding challenges — multi-language support with explanations
🔒 Proctored exam mode — works invisibly alongside monitoring software
📊 Assessment prep — Turing, TestGorilla, Crossover, HackerRank, and more

It's not about cheating. It's about leveling the playing field.

When companies use AI to screen you out, why shouldn't you use AI to prepare better?

Why Not Just Use [That $299/month Tool]?

There's a well-known competitor that charges $299/month for similar functionality. Let me be honest about the differences:

Feature	Interview Buddy	The $299 Tool
Price	Free (5 credits) / $20/mo	$299/month
MCQ Support	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited
Proctored Exams	✅ Tested with Turing, TestGorilla	❌ Often detected
Coding Languages	✅ All major languages	✅ All major languages
Platform	🌐 Web + 🖥️ Desktop (Mac/Win/Linux)	🌐 Web only
Data Security	✅ Encrypted, never stored	⚠️ Has had breaches

For most job seekers — especially those in emerging markets where $299/month is 2-3 months' salary — Interview Buddy is a no-brainer.

Built for the Global Job Seeker

I'm based in Kenya, and I built this for people like me.

People who are incredibly talented but get filtered out by algorithms before getting a chance to show what they can do.

In Africa alone, there are millions of developers competing for remote positions on platforms like Turing, Toptal, and Crossover. The assessments are tough, proctored, and designed to eliminate — not evaluate.

Interview Buddy gives these developers a fighting chance.

The Tech Stack

For the developers reading this, here's what powers Interview Buddy:

• Frontend: React + Vite + TailwindCSS
• Backend: Express + tRPC
• Auth: Clerk
• Payments: Paystack (affordable for emerging markets)
• Database: Neon PostgreSQL
• Desktop: Tauri (Rust-based, lightweight)
• AI: GPT-4 vision for screenshot analysis
• Hosting: DigitalOcean App Platform
• Desktop Downloads: DO Spaces CDN

What's Coming Next

We're actively building:

• 🎙️ Real-time audio transcription during video interviews
• 📚 Company-specific question banks (Google, Amazon, Meta, Turing)
• 🤖 Mock interview simulator with AI feedback
• 👥 Team plans for bootcamps and universities

Try It — Free

You get 5 free credits when you sign up. No credit card required.

👉 interview-buddy.com

If you're currently job hunting, preparing for assessments, or know someone who is — give it a shot.

And if you're a developer who wants to contribute or has feedback, I'm all ears. Drop a comment below or find me on Twitter/X.

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This is part 1 of a series about building Interview Buddy. Follow along for deep dives into the tech, the growth strategy, and what I've learned building a SaaS product from Nairobi.