How Does ExtraBrain Work? Setup, Live Help, Platforms and Pricing

ExtraBrain is a local-first desktop copilot for interviews and meetings on Mac and Windows. Instead of bundling one AI service, it lets you choose where the work happens: transcription on your own computer or through your own Deepgram key, and answers from its built-in ExtraBrain AI, your own OpenAI or Anthropic account, a Claude or Codex subscription, or, on supported Macs, Google's Gemma model running on the machine. This page explains how ExtraBrain works step by step, the platforms and meeting apps it supports, its plans and free tier as listed on its site on November 12, 2026, where your data goes, its limits, and how it compares with CoPilot Interview. We make CoPilot Interview, so read the comparison with that in mind.

How ExtraBrain works, step by step

The free app is a complete copilot if you bring the AI yourself. What Pro adds is mostly automation and convenience: answers that fire on their own when a question is detected, custom profiles, full post-session summaries, and 1,000 monthly credits for ExtraBrain's own hosted model.

1. Install from the website, the Mac App Store or the Microsoft Store; the Mac version needs macOS 14 or later on Apple Silicon or Intel.
2. Before the call, confirm the microphone and pick transcription: NVIDIA Parakeet running on your computer, or Deepgram with your own key.
3. Pick the AI: built-in ExtraBrain AI (uses credits), your own OpenAI, Anthropic or OpenAI-compatible key, a Claude or Codex subscription, or on-device Gemma on supported Macs, which is available only in the direct-download build.
4. During the call it captures microphone and system audio and, when you choose, screenshots of a screen region; select an analysis profile (Assistant, Coding, System Design, Behavioral, Meeting or HR Screen) or let it pick one automatically.
5. Ask for help with chat actions such as Explain, Ask clarifying question, What should I say? and Recap; on Pro it also answers automatically when it detects a question.
6. Afterwards, review session history, summaries, saved facts and action items on your computer; optional Agent Skills let Claude Code or Codex read saved sessions to help you prepare for or review an interview, and command-line access can be switched off.

Platforms, meeting apps and languages

Plans and pricing

Prices as listed on ExtraBrain's own site on November 12, 2026. They change often, so check before you pay.

Free tier: the app itself is free with no session limits, but you supply the AI: local models where your hardware supports them, or your own provider accounts, which bill you directly. A 14-day Pro trial needs no card and includes 500 credits. Credits expire at the end of each month and cannot be topped up; when they run out, ExtraBrain AI pauses until the next month while local models and your own providers keep working.

Refunds: No refund policy appears on its pricing page or FAQ, and App Store purchases follow Apple's process, so ask support before you buy.

Where your audio and data go

ExtraBrain stores session history, summaries and saved facts on your computer until you delete them. With local Parakeet and local Gemma installed and no external provider selected, transcription and prompts stay on the machine, although the app still uses the network for downloads, updates and website analytics. Choose Deepgram or a cloud model and that provider receives the transcript text, and any screenshots you include, under its own retention terms. The public pages do not say which hosted models power ExtraBrain AI or whether prompts sent to it are kept. The phone controller pairs through a relay that, under its mobile privacy policy dated November 10, 2026, keeps pairing and routing metadata but not the bodies of commands, chats or photos. No legal company name or address is given.

Limits, and who ExtraBrain suits

• A bring-your-own setup takes work: provider accounts, keys, spending limits and outages are yours to manage.
• On-device Gemma needs a compatible Mac and the direct-download build, not the App Store version.
• The 1,000 monthly credits expire each month, and Lifetime includes none.
• No refund policy, interview languages or legal entity are published.
• It lists HackerRank, Codility and CodeSignal, which often host online assessments; those forbid outside help, so practice for them instead.

ExtraBrain suits technical users who already pay for an AI model, or who want transcription and answers to stay on their own computer, and who are comfortable configuring providers themselves.

ExtraBrain vs CoPilot Interview

Where ExtraBrain is stronger: a free app if you bring your own model, local transcription and local AI on supported Macs, wide meeting-app coverage including Slack Huddles and Discord, and low Pro prices.

For a fuller comparison, see CoPilot Interview vs ExtraBrain and how CoPilot Interview works.

Where CoPilot Interview fits

★ Best choice for most people choosing a live interview assistant: CoPilot Interview. CoPilot Interview is an interview copilot built as a native desktop app for Windows and macOS. It listens to the call and your microphone and shows captions and a structured answer in about two seconds, with free AI mock interviews to rehearse first. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. Paid plans start at $24.99 a month with no annual commitment, and hour packs from $9.99 never expire. Audio is streamed in short segments and not stored, and the transcript stays in your Documents folder. Read how CoPilot Interview works for the details. Whatever tool you use, follow your employer's rules; online assessments and AI-led interviews forbid outside help.

Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

Is ExtraBrain free?

Yes. The desktop app is free with no session limits, but you provide the AI: a local model on supported hardware or your own provider keys, billed by the provider.

How much is ExtraBrain Pro?

As listed on November 12, 2026: $9.99 a month, $79 a year, $29 for a 90-day Job Search Pass, or $149 for Lifetime, which includes no credits.

Can ExtraBrain run without the cloud?

Partly. Local Parakeet transcription and local Gemma 4 keep transcripts and prompts on your computer when installed, compatible and no external provider is selected; downloads and updates still use the network.

Does ExtraBrain work on Windows?

Yes, on Mac and Windows, with Linux planned. The Mac app needs macOS 14 or later, and the public pages list no minimum Windows version.

Can I use ExtraBrain in an online assessment?

Online assessments and AI-led screening interviews forbid outside help, and their proctoring can flag other apps. Use any assistant to practice beforehand, and follow your employer's rules.