Mic Buddy vs Google Interview Warmup
Interview Warmup was Google's tool for answering interview questions out loud and reviewing the transcript with insights. Google retired it in 2026. Mic Buddy is an iPhone and iPad app for the same habit, with a score after every answer.
Google retired Interview Warmup in 2026, and its old address now opens a Grow with Google article on interview tips. This page compares Mic Buddy with what Interview Warmup did.
TL;DR
Interview Warmup let you answer interview questions out loud, then showed a transcript with the job-related terms you used, your most-used words and the talking points you covered, without grading you. Google has since retired it and now suggests Gemini Live for interview practice. Mic Buddy is an iPhone and iPad app built for the same out-loud practice, with one honest difference: it scores every answer for pace, filler words, pauses and clarity.
| Feature | Mic Buddy | Google Interview Warmup |
|---|---|---|
| Available today | Yes, on the App Store | No, retired in 2026 |
| Where it runs | iPhone and iPad app | Website (grow.google) |
| Answer out loud | ||
| Transcript of your answer | ||
| QuestionsEvery Interview Warmup question was written by industry experts. | Job, school, pitch and small talk | Job interviews, by field, plus general |
| Follow-up questions | On iPhones with Apple Intelligence | |
| Feedback | Pace, filler words, pauses and clarity | Job-related terms, most-used words, talking points |
| Scores your answersInterview Warmup's insights were designed not to grade you. | ||
| Keeps your answers | In your history, with your progress | No, but you could download the transcript |
| Privacy | Every take analyzed on your device | Google said it did not save your audio or transcripts |
Choose Mic Buddy if…
- You liked answering interview questions out loud and want a replacement on your iPhone.
- You want a score for pace, filler words, pauses and clarity on every answer.
- You also want to practice school interviews, pitches or small talk.
- You want every take analyzed on your device.
Try what Google suggests now if…
- You want a back-and-forth mock interview: Google's article suggests Gemini Live in the Gemini app.
- You want written tips first: the same article explains how to answer with the STAR method.
Frequently asked
Is Google Interview Warmup still available?+
No. Google retired Interview Warmup in 2026. Its old address, grow.google/interview-warmup, now opens a Grow with Google article on how to prepare for an interview, which suggests practicing with Gemini Live in the Gemini app.
What did Google Interview Warmup do?+
It let you answer interview questions out loud, transcribed your answers in real time and showed insights such as the job-related terms you used, the words you said most often and the talking points you covered. Google built it for Google Career Certificate learners, with question sets for each certificate plus general questions, and opened it to everyone. Google said answers were not graded and that it did not save your audio or transcripts.
What can I use instead of Google Interview Warmup?+
If you liked practicing out loud, Mic Buddy is an iPhone and iPad app for that: a mock interview for a job, school, a pitch or small talk, with a score for pace, filler words, pauses and clarity on every answer. On iPhones with Apple Intelligence, Mic follows up on what you said; on other iPhones it asks common questions. Mic Buddy is free to download. Using it takes a subscription: a yearly, monthly or weekly plan. Google itself now points people to Gemini Live for conversational interview practice.
How is Mic Buddy different from Interview Warmup?+
Interview Warmup was a website whose insights deliberately did not grade you. Mic Buddy is an app that scores every answer, keeps your history so you can watch your progress, works in 13 languages and analyzes every take on your device. It also goes beyond job interviews, with drills and prompts for talks, toasts and pitches.
Mic Buddy at a glance
- Made by NGSMedia LLC
- For iPhone and iPad with iOS 26.5 or later; an Android version is coming to Google Play
- A subscription app with no free tier: yearly, monthly or weekly; the app shows the price for your country before you pay
- Scores your pace in words per minute, filler words, pauses and clarity after every take
- Mock interviews for a job, school, a pitch or small talk; drills of about 30 seconds; 5- and 7-day programs
- Every take is analyzed on your device; works in 13 languages
Sources
Facts about Google Interview Warmup come from these pages, checked October 1, 2026. Facts about Mic Buddy come from the app itself.
Compare with others
Get Mic Buddy on the App Store.
Compare for yourself. Mic Buddy is free to download. Using it takes a subscription: a yearly, monthly or weekly plan, and the app shows the price for your country before you pay.
Coming soon toGoogle Play