Short answer: Underdog: 100% local personal AI for email, calendar, meeting notes, dictation and errands — runs on your device, not in the cloud. Poke: Proactive assistant on iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram with many integrations
Underdog vs Poke
Sourced facts only. “Unknown” means not verified yet.
Key facts side by side
| Criterion | Underdog | Poke |
|---|---|---|
| Type | personal agent | personal agent |
| Vendor | Conway Research (founded by Sigil Wen, per TechCrunch) | The Interaction Company of California |
| Channels / category | Mac (invite-only Apple silicon beta); iPhone and iPad on the App Store (no invite needed per site FAQ); Windows BETA; Linux and Android on the way (underdog.ai). TechCrunch (6 Oct 2026) described Macs and Windows initially with Linux, iPhone and Android coming soon. | Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram and more |
| Pricing / availability | 100% free because it runs on your computer (underdog.ai/pricing); monetization is a tiny take when the agent buys something with a one-time card (site FAQ). Never ad-supported (TechCrunch). | Free USD 0; Pro USD 19/month; higher Ultra tier (per poke.com) |
| Launched | 2026-10-06 | 2025-09-08 |
| Funding (reported) | First round raised April 2026 (underdog.ai); a16z led per a16z announcement (Chris Dixon) and TechCrunch; amount and valuation undisclosed. Investors named on site/TC: Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures, Hummingbird, Anthology fund (Menlo + Anthropic), SV Angel, Breakneck; angels include Patrick Collison, Naval Ravikant, Guillermo Rauch, Noam Brown (and Deedy Das per TechCrunch). | USD 15M seed (2025) + USD 10M at USD 300M post-money (TechCrunch, Apr 2026); acquired by Cognition, Jul 2026 (PitchBook) |
| Channels confirmed | Desktop app, Mobile app | iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram |
| Verified facts | Invite-only beta launched Monday 6 Oct 2026; founder Sigil Wen (Thiel Fellow); company Conway Research; Product: your own AI for email, calendar, meeting notes, dictation and errands; 100% local AI, 100% private; Platforms on site: Mac; iPhone and iPad on App Store; Windows BETA; Linux and Android on the way. Mac invite-only (Apple silicon); iPhone/iPad no invite needed (FAQ); Powered by Husky inference engine Wen built; uses a 27B reasoning model fine-tuned from Qwen3.8-27B (TechCrunch); Models named on site: Woof 4B (fast), Saluki 27B (light), Underdog 27B (smart); Underdog 27B built on Qwen 3.8 27B; site claims 33.7 vs 31.9 for Claude Opus 4.6 Max on Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (speeds are estimates per site disclaimer); Pricing: 100% free because it runs on your computer; tiny take when agent buys something with a one-time card; Free at first, never ad-supported; plans take a tiny % of payment transactions via Stripe (Patrick Collison angel); Security: passed Leviathan Security Group App Defense Alliance assessment (all 20 requirements); Google approved Gmail/Calendar access; pen tests under way; Privacy: AI processing on device; mail syncs directly with email provider; memories on device; Naval mode never calls home; First funding round raised April 2026 (site); a16z led the round (a16z announcement, 2 Oct 2026); round size undisclosed; Featured in TechCrunch text-agent roundup 10 Oct 2026: invite-only beta early Oct, on-device, Mac/Windows initially, free initially, never advertising | Proactive assistant on Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram and more (its site); Plans: Free (USD 0) and Pro (USD 19/month) with frontier models and background automations; Added USD 10M on top of a USD 15M seed; valued at USD 300M post-money; Acquired by Cognition on 24 Jul 2026 (PitchBook profile) |
| Website | https://underdog.ai/ | https://poke.com |
| Sources | [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] | [1] [2] [3] |
| Last checked | 2026-11-11 | 2026-11-11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is Underdog?
100% local personal AI for email, calendar, meeting notes, dictation and errands — runs on your device, not in the cloud.
What is Poke?
Proactive assistant on iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram with many integrations
How much does Underdog cost?
100% free because it runs on your computer (underdog.ai/pricing); monetization is a tiny take when the agent buys something with a one-time card (site FAQ). Never ad-supported (TechCrunch).
How much does Poke cost?
Free USD 0; Pro USD 19/month; higher Ultra tier (per poke.com)
Are Underdog and Poke the same type of agent?
Underdog is listed as a personal agent and Poke as a personal agent.
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