Frequently asked questions

Download or clone the project, run Launch.bat (Windows) or ./launch.sh (macOS/Linux), and follow the first-run wizard. It checks Python, lets you pick an AI provider, and opens the Hub. Import LinkedIn’s official CSV export, then use the Action Queue. CareerHound never logs into LinkedIn. See Docs.

Yes. The Hub is a local Python desktop app. Use ./launch.sh on macOS and Linux (Python 3.10+). Windows users run Launch.bat or launch.ps1. Same features on all three; path and shell commands differ slightly.

You import a CSV or paste profile text. The Hub sends that context to your configured AI provider with a short prompt pack and drafts a note (typically under 300 characters). Drafts land in the Action Queue. You edit, copy, and send in your own browser. If the provider is down, templates fill in as a fallback.

Claude, Ollama (local models on your machine), and Groq. Pick one in the first-run wizard or Hub Settings. Local Ollama keeps profile text on your machine. Cloud providers process only the text you send for generation, using keys you configure yourself.

Free is permanent personal non-commercial use under BSL 1.1, not a timed trial. You get the local Hub, AI drafts with an Action Queue, official CSV import, CRM, and pipeline tracking.

No. CareerHound never logs into LinkedIn and never clicks Send. Each draft has Copy and Open profile. You paste and send yourself.

CareerHound never logs into LinkedIn, so the product itself cannot fire invites from your account. You still follow LinkedIn’s terms for how you use the site when you copy a draft and click Send. Restriction risk from your own activity belongs to you. See Trust.

No for core outreach. Contacts, Excel trackers, approval drafts, and logs stay on your machine. Optional cloud touchpoints: the AI provider you choose (if not local Ollama), FastSpring for checkout, license activation/heartbeat when a license server URL is set, GitHub for updates, and Slack/Discord webhooks if you configure them. We do not run a cloud browser farm or host your contact list.

No. CareerHound is an independent product. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by LinkedIn Corporation. LinkedIn is a trademark of its respective owners.

Cancel or manage the subscription in your FastSpring account (order confirmation email has the link, or use Manage Billing when the storefront account URL is live). After cancel, Pro features stop at period end and the Hub falls back to Free. Local data stays on your disk. You can keep using Free without paying.

Pro is sold through FastSpring. After payment, a webhook on our license server issues a signed key and emails it. Paste the key in Hub → Settings → License and Activate. Until storefront product URLs are configured, Buy buttons link to Start Free (account/free.html). Team plans are quoted via support email.

Free: personal use, drafts, CSV import, CRM, pipeline. Pro ($29/mo or annual): commercial license, resume tailor, CRM export, webhooks, prompt packs, analytics. Team ($99/mo): everything in Pro for 3 seats, white-label. Full matrix on the pricing page.

Yes for Pro. Use the Monthly / Annual toggle on the pricing card before checkout. Annual is billed yearly at a lower effective monthly rate. Team is monthly; contact us for seat changes.

Linked Helper is a mature closed desktop tool that typically logs into LinkedIn and can send without you clicking. CareerHound is a copilot: official CSV import, local AI via Ollama, Action Queue with copy plus open profile, resume tailor on Pro, BSL 1.1 open-source core, and CRM export without a separate add-on. We never log into LinkedIn. Full side-by-side: Compare. Also see Features, Pricing, and Trust.

Yes on Pro and Team. Export paths cover HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive-friendly formats from the Hub. Free keeps contacts in local Excel/JSON. You control what leaves your machine when you run an export.

No. CareerHound never logs into LinkedIn and does not use a browser extension. Draft a note in the Hub, copy it, and send it yourself in your own browser.

In LinkedIn: Settings → Data privacy → Get a copy of your data. Download the archive, then import Connections.csv, Invitations.csv, and messages.csv in the Hub. Paste-a-profile covers one-off contacts. See Docs → CSV import.