Fancy Questions
Frequently asked questions
Don't see your question? Ask the help bot (❓ at the bottom right), read How to use, or email [email protected].
What is Fancy Bot?
A browser extension for Chrome and Brave. A Big Sal's World character restates AI chatbot answers (Claude, Grok, Gemini) at the reading level you choose and reads them aloud. On X, Facebook and Instagram it makes crib notes, draft replies, Writers' Room scenes and videos. See How to use.
How much does it cost?
The free plan includes 20,000 characters a month (about 10 AI answers read aloud in full, or about 80 crib notes). The $10/month plan includes 150,000 characters (about 75 answers or 600 crib notes), and top-ups of 75,000 characters cost $5. Paid plans are coming soon. See Pricing.
What's a "character" in my allowance?
One letter, space or punctuation mark spoken aloud by your Fancy Bot character. A typical AI answer read in full is about 2,000 characters; crib notes are about 250.
What happens when I run out?
The reading stops and the widget says "Monthly character quota reached." Nothing is charged automatically. Wait for the 1st of the month, upgrade to the $10 plan, or add a top-up. See What happens when I run out.
When does my allowance reset?
On the 1st of each month at midnight UTC (the evening of the last day of the month in US time zones). Unused characters don't roll over.
Will Fancy Bot post on my social media?
No, never. It only shows you text and makes videos. You copy, edit and post things yourself, if you choose to.
Which browsers and sites does it work on?
Google Chrome (version 126 or newer) and Brave on a computer. It works on claude.ai, grok.com, gemini.google.com, x.com, facebook.com and instagram.com. It doesn't work on phones, tablets, Firefox or Safari.
Do I need to install anything besides the extension?
No. The voices and rewrites run on our servers. There's no program to keep open on your computer.
Does a lower reading level make the answer less accurate?
No. The words get simpler, but numbers, doses, dates, warnings and "see a doctor" advice are always kept exactly. Fancy Bot never adds medical, legal or money advice of its own.
Is it safe for kids?
The characters are family-friendly: no swearing, kind humor, and jokes about ideas, never people. The AI and social media sites have their own age rules, so a grown-up should supervise kids there.
How do I stop it talking?
Press ■ to stop the current reading, press and hold the character and tap Mute to silence it, or untick Auto-read replies so it only reads when you press ▶ or ❝.
How do I move or shrink the character?
Drag the widget by its top bar. Press and hold the character to pick size S, M or L or use the Custom size slider. ▾ collapses it, and the toolbar icon hides it.
Can I pick who talks?
Yes. Choose a character on the Listen tab, or press and hold and tap a name. Turn on Town panel for 2 to 6 characters sharing an answer, or use the Writers' Room on posts with 2 to 4 cast members plus a director.
Why does a character look like a colorful blob or sound like Big Sal?
A few characters are still getting their own drawing or voice. Until then they use a stand-in figure or a backup voice.
Does making a video use my allowance?
No. A video re-uses the voice you already heard, so it costs no extra characters. Videos save to your Downloads folder as MP4 (or WebM if your browser can't make MP4).
What data does Fancy Bot collect?
The text being read (the AI answer or post) and your settings are sent to our server to write and voice the character's words, using Anthropic and Fish Audio. We keep your account and usage counts, not the text. We never sell your data. Read the privacy policy.
How do I cancel or remove it?
To remove the extension, right-click its icon and choose Remove from Chrome (or Brave). To cancel a paid plan, email [email protected].
How do I contact support?
Email [email protected]. Tell us what you were doing and what the widget's status line said; a screenshot helps.