I recently purchased Petrova AI through AppSumo, hoping to integrate it into my hiring workflow. Unfortunately, my experience has been deeply disappointing.

1. Critical Technical Failures

The most glaring issue is the broken video interview functionality. When candidates receive interview invites, the URL links simply don't work in Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail – they only function through Outlook. Even when using Outlook, clicking the link on mobile devices or desktop browsers results in inconsistent behavior or complete failure. I encountered browser blocking issues with camera and microphone access across Firefox, Edge, and Chrome, which are the most commonly used browsers. These fundamental problems should never have made it to production.

2. User Experience Disasters

The main portal interface is confusing and counterintuitive. After candidates submit their resumes, clicking their name or the adjacent icon opens a side menu but also triggers an automatic resume download – a frustrating design choice that makes accessing AI-generated insights unnecessarily awkward. The overall UI feels unfinished and clunky, with a dashboard that's difficult to navigate and an interview page that's equally problematic.

3. Questionable AI Reliability

I tested the AI resume matching by uploading the same ChatGPT-generated resume under two different test users. One received a poor rating while the second got a 92% "Excellent Match." This inconsistency completely undermines any trust in the AI's evaluation logic and raises serious questions about the platform's core functionality.

4. Missing Features and False Promises

Despite claims of supporting 20+ languages, the platform itself is only available in English, with minimal language options appearing solely on the interview page. Essential features like bulk upload, candidate invites, and SMTP support are missing entirely. The branding and customization options are virtually non-existent, and many basic interview features don't work reliably on iPhones.

5. Business Model Concerns

The focus seems entirely on selling lifetime deals rather than building a sustainable business model. Given the high costs of AI, video storage, and transcription, their promise of "unlimited candidates" appears unrealistic. I've noticed they've launched LTDs on multiple platforms, which raises red flags about their long-term viability and commitment to the product.

6. Support and Compliance Issues

Customer support is practically non-existent – they take an extremely long time to respond, if they respond at all, and issues remain unresolved indefinitely. Despite claiming GDPR compliance, there's no evidence to support this, with no information about third-party data processors or a Data Protection Officer.

7. The Real Risk

My biggest concern isn't just the broken functionality, but the false sense of security this platform creates. I could have easily believed everything was running smoothly while candidates were being blocked by technical issues, creating a digital barrier without any alerts or notifications. This could seriously damage a company's reputation and hiring efficiency.

8. Additional Concerns

After my disappointing experience, I researched further and found numerous negative reviews and complaints about Petrova AI across various platforms and forums. These additional reports only confirmed my own poor experience and highlighted similar issues that other users have encountered.

The platform feels like a beginner-level application that's nowhere near ready for launch. I made a poor decision choosing Petrova AI over Hirevire, which has since been removed from AppSumo, and ended up paying double for a significantly less functional platform. The 5-taco reviews on AppSumo appear premature – many users likely haven't realized that the system is failing silently on the candidate side while employers remain unaware of these critical issues.

Given these fundamental flaws and the apparent lack of commitment to fixing them, I would strongly advise against purchasing this platform in its current state.