Questions

Retrieval practice is being asked to recall something from memory rather than being shown it again. Reading researchers have shown for decades that retrieval (a question you answer yourself) produces deeper learning than re-reading or summaries. Alcoïa uses retrieval practice by asking questions about what you just read.

A chatbot reads the text and gives you an answer. You absorb it passively. Alcoïa asks you to recall and answer yourself. You engage actively with the actual text, not a paraphrase. That active retrieval is what creates real retention.

No. Alcoïa checks if you absorbed the core idea of a difficult sentence or paragraph. It's not about memorization. If you understood enough to answer in your own words, that's retrieval practice working.

It only interrupts when it detects that something didn't stick. If you're reading smoothly at a pace that matches the text difficulty, Alcoïa stays out of the way. It asks a question only when your reading pattern suggests something didn't land.

No account is required to install or use the free tier. Paid tiers let you sync across devices and export your data, which does require a login.

It works on any site with readable text. Some sites with very strict security policies or unusual HTML structure may have trouble, but the vast majority of the web is readable.

Alcoïa runs efficiently in the background. Most users don't notice any performance impact. The reading signals it collects (reading speed, scroll patterns, re-reading) are all computed locally in your browser.

Alcoïa is currently a browser extension. Mobile browser extensions are limited or unavailable on most platforms. We're exploring mobile options for the future.

No. There is no camera in v1. Reading detection works with your reading pattern alone: pace, re-reading, scroll behavior.

Reading speed, scroll patterns, whether you select or copy text, and your answers to questions. None of this leaves your browser unless you explicitly save or export it. Passage text is sent to a server to generate questions and explanations. That is the one thing that leaves your machine.

Alcoïa knows which sites you use it on (to display reading receipts, if you want them). It doesn't track you across sites or sell data to third parties. All data stays on your device or in your account, which you can delete anytime.

Only if you submit them. Reading receipts are your data. You can share them with instructors if you choose, or keep them private. Aggregate class views (which paragraphs students struggled with) are anonymous.

A guided check is a question about what you just read. The free tier includes 150 per month. Paid tiers include 300. Once you reach your limit, Alcoïa stops asking questions for the rest of the month.

No. Checks reset each month. We set a monthly cap to prevent heavy usage patterns and keep the service sustainable, not to rush you to read faster.

Paid features stop at the end of the billing period you already paid for. The free tier keeps working. You can export your data anytime and read our refund policy for full terms.

Yes. Student tier is $29/year ($3.99/month). Verify with your .edu email.

Email us at hello@alcoia.com. For bulk/team inquiries, see Classrooms.