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ULTRA mode unlocks Waffle’s most powerful AI analysis. It increases the reasoning budget, expands the system prompt, and produces scorecards that match what a top-tier executive recruiter would prepare.

What ULTRA Mode Does

When you enable ULTRA, three things change under the hood:
  1. 3x thinking budget — The AI gets 32,000 reasoning tokens (vs 10,000 in Standard), giving it more room to analyze the role before generating output.
  2. Expanded prompt instructions — ULTRA adds a “Deep Interview Intelligence” layer that requires richer competencies, more questions, and behavioral detail at every rating level.
  3. More structured output — You get a comprehensive interview playbook, not just a screening guide.

Standard vs ULTRA Output

DimensionStandardULTRA
Competencies4—88—12
Questions per competency1—4 (weight-based)2 primary + 2 follow-up probes each
Rating anchorsLabel-based (e.g., “Meets Expectations”)Specific observable behavioral indicators at each level
Red flagsListedListed with mitigation strategies
EEOC guidanceStandard checklistComprehensive with legal framework references
Interview summaryBrief overviewFull intelligence brief with sequence, time allocation, warm-up, and closing strategy

How to Toggle ULTRA On and Off

On desktop, the ULTRA toggle sits directly above the composer input in the chat interface. On mobile, it appears in the header bar at the top of the screen so you can switch modes without scrolling to the composer. In both cases, it’s a pill-style switch with two options: Standard and ULTRA.
1

Open a new chat

Start a new thread from the sidebar or landing screen.
2

Select ULTRA before sending your first message

Click the ULTRA pill — above the text input on desktop, or in the header bar on mobile. A golden glow confirms activation, and a “3x credits” badge appears.
3

Send your job description

Paste or type the role details as usual. The AI will use the enhanced reasoning pipeline for this thread.
ULTRA mode locks to the thread once you send your first message. You cannot switch between Standard and ULTRA mid-conversation. Start a new thread if you want to change modes.
You can also activate ULTRA by typing /superwaffle in the composer — a hidden shortcut that toggles the mode without clicking.

Using ULTRA from Templates

On the Templates page, each template card has a Use in ULTRA button. Clicking it opens a new chat with both the template and ULTRA mode pre-selected.

Credit Cost

ULTRA scorecards cost 3x credits compared to Standard. The exact impact depends on your plan:
PlanStandard costULTRA costHow it works
Free1 of 3 scorecard slotsAll 3 scorecard slotsUses your entire free allowance in one generation
Paid subscriptions1 usage unit3 usage unitsCounted against your monthly plan limit
Credit packs1 credit3 creditsDeducted atomically from your balance
Free plan users can try ULTRA — it consumes all three of your active scorecard slots at once. To prevent abuse, Free accounts are capped at 5 ULTRA generations and 15 total generations (standard + ULTRA) over the lifetime of the account. These caps are tracked independently of scorecard deletion, so archiving or deleting scorecards does not reset them.

When to Use ULTRA

Use ULTRA for:
  • Senior, executive, or leadership roles where interview quality is critical
  • Roles with broad or ambiguous scope that need thorough competency coverage
  • Panel interviews where multiple interviewers need detailed, segmented question sets
  • High-stakes hires where you want a complete interview playbook, not just a question list
Standard mode is fine for:
  • Individual contributor roles with clear, well-defined requirements
  • Quick screening guides where speed matters more than depth
  • Iterating on early drafts before committing to a final scorecard
  • Conserving credits when volume matters

Plan Availability

ULTRA mode is accessible on every plan, including Free. The toggle is never hidden — the difference is how many generations you can afford:
  • Free: Up to 5 ULTRA generations and 15 total generations (lifetime caps). Each ULTRA generation uses all 3 active slots
  • Starter ($49/mo): 25 standard generations, or ~8 ULTRA generations, or any mix
  • Growth ($119/mo): 60 standard generations, or ~20 ULTRA generations
  • Scale ($199/mo): 150 standard generations, or ~50 ULTRA generations
  • Pay-as-you-go: 5perstandardscorecard,5 per standard scorecard, 15 per ULTRA scorecard (3 credits)
Lifetime caps apply only to the Free plan. Paid plans reset monthly with no lifetime restrictions.
Not sure if ULTRA is worth it for a particular role? Generate the Standard version first, review it, then start a new ULTRA thread for the same job description. Compare the two side by side.

What the loading experience looks like

All plans include a real-time streaming visualization that shows your scorecard being built live. You can watch competencies, questions, and rubrics appear as the AI generates them — no loading spinners or blank screens. When ULTRA is active, the loading indicator changes to reflect the deeper analysis. Instead of a generic “Generating…” message, you’ll see rotating stage labels:
  • Mapping competency framework
  • Building question bank
  • Generating rating anchors
  • Calibrating scoring rubrics
  • Finalizing interview brief
The indicator also shifts to an amber/gold color scheme to visually distinguish ULTRA processing from Standard.
The streaming visualization is the same across all plans. ULTRA differentiates through deeper reasoning and richer output — not the streaming experience itself.

First-Time Spotlight

The first time you activate ULTRA, a spotlight tooltip appears summarizing what to expect: more competencies, deeper anchors, and the 3x credit cost. This only shows once and can be dismissed. If you’re on the Free plan, the tooltip includes a link to view upgrade options.
Last modified on April 20, 2026