A badly formatted CV gets about six seconds of attention before a recruiter moves on. According to Ladders' eye tracking study, recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds on an initial CV screen. And if your CV hits an applicant tracking system first, research from Harvard Business School found that ATS filters reject up to 88% of applications before a human ever sees them.
So your CV design tool matters. Pick the wrong one, and you waste hours building something that gets filtered out by software or ignored by a hiring manager. Pick the right one, and you have a clean, professional document that gets you into interviews.
We tested 20 free CV design tools to find out which ones actually deliver. Not which ones promise the most, but which ones let you build a real, downloadable, professional CV without reaching for your credit card. For each tool, we looked at template quality, ease of use, ATS compatibility, export options, and the honesty of their "free" claims.
Some of these tools are genuinely free. Others use the word "free" loosely. We'll tell you which is which.
How We Tested These Tools
Every tool on this list was evaluated on five criteria:
Template quality and design range. Does the tool offer professional, modern templates that look good on screen and on paper? Are there enough options to suit different industries and career stages?
Ease of use. Can someone with no design skills build a good looking CV in under 30 minutes? Is the interface clear or confusing?
ATS compatibility. Will the final CV pass through applicant tracking systems? A beautiful CV that gets filtered out by software helps nobody.
Export options. Can you download your CV as a PDF? Word document? Is there a watermark? Do you need to pay to get a usable file?
Honesty of the free tier. This is the big one. Many tools advertise as free but lock downloads behind a paywall after you've spent 45 minutes building your CV. We flagged every tool that does this.
We also noted each tool's privacy approach, mobile experience, and any standout features that set it apart from the crowd.
Quick Comparison: All 20 Tools at a Glance
Before we get into individual reviews, here's a snapshot of what each tool offers for free. This table gives you the key facts without making you read 10,000 words first.
| Tool | Free PDF? | Watermark | ATS Ready? | Best For? |
| Canva | Yes | No | Mixed | Creative industries, visual CVs |
| FlowCV | Yes | No | Yes | One polished resume, fast |
| Reactive Resume | Yes | No | Yes | Privacy, unlimited resumes |
| OpenResume | Yes | No | Yes | US job market, no signup |
| Google Docs | Yes | No | Yes | Simplicity, collaboration |
| Europass | Yes | No | Yes | European job applications |
| Resume.org | Yes | No | Yes | All round free builder |
| Teal | Yes | No | Yes | Job tracking + resume building |
| Rezi.ai | 3 PDFs | No | Yes | ATS scoring and optimization |
| Novoresume | Yes | Possible | Yes | Students, entry level |
| Kickresume | Yes | No | Mixed | Templates + cover letters |
| Enhancv | Trial | Yes* | Yes | AI writing assistance |
| JSON Resume | Yes | No | Yes | Developers, version control |
| Overleaf | Yes | No | Yes | Academia, technical roles |
| Resumake | Yes | No | Yes | Quick LaTeX resumes |
| CakeResume | 1 PDF | No | Mixed | Drag and drop simplicity |
| CVwizard | Yes | No | Mixed | Quick basic resume |
| LibreOffice | Yes | No | Yes | Offline, total control |
| Microsoft 365 Online | Yes | No | Yes | Familiar Word interface |
| Standard Resume | Web only | No | Yes | Clean web portfolio CV |
*Enhancv offers a 7 day free trial, then adds branding on the free tier.
1. Canva
Canva's CV template gallery showing free designs including minimalist, professional, and creative layouts
Canva is the biggest name on this list, and for good reason. With over 180 million monthly users, it's the go to design platform for people who aren't designers. The resume builder is just one piece of a much larger toolkit, but it's a solid piece.
The template library is massive. Hundreds of resume and CV templates, ranging from clean and corporate to bold and creative. You can filter by style, colour, and industry. The drag and drop editor is easy to pick up, even for first timers. You can swap fonts, colours, and layouts without touching any code.
The free tier is generous. You get access to a large chunk of the template library, PDF downloads, and enough design tools to build something that looks professional. Canva doesn't add watermarks to free resumes, and you don't need to pay to download your work.
Here's the catch, though. Canva resumes can cause problems with applicant tracking systems. The platform creates visually rich documents, and many templates use columns, icons, graphics, and text boxes that ATS software struggles to parse. If you're applying to large companies that use automated screening, a Canva resume might get filtered out before anyone sees it.
Research shows that complex formatting elements, such as multi-column layouts and embedded images, are among the most common reasons resumes fail ATS scans.
The workaround is simple: stick to single column templates, avoid icons and graphics, and use standard section headings. Canva can produce ATS friendly resumes, but you have to choose your template carefully.
| Best for | Creative professionals, portfolio careers, roles where visual design matters |
| Watch out | ATS compatibility varies by template. Stick to simple layouts for corporate roles |
| Free tier | Very generous. Hundreds of templates, PDF downloads, no watermarks, no signup fees |
2. FlowCV
FlowCV's template selection screen where you choose your design before entering the editor
FlowCV is the tool most people don't know about that they should. It's built by a small independent team and has quietly become one of the most genuinely free resume builders on the internet.
The free tier gives you one resume with unlimited, watermark free PDF downloads, access to all 50+ templates, and full control over layout, fonts, colours, and spacing. No credit card required. No sneaky upgrade prompts after you've spent an hour building your CV. Your first resume is free forever.
The editor is clean and focused. You fill in your details on the left, and a live preview updates on the right. It supports multiple languages, including Arabic and Hebrew with right to left text. You can import an existing resume from PDF, DOCX, or even a photo of your CV.
ATS compatibility is strong. FlowCV exports clean, text based PDFs with embedded fonts and simple structure. Even two column templates parse well through most ATS software, though single column is always safest for older systems.
FlowCV has a 4.9 rating on Trustpilot from over 1,300 reviews. Users consistently mention two things: the interface is easy, and the free tier is honest.
The only real limitation? You can save one resume at a time on the free plan. If you need multiple versions for different roles, you'll need the Pro plan (starting at $4.90 per month). And there's no DOCX export option, even on paid plans, which is a frustration if employers specifically ask for Word format.
| Best for | Job seekers who want one polished resume quickly, without being upsold |
| Watch out | Limited to one resume on the free tier. No Word document export |
| Free tier | One of the best free tiers available. Unlimited PDF downloads, all templates, no watermarks |
3. Reactive Resume
Reactive Resume showing over 1 million users and 1.3 million resumes created on the open source platform
If you want a free resume builder with no strings attached, no fine print, and no company trying to upsell you, Reactive Resume is the answer. It's open source, completely free, and built by a single developer named Amruth Pillai as a passion project.
You can create unlimited resumes. Download as many PDFs as you want. Choose from 12 templates. Customise colours, fonts, and layouts. Share a live link to your resume and track views. All of this without paying a cent, creating an account (optional), or seeing a single advertisement.
The platform also integrates with OpenAI for optional AI writing assistance, supports dozens of languages, and offers drag and drop section reordering. If you're technically inclined, you can self host the entire application using Docker, giving you complete control over your data.
Privacy is a core feature, not an afterthought. The source code is public on GitHub, so anyone can audit exactly how their data is handled.
The downside? The templates, while clean, are less visually polished than what you'd find on Canva or Kickresume. And because it's maintained by a small team, updates come when they come. But for a free tool, the feature set is remarkable.
| Best for | Privacy conscious users, developers, anyone who wants truly unlimited free access |
| Watch out | Template designs are functional but not flashy. Occasional downtime on the hosted version |
| Free tier | 100% free. No limits, no watermarks, no hidden costs. Open source |
4. OpenResume
Inside OpenResume's editor with dummy data filled in and live CV preview on the right
OpenResume takes a different approach from most builders. There's no account creation, no data storage on their servers, and no tracking. Everything you type stays in your browser. When you close the tab, it's gone unless you've downloaded your PDF.
This makes it the most private resume builder on this list. It was created by Xitang Zhao and Zhigang Wen, two immigrants to the US who struggled with their own job applications and decided to build something better.
The builder is intentionally simple. One template, one column, focused entirely on US resume best practices. No profile photos (to avoid bias). No fancy graphics (to avoid ATS issues). No two column layouts. Every design decision is made to maximise your chances of getting past the ATS and onto a recruiter's desk.
The standout feature is the resume parser. Upload your existing resume, and OpenResume will show you exactly what an ATS would extract. If it mangles your job titles or misses your skills section, you know your resume needs work before you send it out.
Users have reported landing interviews at Google, Meta, and Dropbox using resumes built with OpenResume. The tool won't give you a design forward CV, but it will give you one that passes automated screens and reads well to a hiring manager.
| Best for | US job market applicants, anyone who values privacy, ATS focused applications |
| Watch out | Only one template, US focused only, no account means no cloud saves |
| Free tier | 100% free. No signup, no data collection, no limitations |
5. Google Docs
Google Docs template gallery with resume options
Google Docs is the tool you already have. If you have a Gmail account, you have a resume builder. Open Google Docs, click "Template Gallery," and you'll find five resume templates ready to go.
Five templates isn't a lot. But what Google Docs lacks in variety, it makes up for in accessibility and familiarity. Most people already know how to use it. There's no learning curve. You can edit from any device, share a link for feedback, and collaborate in real time. Saving and version history are automatic.
The templates are simple and clean. They won't win design awards, but they're professional enough for most applications. The ATS compatibility is excellent because Google Docs produces clean, text based documents without complex formatting layers.
The real power of Google Docs comes from third party templates. Sites like SmashingDocs offer 70+ free Google Docs resume templates, and Resume Genius provides another 28. These expand your options well beyond the built in gallery.
Export to PDF or Word is straightforward. No watermarks, no paywalls, no limits on downloads. The lack of dedicated resume features, like section suggestions or content tips, means you're on your own for writing. But for a no cost, no fuss starting point, Google Docs is hard to beat.
| Best for | Anyone who wants simplicity, collaboration, and zero setup |
| Watch out | Only five built in templates. No resume specific guidance or AI assistance |
| Free tier | Completely free with a Google account. No limits on anything |
6. Europass
Europass CV creation page, the EU's official free tool for standardised European CVs
Europass is the European Union's official CV builder. It's funded by the EU, used across all 27 member states, and completely free. No premium tier, no upselling, no hidden costs. This is a government service, not a business.
The tool is built around a profile system. You fill in your qualifications, work experience, language skills, and digital competencies. From that profile, you can generate as many CVs as you want, each tailored for a different application. The format is standardised across Europe, so employers from Lisbon to Helsinki know exactly what they're looking at.
The CV format uses the European Qualifications Framework and standardised competence descriptors for languages and digital skills. This makes it especially useful for cross border applications, academic positions, and roles where qualifications need to be clearly understood across countries.
The downsides are real. The interface feels dated and cluttered. Customisation is very limited. You can't change fonts, colours, or layouts in any meaningful way. And because 24 million people use Europass each year, your CV will look identical to millions of others. For creative industries or roles where standing out matters, this isn't the tool.
But for EU job applications, academic positions, or roles that specifically request a Europass CV, it's the right choice. And the price is right: zero.
| Best for | European job seekers, academic applications, cross border roles within the EU |
| Watch out | Dated interface, minimal customisation, every CV looks the same |
| Free tier | 100% free. Government funded, no premium tier, no data selling |
7. Resume.org
Resume.org homepage showing the free AI resume builder with ATS friendly templates and Trustpilot ratings
Resume.org markets itself as a completely free resume builder with no paywalls, and from what we tested, that claim holds up. You get access to every feature, every template, and unlimited downloads without paying anything.
The builder is straightforward. Pick a template, fill in your sections, and download. The AI writing assistant is the standout feature on the free tier. Enter your job title and the tool suggests pre written phrases and achievement statements. It's not going to write your resume for you, but it speeds up the process, especially if you're staring at a blank "Work Experience" section wondering what to write.
Templates are ATS optimised, and the tool produces clean PDFs that parse well through automated screening. You can also create cover letters and switch between resume and CV formats within the same builder.
On Trustpilot, Resume.org has over 900 reviews, with users consistently praising the "genuinely free" experience and the helpfulness of the AI suggestions.
The design options aren't as extensive as Canva or FlowCV. Templates are clean and professional but not exciting. If you want a resume that makes a visual statement, look elsewhere. If you want a solid, ATS friendly resume without spending money or time fighting a paywall, Resume.org delivers.
| Best for | Budget conscious job seekers who want everything free with no catches |
| Watch out | Template designs are professional but plain. Fewer customisation options than competitors |
| Free tier | Everything is free. All templates, all features, unlimited downloads |
8. Teal
Teal's resume builder page showing ATS matching score and resume preview features
Teal is more than a resume builder. It's a job search platform that combines resume creation, job tracking, and AI tools in one place. The free tier is surprisingly generous, and the integration between features is what sets it apart.
You can create unlimited resumes, download them as PDF or DOCX, and there's no watermark. The 11 free templates all follow ATS friendly formats. Paste in a job description, and Teal highlights keywords your resume is missing. This keyword gap analysis is available on the free plan and is one of the more useful features we tested across all 21 tools.
The job tracker is a genuine bonus. A Chrome extension lets you bookmark job postings from 50+ job boards. Those postings appear in a dashboard where you can track application stages, add notes, and set reminders. It turns job hunting from a scattered process into something organised.
The AI writing tools help generate bullet points and summaries, though free users get limited AI credits. The templates, while professional, are fairly uniform. If you want bold visual design, Teal won't provide that. What it will give you is a structured, efficient system for building targeted resumes and managing your entire job search.
| Best for | Organised job seekers who apply to many roles and want to track everything in one place |
| Watch out | Templates lack visual variety. AI credits are limited on free tier |
| Free tier | Strong free tier. Unlimited resumes, PDF and DOCX downloads, job tracking included |
9. Rezi.ai
Inside Rezi.ai showing a sample resume with ATS keyword targeting and AI content writer
Rezi built its reputation on ATS optimisation, and it shows. The platform is designed from the ground up to help your resume pass automated screening. Every template uses single column layouts with standard section headings and clean formatting.
The free plan gives you one resume, unlimited DOCX and Google Drive exports, and three PDF downloads. You also get access to AI keyword targeting, which compares your resume against a job description and flags missing terms. The ATS checker scores your resume across 23 checkpoints and tells you exactly what to fix.
Forbes named Rezi the best resume builder in 2025, and over four million people have used the platform. The ATS scoring is the killer feature. It evaluates your content, format, optimisation, and best practices, then assigns a score out of 100. For job seekers obsessed with passing automated screens, this feedback loop is valuable.
The downside is the free tier feels intentionally limited. Three PDF downloads isn't much if you're actively job hunting. The AI writing assistant exists on the free plan but is restricted. And the templates, while perfectly ATS friendly, are visually plain. No colour, no design flair, just text on a page.
If your priority is getting past the ATS, Rezi is the specialist. If you want something that looks good and gets past the ATS, you might combine Rezi's scoring with a different builder's templates.
| Best for | Job seekers focused specifically on ATS compatibility and keyword optimisation |
| Watch out | Only 3 free PDF downloads. Templates are functional but visually basic |
| Free tier | Decent free tier with unlimited DOCX exports and ATS scoring, but PDF limit is frustrating |
10. Novoresume
Novoresume's template gallery showing ATS friendly designs for different career stages
Novoresume is popular with students and early career applicants, and it's easy to see why. The templates are polished, the builder is guided, and it produces a clean one page resume quickly.
On the free tier, you get eight templates, one page maximum, and PDF downloads. A content optimiser checks for missing contact information, short summaries, and employment gaps. There's also a basic job tracker built in.
The templates are well designed and ATS compatible. They're clean, modern, and professional without being over designed. For someone creating their first resume, the guided experience is helpful. The builder walks you through each section and offers tips along the way.
But the free tier has real limitations. You're capped at one page, which works for students but not for experienced professionals. Some users report seeing watermarks on free downloads, though this varies. There's no cover letter support, no DOCX export, and you can only create one resume version.
Premium starts at $19.99 per month, which unlocks multi page resumes, more templates, and cover letters. For students who need a quick, good looking one pager, the free tier does the job. For everyone else, the limitations add up fast.
| Best for | Students and entry level job seekers who need a clean one page resume |
| Watch out | One page limit on free tier. Possible watermarks. No cover letter support |
| Free tier | Usable for a basic one page resume, but limitations push you toward paid plans quickly |
11. Kickresume
Kickresume's template categories showing Smart, Sharp, and Soft resume design styles
Kickresume has been around since 2013 and has helped over six million people create resumes and cover letters. The free tier gives you four templates, unlimited resume creation, and unlimited PDF downloads.
The builder interface is intuitive. You pick a template, fill in sections, and the live preview updates as you type. A standout feature is the pre written phrases library with over 20,000 phrases for 3,200 job titles. Click your role, and the tool suggests achievement statements you can add with a click.
You can also import your LinkedIn profile, create matching cover letters, and even turn your resume into a personal website. The website feature is a nice touch for people who want an online portfolio without building one from scratch.
The catch? The four free templates are basic. Black and white, minimal design elements, and no visual personality. The 40+ premium templates are where the good designs live. Free users also can't add custom sections like certifications or volunteer work, and section titles can't be renamed.
Another concern: many Kickresume templates use skill bars and percentage based skill ratings. These look polished but cause problems with ATS software. Stick to text based skill lists for corporate applications.
Students and teachers get up to 180 days of free Premium access through ISIC, ITIC, or UNiDAYS, which is a meaningful perk if you qualify.
| Best for | Job seekers who want pre written content suggestions and cover letter support |
| Watch out | Free templates are basic. Skill bars can cause ATS problems. Custom sections locked |
| Free tier | Unlimited resumes and PDF downloads on four templates. Students get extended free Premium |
Related: Human Resource Best Practices
12. Enhancv
Enhancv's resume templates page with ATS, modern, and professional filter options
Enhancv offers one of the better AI powered resume experiences, but calling it "free" requires an asterisk. You get a seven day free trial with full access to everything. After that, the free tier adds Enhancv branding to your downloads and limits you to two resumes.
During the trial, the platform is impressive. Over 80 ATS friendly templates, drag and drop editing, AI writing assistance, job description matching, and a grammar checker. The job matching feature is particularly useful: paste a job description, and Enhancv highlights which skills and qualifications you should emphasise.
The templates are among the best looking on this list. Modern, clean, and with enough variety to suit different industries. All templates are tested with major ATS platforms.
After the trial, the limitations are real. Enhancv branding on free downloads looks unprofessional. The AI tools become restricted. And at $24.99 per month for the Pro plan, it's one of the more expensive options. Quarterly and semi annual plans bring the cost down to $13.32 to $16.66 per month.
For job seekers who need a short burst of resume building, maybe during an active job search week, the seven day trial is genuinely useful. Just set a calendar reminder.
| Best for | Job seekers who want AI powered resume writing and job matching during a focused search |
| Watch out | Free tier adds branding. Full features require paid subscription |
| Free tier | Seven day trial is genuinely full featured. After that, free tier is limited |
13. JSON Resume
JSON Resume Getting Started page showing the CLI tool, hosting service, and export commands
JSON Resume is for developers, by developers. If the phrase "standardised JSON schema" sounds appealing rather than intimidating, this is your tool.
The concept is simple. You write your resume as a JSON file following an open source schema. Then you render that data into a visual resume using community built themes. The result is a resume that's version controlled, portable, and infinitely customisable.
There's no visual editor. You work directly with structured data. This means you can store your resume in a Git repository, track changes over time, integrate it into automated workflows, and render it in multiple formats: HTML, PDF, or hosted as a website.
The ecosystem includes dozens of community themes, CLI tools for rendering, a Python tool for building, and a WebAssembly powered interactive resume that lets you explore your CV using command line syntax. Yes, really.
For non developers, this tool is impractical. For technical professionals, it's one of the most powerful options available. Your resume becomes a living document, stored as data, that can be rendered however and wherever you need it.
| Best for | Software developers, engineers, and technical professionals who work with code |
| Watch out | Requires JSON knowledge. No visual editor. Not suitable for non technical users |
| Free tier | 100% free and open source. No limits, no accounts, no restrictions |
14. Overleaf
Jake's Resume template on Overleaf showing the full PDF preview and View Source option for LaTeX editing
Overleaf is the world's most popular online LaTeX editor, used by over 25 million people, primarily in academia and technical fields. If you've read an academic paper, there's a decent chance it was written in Overleaf.
The platform offers hundreds of free CV and resume templates in LaTeX format. Popular options include Jake's Resume (MIT licensed, clean and simple), AltaCV (modern and creative), and various ATS optimised templates for technical roles. The templates produce beautifully typeset documents with precise control over layout.
The free tier includes one collaborator, unlimited projects, and PDF compilation. For a single person building their own resume, this is more than enough. Real time compilation means you see your output update as you type, and version history tracks every change.
The elephant in the room: you need to write LaTeX. It's not hard to learn the basics, but if you've never used it, there's a learning curve. Templates help. You can grab a template, change the text, and compile without understanding much LaTeX syntax. But troubleshooting errors requires some familiarity.
For academic CVs, research positions, and technical roles where typographic quality matters, Overleaf produces results that no drag and drop builder can match. The typography is simply better.
| Best for | Academics, researchers, and technical professionals. Anyone comfortable with LaTeX |
| Watch out | Requires LaTeX knowledge. Learning curve for newcomers. Can be slow on complex documents |
| Free tier | Free for individual use with one collaborator. Unlimited projects and PDF compilation |
15. Resumake
Inside Resumake's generator showing template selection, section navigation, and one click PDF export
Resumake bridges the gap between LaTeX quality and ease of use. It's a web based tool that generates LaTeX resumes without requiring you to write any LaTeX code.
You fill in a form, choose from nine templates, and the tool compiles a LaTeX document and gives you a PDF. The whole process takes about ten minutes. No signup required, no data stored on their servers.
The templates are clean and professional, with the precise typography that LaTeX is known for. They're ATS compatible because LaTeX produces straightforward text based PDFs. And because the tool is open source, you can download the LaTeX source code if you want to make further customisations in Overleaf or another editor.
It's a simple tool that does one thing well: turns your information into a well formatted LaTeX resume quickly. No AI, no job tracking, no bells and whistles. If that's what you need, it delivers.
| Best for | Anyone who wants LaTeX resume quality without learning LaTeX |
| Watch out | Limited templates (nine). No account system means no cloud saves |
| Free tier | 100% free. No signup, no limits, open source |
16. CakeResume
CakeResume's drag and drop editor with flexible layout options
CakeResume uses a drag and drop editor that works more like a design tool than a traditional form based builder. You place text blocks, images, and sections wherever you want on the page. This gives you unusual creative freedom for a free tool.
The free tier lets you create one resume and download it as a PDF. The editor is intuitive even for first time users. You can add custom sections, rearrange layout elements, and embed media links.
The trade off is familiar: one resume on the free plan. If you want more, you need to subscribe. And the drag and drop approach, while creative, can produce layouts that confuse ATS software. Keep your design simple if you're applying to large companies.
CakeResume also doubles as a talent platform, particularly popular in Asia. Your resume can be published as a public profile, making it visible to recruiters on the platform.
| Best for | Creative professionals who want drag and drop design flexibility |
| Watch out | One free resume only. Complex layouts may not be ATS friendly |
| Free tier | One free resume with PDF download. Additional resumes require subscription |
17. CVwizard
Inside CVwizard's editor showing the Personal Details form with live CV preview on the right
CVwizard, formerly known as CVmaker, is one of the simplest builders on this list. It uses a step by step process: enter your contact details, work experience, education, skills, and references. Then choose a template and download.
Over 24 million CVs have been downloaded from the platform, which speaks to its popularity. The process is fast. You can have a finished CV in under 15 minutes if you have your details ready.
The free tier is basic. A handful of templates, limited design options, and straightforward formatting. The premium tier (a one off payment rather than subscription) unlocks better templates, custom sections, fonts, and colours.
For people who want a quick, no fuss CV without making design decisions, CVwizard's guided process is efficient. It won't produce the most distinctive document, but it will produce a clean, professional one in minutes.
| Best for | People who want a basic CV fast with minimal decision making |
| Watch out | Free templates are limited. Design options are basic |
| Free tier | Free to create and download a basic CV. Premium is a one off payment |
18. LibreOffice Writer
LibreOffice Writer's product page describing the free, full featured word processor
LibreOffice is the open source alternative to Microsoft Office, and it's completely free. No subscription, no trial period, no feature limitations. Download it, install it, and you have a full office suite that runs offline on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
LibreOffice Writer works like Microsoft Word. You get full control over fonts, spacing, tables, columns, headers, and page layout. There are built in templates, and hundreds more available from the LibreOffice template gallery.
The advantage is total control. No web based builder tells you what sections to include or how to format them. You design exactly the CV you want. Export to PDF, DOCX, ODT, or plain text. No watermarks, no limits.
The disadvantage is also total control. There's no AI to suggest content, no templates tailored specifically for resumes, and no ATS checker. You need to know what a good CV looks like and build it yourself. For experienced professionals who know what they want, it's perfect. For someone building their first CV, a guided builder would be more helpful.
| Best for | Experienced users who want full offline control over their CV design |
| Watch out | No resume specific features. No AI help. Requires design knowledge |
| Free tier | 100% free. Open source, offline, unlimited everything |
19. Microsoft 365 Online (Word for the Web)
Microsoft Word's free online resume template gallery with customisable professional designs
Microsoft Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account. You don't need an Office 365 subscription to use it. Open Word online, search the template library, and you'll find dozens of resume templates professionally designed by Microsoft.
The templates range from simple and corporate to modern and colourful. You can customise text, fonts, and formatting using the familiar Word interface. Downloads work in DOCX and PDF format. No watermarks, no paywalls on the free web version.
The online version has fewer features than the desktop app, but for resume building, it has everything you need. Track changes, comments, and sharing work the same way they do in the desktop version, which makes it easy to get feedback from friends or mentors.
Because Word documents are the standard format in most workplaces, a resume built in Word is universally compatible. Every ATS can read a Word document. Every recruiter can open one. There's no conversion step, no compatibility concern.
The biggest advantage might be familiarity. Most people have used Word before. There's nothing new to learn.
| Best for | Anyone who wants a familiar, universally compatible CV building experience |
| Watch out | Online version has fewer features than desktop. Template search can be clunky |
| Free tier | Free with a Microsoft account. DOCX and PDF downloads, no watermarks |
20. Standard Resume
Standard Resume's template gallery with Creative, Modern, Professional, and Simple filter categories
Standard Resume was built by a team of designers with hiring experience at Dropbox, and they've collaborated with hiring managers from Slack, Apple, and Uber on their templates. This shows in the design quality: the 12 templates are some of the cleanest we tested.
The free tier lets you build your resume, publish it as a web page with a shareable link, and track views. You can import your LinkedIn profile with one click, which saves time on data entry. The web resume is a nice touch: share a link instead of attaching a file, and see when someone views it.
The catch is PDF downloads. To download a PDF of your resume, you need a Pro subscription. On the free tier, your resume exists only as a web page. For some use cases, that's fine. For others, particularly when employers want a PDF attachment, it's a dealbreaker.
Over 100,000 people have used Standard Resume, with users landing jobs at Google, Microsoft, and Square. The design quality is high enough that even the free web version makes a strong impression.
| Best for | Tech professionals who want a clean web portfolio CV with view tracking |
| Watch out | PDF download requires paid subscription. Free tier is web only |
| Free tier | Free to build and publish a web resume. PDF export is paid only |
Which Tool Should You Actually Use?
Twenty tools is a lot. Here's how to narrow it down based on what matters to you.
If you want truly free with no catches
Go with Reactive Resume, OpenResume, or Resume.org. These three offer the most honest free experiences we tested. No watermarks, no download limits, no sudden paywalls. Reactive Resume is the most full featured. OpenResume is the most private. Resume.org has the best AI writing assistance.
If you want the best looking CV
Use Canva or Enhancv (during the free trial). Both offer templates with genuine visual personality. Just be careful with ATS compatibility on Canva. Stick to simple layouts for corporate applications.
If ATS compatibility is your top priority
Choose Rezi.ai for its ATS scoring, OpenResume for its ATS parser, or FlowCV for its clean exports. All three are designed with ATS compatibility as a primary concern.
If you're a developer or technical professional
Look at JSON Resume for data portability, Overleaf for typographic quality, or Resumake for quick LaTeX without the learning curve.
If you're applying in Europe
Start with Europass for roles that expect the standardised format. Use FlowCV or Reactive Resume for roles where you want more design freedom.
If you want resume building plus job tracking
Teal is the clear winner. The combination of resume builder, job tracker, and Chrome extension for saving job postings is genuinely useful, especially during an active search.
If you just need something fast
Google Docs or CVwizard. Pick any of these, and you'll have a usable CV in under 20 minutes.
The ATS Problem Nobody Talks About
Most articles about CV builders mention ATS compatibility in passing. But it deserves more attention, because it affects whether your application is seen at all.
According to research from Harvard Business School and Accenture, automated hiring systems reject an estimated 27 million "hidden workers" who are qualified for roles but get filtered out by software. The study found that 88% of employers acknowledge their ATS rejects qualified candidates.
What does this mean for your CV design tool? Three things:
First, format matters more than design. A plain, well structured CV that parses correctly will outperform a beautiful one that gets garbled by ATS software. If you're applying to large companies, choose tools that prioritise clean text output over visual flair.
Second, test your CV before sending it. Tools like Rezi.ai and OpenResume include ATS parsers that show you exactly what an automated system will extract from your document. Use them.
Third, keep a design version and an ATS version. Use Canva or Enhancv to create a visually impressive CV for networking, interviews, and portfolio sharing. Use FlowCV or Reactive Resume to create a clean, ATS optimised version for online applications.
The Bottom Line
The best free CV tool is the one that matches your situation. A student building their first resume has different needs than a senior executive updating theirs. Someone applying through automated job boards needs different formatting than someone handing their CV directly to a hiring manager.
What we found across all 20 tools: the free tier is getting better. Five years ago, "free" usually meant "trial." Today, tools like FlowCV, Reactive Resume, Resume.org, and OpenResume offer genuinely usable products without payment. The competition is pushing everyone to be more generous.
One more thing. No tool replaces good content. The most beautifully designed CV in the world won't get you an interview if the words on it don't speak to what the employer needs. Use these tools to handle the design. Spend your energy on what you write.
