When you start searching for a new job, it doesn't matter whether it’s your first time or not, you need a good, efficient resume. When you’re jobless or just graduated, there is not much money to spend on it, so people start searching for solid free tools.
In this article, we list seven free resume builders that were explored and ranked, based on their best features, handy tools, and some disadvantages.
#1 uhired
This is an almost perfect service for job seekers, combining a resume builder with a video resume recorder. I found some of the best free tips for creating resumes here and got to experience much more than just editing a PDF.
I created a profile that works like a LinkedIn one, where I added both professional and personal information. The process was super easy and felt natural. There were also plenty of helpful tips, especially the ones tailored to the specific position I selected.
Once I accessed my profile, I noticed that, in addition to a regular resume, I could also create a video resume. The resume I found in my files was already pre-filled with the information from my profile, and I could easily rearrange or hide specific sections as needed. Downloads are available for free and unlimited.
In the video resume section, I created a new file that included a list of questions. The list had a mix of tailored questions for my position, general ones like “Are you a team player?” and more specific ones for recent graduates or those with career gaps. I recorded my answers to the questions I chose and linked the finished video resume to my profile. Now, I can share it whenever I need, which is very convenient.
I think this service has everything I needed and even more, which is why I’ve ranked it in the well-deserved first place.
#2 Teal
I really liked this resume builder for its simplicity and user-friendly design. You start by choosing a template—about five to seven are free, while the rest are premium.
Even though the templates are quite similar and not exactly unique or eye-catching, you can customize them a bit by choosing the main color, rearranging sections, and changing the fonts.
This builder offers AI suggestions and help, but they’re limited to ten. While the quality of the suggestions isn’t top-notch, they’re still worth trying. The process of creating and editing was simple—I didn’t run into any issues or unclear forms or instructions.
A significant step forward with this builder is that, unlike many others, it immediately analyzes your resume and gives it a score on a 100-point scale. While most suggestions for improvement are premium, you can still find some useful tips and adjustments that you might have missed. It’s especially helpful for young job seekers who might not know what to focus on when building their resumes.
For its easy, intuitive use, free analysis and downloads, but with limited AI features and their mediocre quality, this resume builder takes second place.
#3 CareerAI
This almost-free resume builder is really useful, offering many templates and an AI-powered tool for writing professional summaries and work achievements. Both the templates and the AI were better than I expected, but there’s one small detail.
They openly disclose that their AI is powered by OpenAI, the same company behind ChatGPT. So, the question is, how much more useful is this AI compared to the average GPT? To get the AI-generated response, you still have to fill out forms, which is pretty similar to writing a prompt.
Another downside I found is why I called this builder ‘almost’ free. Without a premium subscription, you can only download your resume twice. Need more? You’ll have to pay. This could be a problem for many people, especially those who take their job search seriously and customize their resume for each position.
With solid OpenAI-powered suggestions but limiting free downloads to just two, this resume builder takes third place.
#4 Enhancv
This resume builder would be ranked much lower if it weren’t for its high-quality AI suggestions for work details, achievements, and professional summaries. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer any suggestions for skills.
Why would it be ranked low then? Well, to start editing your resume, you can choose from four options: upload an existing resume, link your LinkedIn profile, start completely from scratch, or edit an industry example.
If you start from scratch, you basically get a blank digital page, which isn’t great, especially if you have little experience writing resumes. So, I was interested in the industry examples and chose this option.
What I got was a real resume that looked like one of the users had just saved their own on the platform. In the end, it felt like uploading an existing resume, but it wasn’t even mine. Plus, there was nothing useful in that example that I could apply to my own resume.
The funniest part is that they offer a tool to check for spelling mistakes, but the example they provide has one in it!
Given their questionable editing options, examples with mistakes, but still a fairly well-written AI, this resume builder lands in fourth place.
#5 Novoresume
A free-to-download resume builder with AI, but it’s definitely not what I expected. There are several templates to choose from, which is nice. You can also change colors and apply patterns to make it a bit more unique. But the editing process is just complicated for no reason.
It took me about two to three minutes to figure out where to click to enter my name. This should be the first thing people do in a resume editor, but it’s hidden like some big secret they’re trying to keep.
Another thing is their AI, which is really just a tool similar to ChatGPT where you can ask questions or request a professional summary. It works fine and probably operates similarly to OpenAI, but why would I use it here if I already have ChatGPT, and maybe even signed up for the full 4.0 version? Good question.
This resume builder is pretty mediocre, with many tools that are either hard to understand or just useless for me. That’s why I placed it in fifth place.
#6 OpenResume
There are a few reasons why this fully functional and completely free resume builder is ranked so low. First, it doesn’t have AI. While that’s not necessarily a disadvantage, given that many other builders offer AI or free tips tailored to your position, this one just doesn’t earn any extra points.
Second, there are no templates. You can only change the colors and font size, but there’s just one template, and it’s as generic as it gets. Nothing special about it.
The thing I disliked most—and the reason this builder really dropped in my eyes—is the limit of just 6 skills. Like, why? Skills are one of the most important parts of your resume, and it’s hard to imagine any job that would require no more than six skills.
Technically, you can add more skills, but they’ll just be listed below the first six, and there's a high chance they’ll get overlooked. Many hiring specialists, especially the experienced ones, spend no more than ten seconds reviewing a resume and don’t have the time to dig through extra text to find additional skills.
With limited to six skills listing and almost no additional tools, this builder lands in sixth place.
P.S. Only now do I realize how ironic that is.
#7 Resume.com
A resume builder by Indeed that makes absolutely no sense. While it’s free, simple, and straightforward, you need to log in with your Indeed account to download your resume. Sounds okay, almost everyone has an Indeed account, right?
Well, that’s exactly the issue. This resume builder has no real value if you already have an Indeed resume, as it doesn’t offer any AI suggestions or tips. Its pre-written suggestions are very limited and often can just end up confusing the user.
There were no examples for work experience in roles like Content Creator, Content Writer, or Marketing Assistant, even though these aren’t exactly rare or niche positions. Plus, the skills this builder suggested were nowhere near relevant to marketing or content-related jobs.
Given all these disadvantages and its overall uselessness, I’ve placed this builder in seventh place.
Creating a resume is a very responsible action that requires you to put in considerable effort to make a strong impression. However, you don’t have to face this challenge alone. To take the burden off your shoulders, consider using any of the top-ranked resume builders from our list. These tools can guide you through the process, ensuring your resume is polished, professional, and suitable for your dream job. Good luck with your job search!