cvlife vs Zety: The Free Trial Trap
Zety lets you create a resume for free, but you have to pay to download it. A frustrating practice that doesn't exist on cvlife.
| Feature | cvlife | Zety |
|---|---|---|
| Free ATS score | ||
| Resume templates | 14 (ATS) | ~20 |
| ATS-optimized templates | ||
| AI formatting | ||
| Targeted rewriting (job ad) | ||
| Built-in job search | ||
| Application tracking | ||
| AI cover letter | ||
| AI interview prep | ||
| Quick Apply (targeted CV + CL) | ||
| Download without paying | ||
| Free plan | 3 candidatures/mois | |
| Monthly price | 7,99 €/mois | ~24,99 €/mois |
The Zety trap: create for free, pay to download
Zety lets you build a full resume in their editor, but when it's time to download the PDF, a paywall appears. You must subscribe at €24.99/month (or a €2.70 trial that auto-renews). Many users end up charged without realizing it. With cvlife, the free plan includes downloads: you can create, preview and download 3 targeted resumes per month without entering your card.
Pricing: 3 times cheaper with cvlife
Zety's subscription costs €24.99/month. For that price, you get a resume editor, templates and a cover letter. cvlife Pro costs €7.99/month and includes all of that, plus a free ATS score, AI-targeted rewriting, built-in job search, application tracking and interview preparation.
AI: automatic targeting vs basic suggestions
Zety offers pre-written text suggestions that you copy-paste into your resume. cvlife goes further: the AI analyzes your existing resume and the target job listing, then rewrites your bullet points to maximize the match. It's custom targeting, not generic copy-paste.
Beyond the resume: a complete ecosystem
Zety is a resume editor. cvlife is a complete job search tool: free ATS score, Quick Apply (targeted CV + cover letter in one click), built-in job search, application tracking and AI interview preparation. Everything you need to go from application to interview.
Verdict
Zety is a decent resume editor, but its business model is frustrating (free creation, paid download) and its price is high for what it offers. cvlife provides more features at a third of the price, with a real free plan and full transparency.
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