You’re doing resumes the hard way: 10 best resume-maker apps that are free, fast and easy to use

Crafting a resume that stands out among hundreds can be stressful. With 40% of hiring managers spending less than a minute looking at it, how do you make a good impression fast?

Worse still, how does a fresh graduate with little work experience do this?

Thankfully, the best resume-maker apps are here to help.

AI is a great tool that can help you when writing a resume. Source: AFP

How can AI help you write a resume?

Using AI to write a resume can be a game-changer for many. It can analyse job descriptions and suggest relevant keywords and skills to include in your resume.

This ensures that your resume aligns with what employers are looking for.

In fact, it was found that 75% of recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes based on keywords, so having the right ones can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed.

AI tools can also help you catch grammar and spelling mistakes you might have missed — which can be catastrophic.

CareerBuilder found that 58% of hiring managers would dismiss a resume because of typos.

Some AI tools even provide feedback on your resume, highlighting areas for improvement, such as weak language or lack of quantifiable achievements.

This feedback can help you refine your resume to make it better.

Should you use an AI tool to write a resume?

While the AI-powered best resume-maker apps are useful, you shouldn’t rely on them 100%.

This is because they make your resumes lose any features unique to you, lack important keywords and sound stilted. 

In essence, you’ll sound like a robot and recruiters can spot that from a mile away.

Employers often look for resumes that stand out and demonstrate the candidate’s individuality — 36% of hiring managers said they automatically dismiss resumes that are too generic.

By using these tools your resume will lack the human touch that comes from personal experiences, stories and anecdotes too. You’ll lose the opportunity to show your personality and passion.

And while AI can help identify relevant keywords, overloading your resume with them can make it seem unnatural — turning recruiters away instead of convincing them you’re the best candidate for the job.

Our picks of best resume-maker apps, balance both the risks and benefits of using AI, are a breeze to use and have interesting features that’ll help you turn those empty blank pages into a convincing argument to hire you fast.

10 best resume-maker apps to secure your dream job

1. CakeResume

Resume crafting can be a piece of cake with CakeResume.

As one of the best resume-maker apps for students hunting for jobs, it is user-friendly and offers many features.

One of the great things about this app is that it allows you to showcase your professional brand. By creating a public profile and syncing your LinkedIn information, you give hiring managers visiting CakeResume the chance to see your credentials.

The app offers a free basic resume creation service, making it accessible to those on a budget. You can use this free download to create a basic resume and later edit it to fit various job applications.

However, like any tool, CakeResume has its pros and cons:

Pros:

• Easy to use: Its drag-and-drop interface makes resume creation effortless.
• Professional branding: The option to create a public profile and sync with LinkedIn enhances your visibility.
• Free basic resume: A cost-effective option for students entering the job market.
• Customisation: Easy customisation and updating of resumes for different job applications.

Cons:

• Limited free features: While the basic resume creation is free, accessing more advanced features requires a paid subscription of US$10.
• Design options: The range of design templates is limited.

2. Resume Genius

Resume Genius is among the best resume-maker apps. Here’s why you should pick it:

• User-friendly 

Resume Genius simplifies the resume-building process by guiding you through multiple-choice questions about your education and experience. This reduces the amount of formatting and editing you need to do.

• Time-saving

The “Add Pre-Written Bullet Points” feature is a time-saver. It offers a selection of pre-written bullet points tailored to specific industries or job roles. This helps you craft job responsibilities without having to spend hours thinking. 

Resume Genius offers over 240 free downloadable resume templates for Microsoft Word and Google Docs that you can fill out manually. However, the features on the free version are limited.

If you want to enjoy all the features or download your resume as a PDF you’ll need to sign up for an account and pay US$2.95 for a 14-day trial period.

3. My Perfect Resume

My Perfect Resume provides pre-written content, saving users time and effort in figuring out what to include in their resumes. This feature ensures that important sections are covered effectively.

It understands the importance of keywords and helps users highlight skills and relevant keywords tailored to specific job roles, increasing the chances of your resume getting noticed by employers.

According to research conducted by Jobscan, highlighting skills and using relevant keywords significantly increases the success rate of job applications.

The platform also allows you to add optional sections such as awards, certifications and volunteer work. Once your resume is complete, you can download it in plain text format for free. 

While My Perfect Resume offers a free trial, access to premium features requires a paid subscription which can be expensive for students.

The three-month subscription is US$5.95 while the annual subscription is US$71.40. 

4. Indeed 

Indeed is highly regarded as one of the best resume-maker apps for students seeking employment.

And the best part is that it is free and automatically shares your resumes with potential employers on the site.

This saves you the trouble of emailing resumes one by one. By sending your resume to multiple companies at one go, this increases the visibility of your resume and the chances of it being noticed by recruiters.

According to Indeed’s own data, job seekers who upload their resumes to the platform receive up to five times more visibility to employers.

Unlike other resume builders, Indeed doesn’t hide its free options behind paywalls. You can sign up with your email and password, create your resumes using the builder and download the finished product without any prompts to upgrade to a paid account.

5. Teal

Teal is one of the best resume-maker apps because it offers a range of free features for creating, optimising and managing resumes all in one platform. 

The app also provides expert guidance, ensuring that the content meets the expectations of hiring managers and showcases your skills. 

Teal’s AI Resume Builder is integrated with a job application tracker and Chrome extension, allowing you to tailor resumes to specific job descriptions from over 40 job boards.

Detailed, step-by-step instructions and in-depth resume analysis can help you identify the most important details, skills and experiences to include.

While many features of Teal are free, some advanced features like Unlimited Skills, Advanced Resume Analysis and Unlimited AI require a premium subscription, priced at US$9 per week, US$29 per month or US$79 every three months.

6. Zety 

Zety is designed by professionals who understand what employers are looking for.

It simplifies the resume-building process by guiding you through each section and offers suggestions tailored to your needs. There are also a number of templates available, no matter your career stage or experience level.

Their AI technology suggests content for each section based on the job you’re applying for. This ensures your resume is targeted and relevant to the position, boosting your chances of getting noticed.

Another cool feature is you can save and download multiple versions of your resume, which is handy when applying to many jobs. 

While there’s a free option to get started, the paid subscriptions start at US$23.70 per month or US$71.40 annually. 

7. Live Career

LiveCareer has been recognised for its excellence, winning Sitejabber’s 2020 Customer Choice Award. Here’s why it’s so great:

• Over 25 modern resume templates that cater to different preferences and industries: Whether you’re a creative type, a math whiz, or prefer something traditional, there’s a template for you.
• Easy tailoring of resumes to specific job listings: You can simply copy and paste the job description, and LiveCareer will show you how well your skills match the requirements.
• Intuitive dashboard: You can create resumes, cover letters, and even search for jobs on popular job search websites.

However, LiveCareer’s resume building service isn’t free. You have two subscription options:

• 14-day subscription – With US$2.95 you get access to the builder for two weeks.
• Monthly subscription – It costs US$5.95 per month or US$71.4 per year.

8. EnhanceCV

EnhanceCV is designed to produce high-quality resumes and cover letters. Even if you’re not good at graphic design, its templates make it easy to create great resumes.

One unique feature of EnhanceCV is the ability to invite friends to collaborate. They can provide valuable feedback on your application, helping you refine your resume and cover letter for maximum impact.

The tool includes a content suggestion feature to help you correct typos and improve the overall quality of your documents. This ensures that your applications are polished and professional.

You can use the free week-long trial which allows you to create and download two resumes and cover letters. However, to download your resume without branding you’ll have to upgrade to a paid subscription.

For a Pro subscription, you have three payment options:

• US$16.66 per month, billed quarterly at US$49.97
• US$24.99 per month, billed monthly
• US$13.32 per month, billed every six months at US$79.94

9. Kickresume

Kickresume offers both free and paid templates to help you make your resume stand out. If you are on a budget, do not worry.

Kickresume’s free templates allow you to craft resumes that reflect your personality and style.

For more options, you can choose between a monthly plan at US$19 month or an annual plan at US$60, which comes down to US$5 month.

One of the app’s top features is its extensive collection of resume examples. These are a guide for you to tailor your resumes to specific job opportunities.

The app has a library of 20,000 pre-written phrases tailored to over 3,200 job positions.

Another great feature is the option to have professionals proofread resumes and cover letters, ensuring that it is error-free before submission. 

However, Kickresume does have some drawbacks. The graphics-heavy templates may not be compatible with certain Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by employers. 

10. Canva

Though not commonly used for resume crafting, Canva is actually one of the best resume-maker apps out there.

It’s well-known for its design tools that make it easy for anyone to create professional-looking resumes.

One of the benefits of Canva is its extensive collection of resume templates. With options available in various categories, you can easily find a template that matches your personal style and job requirements. Whether you prefer a sleek and modern design or something more traditional, Canva has got you covered.

All you have to do is select a template you like, input your information as prompted, and customise the colour scheme, fonts and layout to your liking. This makes the resume-building process quick and hassle-free.

Canva offers a free version with basic features, making it accessible to students on a budget. For those who want access to additional design features and premium templates, you can subscribe for US$14.99 per month.