Comparison

Free Zety Alternative: EZProCV vs Zety (2026)

By EZProCV Editorial Team · Updated

If you've built a resume on Zety and pressed download, you may have noticed that the free plan saves a plain-text file, not the designed PDF you saw in the preview. That's the most common reason people look for a Zety alternative. This page compares Zety and EZProCV feature by feature, using what Zety publishes on its own website as of 18 October 2026.

We make EZProCV, so we've held ourselves to a strict standard: every Zety detail below comes from a Zety page listed in the sources, and we say plainly where Zety is the better tool. Zety offers AI writing help, a resume checker and job matching. EZProCV doesn't. What EZProCV does offer is a free resume builder and cover letter builder with ATS-friendly templates and a text-based PDF download.

Try EZProCV freeSee the comparison

Quick answer: EZProCV is a free Zety alternative for people who want a formatted PDF resume without a subscription. Zety's free plan downloads plain text (TXT) only. PDF and Word downloads need Pro: a $1.95 14-day trial that auto-renews at $25.95 every 4 weeks. Zety is stronger on AI writing help and its built-in resume check. EZProCV has neither, but building and downloading a text-based PDF is free.

EZProCV vs Zety: side-by-side

Zety details checked on Zety's own website on October 18, 2026. Plans change — confirm current terms on their site.

FeatureEZProCVZety
Free PDF downloadYes, a text-based PDFNo. The free Basic plan downloads TXT only
Watermark on free planNoNot applicable: free downloads are plain text with no design
Free plan limitsFree to build and downloadUnlimited resumes, edits, prints and TXT downloads; PDF and Word need Pro
Price after trial / renewalNo trial or plan needed to download$1.95 for 14 days, then auto-renews at $25.95 every 4 weeks; annual plan $71.40, auto-renews yearly
Download formatsText-based PDFPro: PDF, Word and TXT. Basic: TXT
AI writing helpNoYes: AI-powered and expert-written content suggestions
ATS / resume checkerNoYes: Resume Check that "can identify 30+ issues", listed on every plan
Cover letter builderYes, with cover letter templatesYes, on every plan
Resume templatesATS-friendly templates (see the gallery)"18+ templates" (pricing page)
Import an existing resumeYes, PDF or DOCXYes, "Import Existing Resume"
Gulf fields (photo, nationality, visa status, notice period)Yes, optionalNo dedicated fields advertised on the pages we checked
Other languagesNo translation featureSeparate sites in German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Brazilian Portuguese
Share linkYesYes, through a Bold Profile you choose to publish
Job-search toolsNoneInstant job matches and a Bold.Pro profile

Pricing compared

EZProCV

Free. Build a resume and a cover letter, then download a text-based PDF at no cost. There's no trial to start and no watermark on the file, so there is nothing to cancel when your job search ends.

Zety

Basic: free. Build, edit and print without limit, but downloads are TXT only. Pro: $1.95 for a 14-day trial, then it auto-renews at $25.95 billed every 4 weeks (cancel anytime). Annual: $71.40 paid at once (shown as $5.95 a month), auto-renewing each year. Paid plans download PDF, Word and TXT. Zety's FAQ says a full refund is available if you ask by email within 7 days of purchase. Prices were shown to us in US dollars; confirm yours at checkout.

Where Zety is stronger

  • AI writing help. Zety offers AI-powered and expert-written phrases tailored to your target role, which you can add with a click and then edit. EZProCV has no AI writing or suggestions, so you write every line yourself.
  • A built-in resume check. Zety's pricing page lists a Resume Check with "tools that can identify 30+ issues" on every plan, including the free one. EZProCV has no ATS checker or resume scanner.
  • More file formats. Paid Zety plans download PDF, Word and TXT. EZProCV downloads a text-based PDF only, so if a portal insists on a Word file, Zety Pro can produce one.
  • Job-search extras. Instant job matches and a Bold.Pro professional profile come with Zety's plans. EZProCV is a document builder and has no job board.
  • Other languages. Zety runs localized sites in German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Brazilian Portuguese.

Where EZProCV is stronger

  • A free, formatted PDF. EZProCV lets you download a text-based PDF without paying. Zety's free plan stops at a plain-text file.
  • No renewal to remember. You don't start a trial to download from EZProCV, so there's no $25.95 charge every 4 weeks to cancel.
  • Gulf-ready fields. Optional photo, nationality, visa status and notice period fields help with applications in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the rest of the Gulf.
  • Import, preview, share. Bring in an existing PDF or DOCX resume, edit it with a live preview that matches the downloaded file, and send it as a link when an attachment isn't needed.

Who should choose Zety, and who should choose EZProCV?

Zety is the better fit if you

  • want AI suggestions to help write your summary and bullet points
  • would like an automated check for common resume problems before you apply
  • need a Word file as well as a PDF
  • are comfortable starting a trial and cancelling it, or paying every 4 weeks while you search

EZProCV is the better fit if you

  • already know what you want to say and need a clean, ATS-friendly layout
  • want a formatted PDF without starting a trial
  • are applying in the Gulf and need fields such as nationality, visa status and notice period
  • are a student, a first-time applicant or between jobs, and a recurring charge isn't realistic

Whichever tool you use, read every suggested phrase before you send your resume. Recruiters ask about what's on the page, and a line you can't explain in an interview does more harm than good.

How to switch from Zety to EZProCV

  1. Save your content from Zety. On the free plan, Zety's FAQ says you can download your resume as plain text from the Download tab. On a paid plan you can download a PDF or Word file instead.
  2. Import or paste it into EZProCV. EZProCV imports PDF and DOCX files. If you only have the TXT file, open it and paste each section into the CV maker.
  3. Choose a template and check the preview. Pick one of the ATS-friendly templates, adjust fonts, colors and spacing, and use the live preview to see exactly what the PDF will look like.
  4. Rebuild your cover letter. Paste your letter into the cover letter builder and use the same fonts and colors as your resume.
  5. Cancel the Zety trial if you started one. Zety's FAQ says you can cancel in your account settings or through customer support. Do it before day 14 if you don't want the $25.95 renewal.

After importing, check dates, bullet points and special characters line by line. Imports are a starting point, not a final draft.

Templates, file formats and ATS: what actually matters

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is the software employers use to collect, store and search applications. What helps most is a file whose text the software can read: real text rather than an image, standard section headings and a simple reading order.

Both tools offer ATS-friendly templates. Zety's paid PDF and Word files are formatted documents. Its free TXT file is readable by any system but carries no design, so you would need to lay it out yourself before a person sees it. EZProCV's free download is a text-based PDF, so the same file works for the ATS and for the recruiter who opens it.

If an employer's portal specifically asks for a Word document, Zety Pro can produce one and EZProCV can't. For most online applications a text-based PDF is accepted. Our guide to making a resume ATS-friendly covers headings, fonts and how to test your file before you apply.

Verdict

Zety is the stronger product if you want AI writing help, an automated resume check and Word downloads, and you're happy to pay $25.95 every 4 weeks after the $1.95 trial, or $71.40 a year. If you mainly need a clean, ATS-friendly resume as a formatted PDF without a subscription, EZProCV is the better-value Zety alternative: build and download for free, import your old file, share it with a link and add Gulf fields when you need them. If you write your own content, you may not need to pay for AI help at all.

Frequently asked questions

Partly. Zety's Basic plan is free and lets you build, edit and print resumes and cover letters, but its pricing page says free downloads are TXT only. PDF and Word downloads need Pro, which starts with a $1.95 trial for 14 days and then auto-renews at $25.95 every 4 weeks unless you cancel.
Yes. EZProCV is free to build and download, and the file is a text-based PDF that applicant tracking systems can read. You don't need to start a trial to get it. You can also share your resume as a link when an employer or recruiter is happy to receive one.
No. EZProCV has no AI writing or AI suggestions, so you write and edit every line yourself. If AI drafting matters to you, Zety is the better fit. If you prefer to write your own content, EZProCV gives you ATS-friendly templates, a live preview and a free PDF download.
Yes. EZProCV imports PDF and DOCX files, so on a paid Zety plan you can download a PDF or Word file and import it. On the free plan you'll have a TXT file instead; open it and paste each section into EZProCV. Check dates and bullet formatting afterwards.
Zety's pricing page says the $1.95 trial auto-renews at $25.95 every 4 weeks after 14 days. Its FAQ says you can cancel from your account settings or by contacting support, and that a full refund is available if you ask within 7 days of purchase. Cancel before day 14 if you don't want to continue.
For Gulf applications, EZProCV has optional fields for a photo, nationality, visa status and notice period. We didn't find dedicated fields for these on the Zety pages we checked. Our UAE resume format guide explains which personal details to include and how to lay them out.

Other comparisons

Sources

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