This is the detail page behind our Resume Genius alternative comparison. Everything below was read from resumegenius.com on September 3, 2026 and is linked to its source. If you only want the short version: the free tier downloads TXT only, and the $2.95 trial lasts 14 days and then renews at $23.95 every four weeks until cancelled.
Free account for downloads. No credit card. No watermark.
The numbers are spread across the pricing page, the FAQ, and the Terms of Use. Here they are in one place, as of September 2026.
Free Access, $0. The pricing page lists Resume Builder (TXT only), and the FAQ confirms that a PDF or Word download from the builder requires the $2.95 14-day trial (pricing, FAQ). Static Word and Google Docs templates, filled in by hand outside the builder, are free.
14-Day Trial, $2.95. Unlocks PDF, Word, and TXT downloads for resumes and cover letters, the AI (GPT-4) summary generator, the resume checker, a resume review, a digital resume, and US-only job board access. Then, in the pricing page's words: Auto renews after 14 days at $23.95 billed every four weeks. Four weeks is shorter than a calendar month, so charges land slightly more often than monthly (pricing).
Annual, $95.40. Shown as $7.95 per month, charged once for 12 months, auto renews annually. No lifetime plan is shown (pricing).
Refunds and cancellation. The pricing page promises a full refund if you ask within 14 days. The Terms of Use require you to contact customer service before the trial term ends, by phone, email, or live chat; after that the remaining subscription is not refundable. Cancellations take effect at the end of the paid term, after which you can view your documents but not download, print, or edit them (Terms of Use, cancellation FAQ).
Payment. Credit cards only; the pricing page says PayPal, Venmo, prepaid cards, and debit cards cannot be processed. Prices show a plain dollar sign with no currency label (pricing).
What reviewers say. Trustpilot shows a 4.6 TrustScore across 45,629 reviews, 83% five-star and 2% one-star. The five-star reviews praise ease of use, support, and templates, while the one-star reviews cluster around not realizing the trial would convert and being refused a refund after the window closed (Trustpilot, one-star filter). PissedConsumer scores it 1.2 of 5 from 16 reviews, including an April 2026 review about being billed monthly after signing up for the free plan (PissedConsumer).
SmoothApply is a free resume builder from a small independent team. You can build and customize in the browser without an account; a free account is needed to save to the cloud and to download. No credit card, no trial that converts.
The only paid feature is unlimited AI, including the conversational assistant panel: $2.95 for a 14-day trial, then $19.95 per month, cancel anytime from account settings. Details are on the pricing page and the free resume builder overview.
If you are on a paid plan, download your resume as PDF or Word now: as of September 2026, the Terms of Use say that once a cancellation takes effect you can only view your documents, not download or edit them (Terms of Use). If you never paid, the builder gives you a TXT file only (pricing). Save that; the words are what matter.
Open /resume-builder/?start=import and upload the PDF, DOCX, or a photo of the resume. If all you have is the TXT file, paste it into Word or Google Docs, save as DOCX, and import that. Or start from a job-specific example at /resume-builder/?start=examples and paste your bullet points over the sample text.
Choose any of the 93 templates, run the free ATS checker, and download as PDF or DOCX. A free account is required, with no card attached.
As of September 2026: log in, select the profile icon, click My Account, open My Subscription, and click Cancel Subscription (cancellation FAQ). For the 14-day refund, contact support before the trial term ends; cancelling alone does not trigger one (Terms of Use).
You want the extras in one paid plan. As of September 2026, the trial and annual plans list a resume review, a digital resume, and US-only job board access alongside the builder (pricing). If you want all of that under one login, the bundle may be worth $23.95 every four weeks to you.
You want to talk to someone on the phone. Resume Genius publishes a support number and live chat with weekday hours, and its five-star Trustpilot reviews often mention responsive support (contact, Trustpilot). SmoothApply is a small independent team, reached through the contact page.
You would rather fill in a Word file by hand. The Resume Genius FAQ says it offers 240+ free downloadable templates for Microsoft Word and Google Docs, filled out manually outside the builder (FAQ). That library needs no online editor at all.
SmoothApply is not affiliated with Resume Genius. Prices and policies were checked on September 3, 2026 from the linked sources and may change.
Comparing other builders? See the Zety alternative, Resume.io alternative, MyPerfectResume alternative, and LiveCareer alternative pages, or start at the free resume builder hub. Need your old PDF in Word? See convert a resume PDF to Word.
Free PDF and Word downloads, no watermark, no renewal to remember.