Zety is an online résumé and cover-letter builder with a large library of templates and content prompts. It's genuinely good at quick, guided formatting and a professional-looking result.
What Zety does well
- A big library of polished, professional templates
- Guided, quick formatting with content prompts
- A well-established, widely-used product
Why people look for a Zety alternative
- It's free to build but paid to download — you generally need a paid plan to export as PDF or Word (plain text is free), which surprises many people at the final step.
- It's a résumé builder — no interview practice or support through the search.
- It's a global product rather than UK-focused.
Side by side
| Feature | Career Agenting System | Zety |
|---|---|---|
| Free to download your CV | Yes — free to start, no sign-up | No — download needs a paid plan (from about $1.95 at review) |
| Built for the UK | Yes | Global |
| CV building | Yes (Wren) | Yes — a strength |
| Decodes the advert & tailors your application | Yes (Scout) | Content suggestions; limited advert tailoring |
| Mock interview practice | Yes (Ace) | No |
| Support through rejection & waiting | Yes (Juno) | No |
| Library of designed templates | No — it writes & tailors content | Yes — a strength |
Reviewed August 2026 — providers change their features and pricing, so check each provider's own website for the latest.
The honest bit: If your priority is a big library of beautifully designed templates with one-click PDF export, Zety does that very well and may suit you better. Career Agenting System is free, tailors your content to the advert, and adds interview practice and support — but it isn't a template design studio.
Your career team, free to start
Wren, Scout, Ace, Juno and Cedar help you build your CV, decode job adverts, prepare for interviews, and stay steady through the ups and downs — free to start, no sign-up.
Try it free →Free to start, no card · one-off Week Pass £9.99 when you need more
Frequently asked questions
Is Zety free?
Zety is free to build a CV, but downloading it as a PDF or Word file generally needs a paid plan (plain-text download is free). Check Zety's site for current pricing.
What is a good free alternative to Zety?
Career Agenting System is free to start with no sign-up and no download paywall. It builds and tailors your CV and adds application, interview and support help — though it doesn't offer Zety's designed templates.
Why do people look for a Zety alternative?
Most commonly because they reach the download step and find they need to pay. Some also want interview help or UK-specific guidance, which a résumé builder doesn't provide.
Written and reviewed by the Career Agenting System team at Culture & Clarity Limited · Last reviewed August 2026 · Our editorial standards