Is Resume Genius free? Here is where payment starts

Everything below comes from Resume Genius's own pricing page, FAQ, terms of use and contact page, read on October 3, 2026. Prices change, so check the checkout page before you pay.

What you can do on Resume Genius without paying

Its FAQ answers the question directly: "No, Resume Genius is not free. However, you can use our online resume builder to make a resume and then download it as a text file without paying anything."

Free, by Resume Genius's own pages	Part of a paid plan, by its pricing page and FAQ
The resume builder, with a .txt download ("Resume Builder (TXT only)")	Resume builder downloads as PDF and Word ("PDF, Word, TXT")
The cover letter builder, with PDF, Word and .txt downloads	"Premium Resume Templates"
Resume and cover letter templates to download for Word and Google Docs

Its FAQ also says it offers "240+ free downloadable resume templates for Microsoft Word and Google Docs that you can fill out manually." The pricing page lists an AI summary generator, a resume checker and job board access (US only) on the free plan too.

A .txt file has no layout. If you want the resume you built in its builder as a designed PDF or Word file, its FAQ says "you'll need to sign up for an account and pay $2.95 for a 14-day trial period."

Where payment starts, as of October 3, 2026

Plan on the pricing page	First charge	Then
14-day Trial Plan	$2.95	"Auto renews after 14 days at $23.95 billed every four weeks."
Annual Plan	$95.40 ("$7.95/ Month")	"One time payment of $95.40 for 12 month access. Auto renews annually."

Three things worth knowing before you choose:

• Every four weeks is not monthly. A year has 13 four-week periods, so if the trial renews and you never cancel, that is 13 charges of $23.95 a year, or $311.35 (our arithmetic from the listed price).
• Its own pages do not all show the same renewal. Its FAQ on cost says the trial "renews at $7.95 per month (billed annually at $95.40)". The pricing page says it auto renews at $23.95 billed every four weeks. Its terms say "You agree to pay all charges that are displayed at the time of purchase", so the checkout screen you see is the one that counts.
• Payment methods. The pricing page says it "can only accept credit cards as a payment method" and not debit cards or PayPal. Its terms say charges are paid "via credit or debit card, or other means agreed", and its contact page lists a PayPal statement name. Check what checkout accepts.

Resume Genius vs ResumeGood

Resume Genius's column comes from its pricing page, FAQ and terms, read October 3, 2026.

	Resume Genius	ResumeGood
Build a resume	Free in its builder	Build free
Download as PDF	Paid plan	PDF download free with a free account
Download as Word	Paid plan	Not offered (PDF only)
Account needed to download	Not for the .txt file; an account and a paid plan for PDF or Word	Yes, a free account
Card needed	Not for the .txt file; a credit card for paid plans	No card
Price	$2.95 for 14 days, then $23.95 every four weeks; $95.40 a year	Building, editing and downloading are free, with an optional AI rewrite by Jobician for $2.99
Renewal	Trial "Auto renews after 14 days at $23.95 billed every four weeks"; annual "Auto renews annually"	No subscription to renew
How to cancel	My Account, then My Subscription, then Cancel Subscription; or phone, email or chat	Nothing to cancel

Is Resume Genius legit?

What can be checked from its own pages:

• Who runs it. Its terms are an agreement with Sonaga Tech Limited, Hamilton, Zweigniederlassung Luzern, Switzerland, and give its address as Hertensteinstrasse 51, 6004 Luzern. They add: "When applicable, Tripod Jet, LLC may additionally act in our contract as a merchant of record."
• It is a real paid subscription. Its terms say "Charges incurred on a periodic basis are charged in advance and shall be subject to automatic renewal", and that you consent to recurring charges "until such time as you cancel the applicable order."
• How charges appear. Its contact page lists, among others, ResumeGenius.com, STL*ResumeGenius and PayPal *RGENIUS. The full list is in the questions below.
• Cancelling. Its terms say "You may cancel your subscription at any time without additional charges", taking effect "at the end of the current billing period". The full steps are in how to cancel Resume Genius.

Its terms also say it runs A/B tests that "may include different prices, offers, designs and tools", so the price you see may differ from the one on this page.

Some customers report being charged after the trial, or trouble getting a refund; you can read their accounts on Trustpilot.

What Resume Genius does well

To be fair to it: the builder and the .txt download cost nothing, its cover letter builder downloads PDF and Word on the free plan, and its FAQ lists "240+ free downloadable resume templates" for Word and Google Docs. Paid plans give you Word as well as PDF, which some application portals ask for. Its pricing page lists a 14-Day Money Back Guarantee, and its contact page lists phone, email and live chat support on weekdays.

If you only need one resume

If you decide to pay for the 14-day trial to get one designed PDF or Word file:

1. Write down the day you signed up. Day 14 is when it renews at $23.95.
2. Finish and download everything you need first. Its terms say that once your subscription is cancelled, "you will only be able to view your documents and you will not be able to download, print or edit them."
3. Cancel before the 14 days are up, and keep proof of the cancellation.

If a PDF is all you want, ResumeGood lets you build, edit and download one free; the download needs a free account.