Zety is one of the most popular resume builders. It's also one of the most expensive, once you get past the trial. Here's how it compares to PickedCV.
This is where the difference is starkest. Zety uses a low-cost trial that auto-renews at a higher recurring rate. Check their current pricing page before signing up — the total annual cost is typically several times higher than the trial price suggests.
PickedCV has no watermarks on any plan, ever. Pro is $59/year flat, a fraction of Zety's recurring cost.
| Feature | PickedCV | Zety |
|---|---|---|
| No watermarks | Yes, on all plans | No, watermarked on free |
| True annual cost | $0 – $59 | Recurring — check current pricing |
| Trial traps | None | Low-cost trial, auto-renews at higher rate |
| Templates | 40 (6 free) | 20+ (all paywalled) |
| Languages | 30 with non-Latin scripts | English-first |
| Europass template | Yes | No |
| AI features | Claude (Anthropic) | GPT-based |
| AI Act compliance | Yes, labeled per Art. 50 | Not disclosed |
| Cover letter | Free + AI-assisted | Paywalled |
| Data used for training | Never | OpenAI default policy |
Zety has more templates, but every single one requires a paid subscription to download. PickedCV lets you build and preview on any of 6 templates for free, with 34 more on Pro.
PickedCV supports 30 languages with full non-Latin script rendering: Japanese, Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Hindi. Zety is primarily English with limited localization.
Both offer AI-powered suggestions. PickedCV uses Claude by Anthropic; Zety uses OpenAI. PickedCV labels all AI-generated content per the EU AI Act Article 50 and explicitly prohibits using your data for model training.
If you want a resume builder that's actually free, PickedCV is the better choice. If you want to pay, PickedCV Pro at $59/year gives you everything Zety offers, at a transparent flat price with no trial traps.
Try PickedCV, Free, No Watermark →