A free alternative to Enhancv
Who wrote this: CVLoom — we compete with Enhancv, so read accordingly. Everything we say about them is deliberately conservative and checkable against their own site; everything we say about us is exact.
Enhancv's model is a timer. As of this writing the full product runs on a trial that expires into a subscription, and the free path that survives it stamps a watermark on your download — an advert for them, printed on your job application, at your expense.
What Enhancv does
Enhancv is a design-forward builder with an AI writer, a resume checker, and cover-letter tools. A time-limited trial opens everything; when it lapses, watermark-free downloads and the premium templates move behind a subscription (their pricing page has the current numbers).
Side by side
| Enhancv | CVLoom | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Trial-based; lasting free path adds a watermark | Permanent — the free version is the whole product |
| Watermark | On the free download | Never |
| Templates | Large designer catalogue | 585+, every one showing its measured ATS score |
| ATS checking | Built-in checker, fuller results on paid | Free, unlimited, all 30 rules published |
| AI features | AI writer on trial/paid | Free with a 5-run daily cap, stated plainly |
| Signup | Account required | None required to build or check |
| Price | Subscription after trial (see their pricing page) | Free; no paid tier exists |
Competitor details are as of this writing and simplified — pricing and tiers change; their site is the source of truth. Our column is exact.
What the subscription buys you
- •Removing the watermark. On the lasting free tier it stays on your download.
- •A large designer catalogue, some of it decorative in ways applicant-tracking software reads poorly — worth knowing before you pick one.
- •A deep library of samples and guides, bundled for as long as the subscription runs.
Where CVLoom fits
- ✓Free is permanent, not a countdown. Build, edit and export watermark-free today, and in a year, without a card on file.
- ✓585+ resume templates across 27 categories — software, freshers, teachers and tutors, creative, role-specific and general. Browse by who you are, not by scrolling.
- ✓Every template shows the score its own export earned from our 30-rule checker. 555 clear 90 and are certified; the designed ones display their lower number rather than hiding it. No other builder shows its working like this.
- ✓Depth where others put one file: ten teacher and tutor templates, seven certified with the flagships at 92–94, and a written teacher resume guide behind them.
- ✓The checker is free and unlimited with all 30 rules public — no 'unlock full report' step, because there is nothing to unlock.
- ✓No account, nothing stored from the checker, and the money question answered in plain words on /how-it-works.
The one-sentence version: CVLoom is a free ATS resume checker that publishes its full 30-rule checklist — you see every rule it scores you against, with no signup and nothing stored.
Common questions
Is Enhancv free?
There is a lasting free tier, but the download carries the Enhancv watermark and the template and feature set is limited; removing the watermark means paying. CVLoom exports watermark-free on the free tier, permanently — not a trial countdown.
Are CVLoom's templates as good?
Judge them yourself — every one is previewable and free to export, so this is a five-minute question rather than a debate. What we claim outright: 585+ designs across 27 categories, each showing the ATS score its own export earned. A resume that looks striking and parses badly has cost you the interview either way; we test for that and print the number.
Why is CVLoom free when Enhancv charges?
Because it is not a business. CVLoom is an independent project run at out-of-pocket cost — a small server, a domain, a capped AI allowance — with no investors to repay and no growth target to hit. The full mechanics are public at /how-it-works.
Can I import my Enhancv resume?
Yes — download your PDF from Enhancv (watermarked is fine) and upload it to CVLoom's import. It becomes fully editable in any template, and the watermark obviously doesn't carry over.
If you would rather pay to remove a watermark, that door stays open. Open ours first: 585+ templates, pick one, export it clean, and decide with the actual PDF in front of you.
585+ templates — each showing the ATS score it earned — a real PDF at the end, and a 30-rule check that shows you every rule. Free, no signup.
More comparisons
Enhancv is a trademark of its respective owner. CVLoom is not affiliated with or endorsed by Enhancv; the name is used only to identify the product being compared.