Is Resume Genius Free? What You Actually Pay in 2026

You picked a template, filled in every section, and clicked Download. Then Resume Genius asked for a credit card. If you're wondering whether you missed a free button somewhere, you didn't.

Resume Genius is free to build with, but not free to download as a PDF or Word file. You can create a resume in the builder and download it as a plain text (TXT) file without paying. A formatted PDF or Word download from the builder needs a paid plan: $2.95 for a 14-day trial that auto-renews at $23.95 every four weeks, or an annual plan at $95.40 a year.

Prices and policies below come from Resume Genius's own pricing page, its Terms of Use (updated September 9, 2026) and its help center, all checked on October 1, 2026. Prices change, so read the line under the checkout button before you pay.

What's free vs what's paid on Resume Genius

Feature	Free Access ($0)	Paid (trial or annual)
Resume builder	Yes, TXT download only	PDF, Word and TXT downloads
Cover letter builder	PDF, Word and TXT (per the pricing page)	PDF, Word and TXT
Resume and cover letter templates (Word, Google Docs)	Yes	Yes
AI summary generator	Yes	Yes
Resume checker and resume review	Yes	Yes
Digital resume	Yes	Yes
Job board access (US only)	Yes	Yes

The paywall is narrow: it is the formatted resume download from the builder. Everything else in the table is free. One caveat: the cover letter row conflicts with a help center answer saying Word and PDF cover letter downloads need a subscription, so test it before you rely on it.

Resume Genius pricing in 2026: trial, renewal and annual plan

Resume Genius has two paid options and no plain month-to-month plan:

14-day trial: $2.95. Full access, including PDF and Word downloads. In the pricing page's words, it "auto renews after 14 days at $23.95 billed every four weeks."
Annual plan: $95.40 paid once for 12 months, just under $8 a month. It "auto renews annually."

Four weeks is not a month. A charge every 28 days means 13 charges a year, not 12, so the four-week plan effectively costs about $25.95 a month (13 × $23.95 ÷ 12).

The terms confirm that periodic charges "are charged in advance and shall be subject to automatic renewal," with no "prior authorization in each instance." One catch: Resume Genius's own FAQ on cost says the trial renews into the $95.40 annual plan, contradicting the pricing page. The terms shown at checkout are the ones you agree to, so screenshot them.

What Resume Genius costs if you forget to cancel

Say you start the trial on day 1 and never cancel. The first $23.95 lands on day 15, then every 28 days after that: days 43, 71, 99 and so on.

If you forget for...	Charges	Arithmetic	Total
Under 14 days (cancel in the trial)	Trial only	$2.95	$2.95
1 month (day 30)	Trial + 1 renewal	$2.95 + $23.95	$26.90
3 months (day 90)	Trial + 3 renewals (days 15, 43, 71)	$2.95 + (3 × $23.95)	$74.80
12 months	Trial + 13 renewals	$2.95 + (13 × $23.95)	$314.30
Annual plan instead	One charge	$95.40	$95.40

The four-week plan passes the annual price at the fourth renewal, on day 99, when your total reaches $98.75. Need it for two weeks? The trial is cheapest, if you cancel before day 15. Searching past three months? The annual plan costs less. Our resume builder cost comparison puts numbers like these next to other builders.

What Resume Genius does well

Fair is fair. Here is what Resume Genius gets right:

Useful free tools. The AI summary generator, resume checker, resume review and job board access are all listed under Free Access.
Free templates with no strings. Its free template page offers Word and Google Docs downloads and says "the download starts immediately."
A 14-day money-back guarantee on the pricing page, with caveats covered below.

If the pricing model bothers you more than the product does, our best Resume Genius alternatives guide compares the field.

How to cancel Resume Genius

Resume Genius's cancellation FAQ gives these steps:

Log in to your Resume Genius account.
Click the profile icon in the upper-left corner, then My Account.
Select My Subscription at the top of the window.
Click Cancel Subscription and follow the instructions.

You can also call (866) 215-9048 (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm EDT, per the terms) or email support@resumegenius.com.

Three lines in the Terms of Use matter most:

Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You keep access until then.
After that, your documents become view only. You "will not be able to download, print or edit them," so download PDF and Word copies before the period ends.
Refunds are discretionary and tied to the trial. The pricing page promises a full refund within 14 days. The terms say Resume Genius "may provide a full refund to customers who are still within their 14-day subscription term," and that you must contact support "prior to the end of their trial subscription term" by phone, email or live chat. The rest of a subscription "is not refundable."

In practice: ask for a refund during the trial, not after the first $23.95. The same playbook works for other trial-based builders, as our guide on how to cancel MyPerfectResume shows.

Genuinely free ways to get a PDF resume

Resume Genius's own free route. Its help center describes it: build your resume, download it as Text, then paste it into one of its free Word or Google Docs templates and export that as a PDF.
Google Docs. Click Template Gallery at the top right and pick a resume template (Google's template help). When it's ready, use File, then Download, or File, then Print with Save as PDF as the destination (Google's download help).
Indeed. Indeed calls itself "a free search, apply, and interview tool" (Indeed Help Center), and its resume FAQ shows how to download your Indeed resume as a PDF from the Resume options menu. Expect plainer designs.

Whichever route you take, paste your resume and the job posting into our free keyword matcher (no account needed) to catch missing keywords. For builders with AI help on a free plan, see our free AI resume builder alternatives.

Where ResumeFast fits

Disclosure: ResumeFast is our product, and we also charge for PDF downloads. Building is free, including unlimited resumes and cover letters and a plain-text (.txt) download. PDF and Word come with Pro at $6.95 a month, charged at checkout, with no trial, the same price every month. Cancel anytime from the billing page, and we refund in full if you ask within 7 days of a charge. Our refund window is shorter than Resume Genius's 14 days, but there is no renewal price to discover later. For how Zety handles the same question, see is Zety free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I download my Resume Genius resume for free?

Only as a plain text (TXT) file from the builder. PDF and Word downloads from the builder need the $2.95 trial or the annual plan. Or paste your text into one of its free Word or Google Docs templates and export a PDF yourself.

How much does Resume Genius cost after the trial?

The pricing page says the $2.95 trial auto-renews after 14 days at $23.95 billed every four weeks. That is 13 charges a year, about $25.95 a month on average. The annual plan is $95.40 a year and also auto-renews.

Can I get a refund from Resume Genius?

The pricing page advertises a 14-day money-back guarantee. The terms of use say Resume Genius may provide a full refund within the 14-day subscription term if you contact support by phone, email or live chat before the trial ends. Ask during the trial, not after a renewal.

How do I cancel Resume Genius?

Log in, click the profile icon, choose My Account, then My Subscription, then Cancel Subscription. You can also call (866) 215-9048 on weekdays or email support@resumegenius.com. Documents become view only when the billing period ends, so download your files first.

Comparing your options? See what builders cost over a real job search in our resume builder cost comparison, or build your resume free with ResumeFast and pay $6.95 a month only when you want the PDF.