Is Zety Free?

What you can do for free, what you have to pay for, and what it costs.

Independent guide by Resume Star · Prices and steps checked October 2026

Short answer: partly. You can build and edit a resume in Zety for free, but the free plan only downloads a plain-text (TXT) file. To download a formatted PDF or Word resume, you need a paid plan: a 14-day trial for $1.95 that renews at $25.95 every 4 weeks, or $71.40 a year.

What's free and what isn't

You want to…	Free plan	Paid plan
Build and edit a resume	Yes	Yes
Download it as plain text (TXT)	Yes	Yes
Download a formatted PDF or Word file	No	Yes

A TXT file keeps your words but loses the layout: no columns, fonts, bold headings or design. It's fine for pasting into an online application form, but not for emailing to an employer, uploading as your resume, or printing for an interview. For those you need a PDF or Word file, and that's the part Zety charges for.

What Zety costs

Zety pricing, checked October 2026
Free plan download	TXT (plain text)
Trial	$1.95 for 14 days
After the trial	Renews automatically at $25.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel
Annual plan	$71.40 a year
First year if the trial is never cancelled	$339.30
Refunds	Zety says it gives a full refund if you ask within 7 days of buying, and may refund later purchases if you haven't downloaded anything.

The trial is the cheapest way in, but it's also the easiest way to pay more than you meant to. If you forget to cancel, the trial turns into $25.95 every 4 weeks, which is 13 charges a year. If you need a resume for a few months, the annual plan costs less than three renewals. If you've already been charged, see how to cancel Zety and ask for a refund.

How to get a free PDF resume

Copy your Zety text into a free builder that downloads PDFs. Download the TXT file from Zety and paste each section into a builder whose free plan includes PDF downloads. You keep all your writing.
Use a word processor. Paste the text into Google Docs or Word, format it yourself, and save it as a PDF. This is free but takes the longest.
Start from a resume written for your job. If you haven't written much yet, starting from a sample for your job is faster than a blank page.

A builder with free PDF downloads

Resume Star works differently. You don't need a card to start, so there's no trial and nothing to cancel.

Free PDF downloads, as often as you like. No watermark, in the Classic and Modern designs, whether or not you ever pay.
A resume already written for your job. Pick from more than 50 jobs, such as nurse, CNA, truck driver or cashier, and replace the sample details with your own.
Pay once, only if it helped. $14.99 to $29.99 depending on what you earn, one time. Never a subscription. Paying adds the premium designs and unlimited AI help with your wording.
Cover letter included at no extra cost.

Build my resume for free →

Frequently asked questions

Is Zety free to use?

You can build a resume for free, but downloading it as a PDF or Word file needs a paid plan. The free plan downloads plain text (TXT) only.

How much does Zety cost?

A 14-day trial costs $1.95 and renews automatically at $25.95 every 4 weeks. The annual plan is $71.40 a year. Prices checked October 2026.

Is the Zety trial free?

No. The trial costs $1.95 and asks for your card, and it renews into a paid subscription unless you cancel before it ends.

Does a Zety PDF have a watermark on the free plan?

The free plan doesn't download a PDF at all, only plain text. PDF and Word downloads come with the paid plans.

Is there a resume builder that is actually free?

Yes. Resume Star lets you download your resume as a PDF for free, as often as you like, with no watermark, trial or card. See what each resume builder costs.

Resume Star is not affiliated with Zety. Names are used only to identify the services. Prices are in US dollars, taken from each builder's pricing page and terms in October 2026, and can change, so check the builder's own site before you pay or cancel. Sources: zety.com/blog/how-to-cancel-zety-subscription, zety.com/blog/does-zety-refund-money.

Build your resume with Resume Star

Start from a sample written for your job, replace the details with your own, and download a polished PDF in minutes.

Templates written for your job. Real sample content for your role and experience level, not a blank page.
Download first, pay later. Unlimited PDF downloads for free. If Resume Star helped, pay a one-time fee. No subscription.
A clean, professional PDF. Formatted for you, so it looks right when you print it, email it or upload it to an application.
Cover letter included. Write a matching cover letter at no extra cost.
Works on any device. Start on your phone and finish on your computer. Your work is saved as you go.