Free CV builder
Build a free CV — no sign-up, no watermark
Start from scratch, import your LinkedIn, or upload an existing CV. Edit in 12 European languages. The builder, every template, and every layout tool is free forever.
Free to build · €9 once for PDF · €12/mo PRO unlocks AI
How we compare to the other free CV builders
Most "free CV makers" aren't really free — they watermark your PDF, lock features behind email-walls, or trial-bait you. Here's the honest version.
| Builder | Really free? | Watermark | Email required | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | Yes | No | Yes | Free PDF in some templates; others require paid plan |
| NovoResume | Trial | Yes | Yes | PDF blocked behind paid plan |
| Resume.com | Yes | No | Yes | Free PDF but email + account required |
| Zety | Trial | No | Yes | 14-day $2.70 trial that auto-renews at ~$24/mo |
| MyPerfectResume | Trial | No | Yes | Similar trial-bait pricing to Zety |
| TakeMeUp.cv | Yes | No | No | €9 once or €79/yr PRO; honest pricing, no trial-bait |
Free CV builder — common questions
Is TakeMeUp.cv really free?
Yes — building, editing, and saving your CV is free, and you can start with no sign-up. We charge €9 once to download your CV as a PDF, or €12/month (or €79/year) for PRO which unlocks every AI feature plus 20 PDF downloads per month. No watermarks, no email-wall, no surprise upsells mid-flow.
What's free, and what costs money?
Free forever: the CV builder, all 9 templates, importing from LinkedIn/Word/PDF, the full ATS report, the recruiter 6-second test, the GDPR check, the achievement amplifier, the photo background remover, CV-to-YAML export, the job tracker, recruiter discovery, and the first Roast of the day. Paid: the PDF download (€9 one-shot) and the AI features — Rewrite, Cover Letter, Career GPS, Aging Detector, Interview Prep, Translate, Market Pulse — plus Europass, share link, QR and stealth, all in the €12/month PRO plan.
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. You can build your entire CV without entering payment details, an email address, or even an account. We only ask for payment if you decide to download as PDF or subscribe to PRO. The free tier isn't a 7-day trial — it's permanent.
Will my CV have a watermark?
No. We don't put watermarks on your CV — ever. Many free CV builders stamp "Made with X" across your PDF; we don't. When you pay for a download, you get the clean file you saw in the preview.
Is it free if I'm based outside the EU?
Yes. The free tier works for any country. The site is in 12 European languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, Czech, Hungarian, Swedish) and the template defaults adapt — but anyone, anywhere, can build a CV for free.
How does this compare to Canva, NovoResume, or Resume.com?
Honestly: those tools have larger template libraries; we have honest free pricing, no watermarks, locale-aware defaults (photos optional in UK/Ireland, mandatory format hints for Continental Europe), and a free Europass export that none of them ship. If you want a creative one-off CV, Canva wins. If you want a recruiter-ready CV that survives an ATS, we're built for that.