PrettyResume vs LiveCareer (2026): Honest Comparison, Pricing, and Who Each One Is Actually For
PrettyResume and LiveCareer are two of the more widely used resume builders for US job seekers in 2026. The right choice depends on three things: pricing model preference, whether you need a resume scored against a specific job description, and how much you value a free plan that actually works.
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PrettyResume and LiveCareer are two of the more widely used resume builders available to US job seekers in 2026. The right choice between them comes down to three things: how you prefer to pay, whether you need a resume scored against a specific job description, and how much value you place on a free plan that actually works. This guide covers both tools honestly, including the pricing fine print that trips up a lot of LiveCareer users.
LiveCareer has real scale: 12 million CVs created, 348 templates, and over 19,000 Trustpilot reviews. Its subscription complaint pattern is documented and worth knowing about before you start a trial. PrettyResume's differentiation is a free plan that includes ATS score tracking against a specific job description and advanced AI writing assistance, with transparent terms before any trial converts to paid.
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What Is the Quick Comparison Between PrettyResume and LiveCareer?
Here is the summary before the details.
| Feature | PrettyResume | LiveCareer |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan real usefulness | Strong. Advanced AI writing + ATS score tracker included free | Limited. TXT download only; PDF requires paid plan |
| Entry price after free | Pro trial (disclosed upfront, elevates unless cancelled) | $2.95 for 14-day trial, then $23.95 every 4 weeks |
| ATS score vs. specific job description | Yes, included on free plan | No. ResumeCheck flags generic issues only |
| Cover letter generator | Pro tier | Included in builder (free + paid) |
| Template count | Curated library | 348 ATS-friendly templates |
| Auto-renewal disclosure | Explicitly disclosed upfront | Disclosed in terms; widely reported as unclear in practice |
| Cancellation friction | Low | Reported as difficult by a significant share of users |
| Customer support | Email: support@prettyresume.com | Phone and live chat available |
| Job search integration | Launched March 2026 | Not available |
How Does LiveCareer Pricing Work in 2026?
LiveCareer's pricing has two main paths, and the difference between them is significant.
The 14-day trial costs $2.95. If you do not cancel before the trial ends, it auto-renews at $23.95 billed every four weeks. Billed that way, the annual cost runs to approximately $311. The annual plan, if you choose it upfront, costs $5.95 per month, billed as $71.40 upfront. That is a meaningful savings, but it requires choosing the annual option intentionally.
| Plan | Price | Auto-renewal |
|---|---|---|
| 14-day Premium Trial | $2.95 | Yes, at $23.95 every 4 weeks |
| Annual Premium | $71.40 upfront ($5.95/mo) | Yes, annually |
| Resume Tune-Up (add-on) | $49.95 | One-time |
| Resume Review (add-on) | $19.95 | One-time |
| Human-written entry-level resume | $99.00 | One-time |
Source: LiveCareer pricing page
What Do LiveCareer Reviews Say About the Subscription?
LiveCareer has 19,301 reviews on Trustpilot, the largest review base of any resume builder. The overall rating is 4.1 stars. That is a real signal of a product many people find useful. The company also responds to 91% or more of its negative reviews, which is above average for the category.
The negative review cluster, however, centers on a specific pattern: users report being charged the $23.95 monthly rate for several months without realizing the $2.95 trial had ended and auto-renewed. Multiple reviewers describe being billed four or five times before noticing. Some describe the cancellation process as difficult.
This is not a fabricated complaint. It shows up consistently across review periods. If you use LiveCareer, set a calendar reminder before the trial ends.
Source: Trustpilot reviews for LiveCareer
How Does PrettyResume Pricing Compare?
PrettyResume's free plan includes advanced AI writing assistance and the ATS score tracker. There is no credit card required to access those features. The Pro tier adds the cover letter generator. PrettyResume offers a free trial that elevates to Pro unless cancelled, and this is disclosed explicitly before the trial begins.
What Features Actually Matter for a Job Search in 2026?
Does LiveCareer Have ATS Scoring Against a Job Description?
No. LiveCareer's ResumeCheck tool flags common formatting and content issues. It checks whether your resume has standard sections, readable fonts, and appropriate length. That is useful. But it does not compare your resume against a specific job posting and score the keyword match.
PrettyResume's free plan includes that job-description-specific ATS score. The practical difference: if you are applying to a supply chain role that uses the phrase "demand planning" throughout, a job-specific ATS score tells you whether that phrase appears in your resume and how your overall match looks. Generic formatting checks do not tell you that.
Is the "75% ATS Rejection" Statistic Real?
This figure appears on multiple resume builder websites, including some competitors. It is not real. A 2026 analysis by ResumeAdapter traced the statistic to Preptel, a company that closed in 2013 and published no methodology before doing so. The claim has been repeated so many times that it reads like established fact.
The actual mechanism is different. ATS software ranks and sorts resumes. A hiring manager typically sees the top-ranked results. The goal is not to "pass" the ATS. The goal is to rank high enough to be seen. That distinction matters because keyword matching, not formatting tricks, determines ranking.
How Does AI Writing Assistance Work in Each Tool?
Both tools offer AI writing assistance. LiveCareer provides AI-generated bullet point suggestions organized by job title and industry, which reduces the blank-page problem significantly. PrettyResume's free plan includes advanced AI writing assistance for the same purpose.
One thing worth knowing: 67% of US HR leaders report that AI-generated applications are slowing their hiring process, with 20% citing delays of more than two weeks, per Robert Half's March 2026 survey. An additional 65% of hiring managers say AI-written resumes are harder to verify. AI assistance works best as an editing and sharpening tool, not as a ghostwriter. Both platforms are built around that model when used as intended.
What About Cover Letters?
LiveCareer includes a cover letter builder in both the free and paid tiers. Templates are matched to the resume design, which is a genuine strength. PrettyResume's cover letter generator is a Pro feature.
If cover letters are a priority and you do not plan to upgrade, LiveCareer has an advantage here.
What Is the Job Search Integration in PrettyResume?
PrettyResume launched job search integration in March 2026. This connects the resume builder to job listings directly, so you can run an ATS score against a real posting without copying and pasting job descriptions manually. LiveCareer does not offer this.
How Does LiveCareer's Template Library Compare?
LiveCareer has 348 ATS-friendly templates. That is a genuine competitive strength and not something to minimize. For a job seeker who wants to browse extensively or has specific design preferences, that breadth is useful. The templates are consistently described in reviews as professional and easy to customize.
Source: LiveCareer resume templates
PrettyResume offers a curated library. The tradeoff is quality curation versus volume of selection. If the number of template options is the most important factor in your decision, LiveCareer wins that comparison.
What Do LiveCareer's Reviews Actually Show?
| Platform | Rating | Review count |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.1 | 19,301 |
Positive reviews focus on ease of use, fast document creation, template quality, and professional-looking output. Many users report producing a polished resume in under an hour.
Negative reviews, as noted above, cluster around the auto-renewal issue. The complaints are specific: users expected a one-time $2.95 charge, did not cancel in time, and were billed monthly for several months without intending to maintain a subscription. There is also a noted absence of a one-time payment option, which many users request.
LiveCareer's customer service team does respond to these complaints on Trustpilot, often offering resolutions. The response rate is notable.
Source: Trustpilot LiveCareer reviews
What Support Does Each Tool Offer?
PrettyResume offers email support at support@prettyresume.com. That is the only channel available. There is no live chat or phone option. If real-time chat or phone support is important to you, LiveCareer offers both, and that is a meaningful practical difference for users who prefer immediate help or who anticipate needing to resolve billing questions quickly.
Who Is LiveCareer Genuinely Best For?
- Job seekers who want to browse a large template library and find a design they like before building
- Fast-builders who want AI-assisted content suggestions to fill in their resume quickly
- People who are comfortable with a subscription model and will set a reminder to cancel or review the renewal date
- Users who need a cover letter that visually matches their resume, without paying for a separate tier
Who Is PrettyResume Genuinely Best For?
- Job seekers who want to score their resume against a specific job description without paying anything
- Applicants who are applying to multiple positions and need to iterate their resume per role, using real ATS data to guide each edit
- Users who want to know exactly what they are agreeing to before a trial converts to a paid plan
- Anyone who wants job search integration in the same tool they used to build the resume
What Is the Bottom Line Between PrettyResume and LiveCareer?
If you want the largest template library and a built-in cover letter tool and you are comfortable monitoring a subscription renewal, LiveCareer at $71.40 per year is a well-regarded product with millions of users and a strong track record.
If you want to iterate your resume against actual job descriptions using a free ATS score tool, with no subscription friction and explicit terms before any trial converts, PrettyResume's free plan is the lower-risk starting point. You can test the ATS score loop at no cost, then decide whether the Pro cover letter generator is worth it.
The free plan at PrettyResume requires no payment information to access the ATS score tracker and AI writing assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LiveCareer free to use?
LiveCareer offers a free tier that includes the resume and cover letter builder with AI content suggestions. However, the free plan only allows TXT file download. PDF and Word downloads require a paid plan. The 14-day trial costs $2.95 and includes PDF download, but auto-renews at $23.95 every four weeks if not cancelled. Source: LiveCareer pricing.
Does LiveCareer have ATS scoring?
LiveCareer's ResumeCheck tool checks your resume for common formatting and content issues. It does not score your resume against a specific job description or measure keyword match against a particular posting. Tools that offer job-description-specific scoring include PrettyResume (free plan) and Jobscan.
What happens if you don't cancel the LiveCareer trial?
The $2.95 trial auto-renews at $23.95 billed every four weeks, which comes to approximately $311 per year if left active. A large share of negative reviews on Trustpilot cite this specific issue. Set a calendar reminder before day 14 if you do not intend to continue.
Does PrettyResume have a free plan?
Yes. PrettyResume's free plan includes advanced AI writing assistance and the ATS score tracker against a specific job description. The cover letter generator is available on the Pro tier. Any trial that elevates to Pro is disclosed before it begins.
How many templates does LiveCareer have?
LiveCareer offers 348 ATS-friendly resume templates as of 2026. Source: LiveCareer templates. This is one of the largest template libraries of any resume builder currently available.
Is the "75% ATS rejection" statistic accurate?
No. This widely cited figure traces back to Preptel, a company that closed in 2013 and published no methodology. A 2026 analysis by ResumeAdapter identified the fabricated origin. ATS software ranks resumes by relevance. The goal is to rank high enough to be seen, which depends on keyword matching, not passing a rejection threshold.
Support contact: support@prettyresume.com