COMPARISON
Applystead vs Kickresume: a Kickresume alternative compared
Kickresume Premium prices, templates, AI writer and ATS checker, checked on Kickresume's own pages, next to Applystead's free tailoring and application help.
Applystead publishes this page and competes with Kickresume. Facts about Kickresume come from its own public pages, cited in the table and under Sources; prices and features change, so check its site before you decide. How we write comparisons.
Summary
Kickresume and Applystead both help you write a resume and fit it to a job. Kickresume centers on designed templates, AI writing and a resume checker; Applystead centers on tailoring to a job description and, on its paid plans, help with the applications themselves.
Kickresume has a free plan with 4 basic resume templates and unlimited downloads. Kickresume Premium is listed at $24 a month, $54 every 3 months or $96 every 12 months, and adds 40+ templates, the AI Writer, the ATS Resume Checker, iOS and Android apps and personal website templates. If you mainly want polished documents, Premium costs far less than either Applystead paid plan.
Applystead's free account includes 20 resume templates, AI tailoring to a job description 10 times a day and a browser-based ATS checker with no limit. Its paid plans are a different kind of product: Standard prepares applications you review one at a time, and Premium applies automatically only after your separate approval.
We make Applystead, so read this page with that in mind. Every Kickresume fact below comes from Kickresume's own public pages, checked on the date shown, and links to the page it came from.
Which should you choose?
Choose Applystead if
- You want AI tailoring to a job description at no cost: 10 a day with a free account, plus 5 shared free AI generations a day with no account.
- You want an ATS resume checker and a keyword checker that run in your browser for free with no limit.
- You want someone to prepare applications for you to review (Standard), or to apply automatically after you approve it (Premium).
Choose Kickresume if
- You want 40+ designed resume templates with matching cover letter templates, colors and typefaces for $8 to $24 a month.
- You want iOS and Android apps, personal website templates and a Career Map included with your subscription.
- You are a student or teacher who can verify your status and get Kickresume Premium for free.
- You want a 14-day money back guarantee on your first paid subscription.
Applystead and Kickresume side by side
| Feature | Applystead | Kickresume |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0, no subscription or credit card required. Includes 20 resume templates and unlimited manual PDF exports with no watermark. | $0 a month: 4 basic resume templates, 4 matching cover letter templates, 1 basic website template, 20,000 pre-written phrases, 1,500+ resume examples and unlimited downloads. Source for Free plan |
| Paid plan price | Standard is $200 USD a month. Premium is $1,000 USD a month; a launch offer can lower the first three months while it is active, and exact terms are shown before checkout. | Premium is listed at $24 a month (Monthly), $18 a month paid as $54 every 3 months (Quarterly) or $8 a month paid as $96 every 12 months (Yearly). Source for Paid plan price |
| Resume templates | 20 resume templates on the free account, with every section editable. | 4 basic templates on Free. Premium lists 40+ resume templates and all colors and typefaces; the comparison table shows 2 fonts on Free and 26 on Premium. Source for Resume templates |
| AI writing help | The resume tailor, cover letter generator and LinkedIn headline generator share 5 free AI generations a day with no account needed. | The pricing page lists the AI Writer under Premium. The AI writer page says a free account gets a limited number of uses and Premium includes a substantially higher number of AI requests. Source 1 for AI writing help Source 2 for AI writing help |
| Tailoring a resume to a job ad | A free account includes AI tailoring to a job description, 10 a day, and saves one master resume and three tailored versions. | Paste the job ad and the AI rewrites your resume using only what is already in it. A free account gets one free tailoring; Premium gives unlimited tailoring. Source for Tailoring a resume to a job ad |
| ATS resume checker | Free with no limit and runs in your browser. It scores your resume from 0 to 100 on contact info, headings, bullets, numbers, length and dates. | Listed as a Premium feature. It runs more than 20 checks on formatting, design, typefaces, structure and content, gives a score, and compares your resume with resumes in Kickresume's database. Source 1 for ATS resume checker Source 2 for ATS resume checker |
| Job ad keywords | A free keyword checker shows which of a job posting's key terms your resume uses and which it is missing. Coverage is not an ATS pass score or a hiring prediction. | The tailoring tool works matching keywords from the job ad into your resume, and the ATS checker's score also looks at keywords and skills for the role. Source 1 for Job ad keywords Source 2 for Job ad keywords |
| Cover letters | The free cover letter generator writes a 250 to 350 word letter from your resume and the job, using only your own facts. | 4 matching cover letter templates on Free and 40+ on Premium. The AI cover letter writer takes a job title and job ad; your first AI cover letter is free and more need Premium. Source 1 for Cover letters Source 2 for Cover letters |
| What else the paid plan includes | Paid plans focus on applications: Standard prepares applications you review, and Premium applies automatically after your separate approval. | Premium lists Kickresume for iOS and Android, 7 personal website templates, Career Map, LinkedIn and PDF import, and priority email and chat support. Source for What else the paid plan includes |
| Refunds | Premium only: a conditional 90-day job guarantee refunds Premium payments if strict requirements are met, including 10,000 successful applications. Standard is not covered. | Each paid plan lists a 14-day money back guarantee. The terms say it may be offered to a new user once; otherwise no refunds are paid on any remaining subscription period. Source 1 for Refunds Source 2 for Refunds |
| Renewal and canceling | Paid plans bill monthly until canceled. Cancel before renewal to avoid the next charge; your free documents stay editable and exportable after a paid membership ends. | Auto-renew is selected when you buy a monthly, quarterly or annual plan. Cancel before the current term ends to stop renewal; Premium stays active until the paid period expires. Source for Renewal and canceling |
| Help with applications | A free account lets you apply by hand to a selection of matching jobs, up to 10 a day. Standard prepares applications you review, up to 200 a day. Premium applies automatically only after your separate approval. | The pages checked describe document tools; once your resume is ready you export it and apply yourself. With your consent, the terms say your resume can be shared with partner employers and agencies. Source 1 for Help with applications Source 2 for Help with applications |
Kickresume pricing in plain numbers
Kickresume has a free plan and one Premium tier sold in three billing periods. On its pricing page, Monthly is $24 a month, Quarterly is $18 a month paid as $54 every 3 months, and Yearly is $8 a month paid as $96 every 12 months. All three list the same Premium features, and the Quarterly and Yearly plans add Premium gift vouchers for friends.
Each paid plan lists a 14-day money back guarantee. Kickresume's terms say the guarantee may be offered to a new user once, and that otherwise no refunds are paid on any remaining subscription period. Auto-renew is selected when you buy, so cancel before the current term ends if you do not want to renew. Kickresume also offers Premium for free to students and teachers who verify their status.
Applystead's paid plans cost more because they do more of the application work: Standard is $200 USD a month and Premium is $1,000 USD a month, with a launch offer that can lower the first three months while it is active and exact terms shown before checkout. If you only need well-designed documents, Kickresume Premium is the cheaper choice.
What each free plan covers
Kickresume Free gives you 4 basic resume templates with 4 matching cover letter templates, 1 basic website template, 20,000 pre-written phrases, 1,500+ resume examples and unlimited downloads. Its FAQ says you can download a resume for free as long as you stick to the free customization options. Kickresume's feature pages also describe one free resume tailoring and a first free AI cover letter.
Applystead's free account includes 20 resume templates, AI tailoring to a job description 10 times a day, a master resume with three tailored versions, and unlimited manual PDF exports with no watermark. Without an account, the resume tailor, cover letter generator and LinkedIn headline generator share 5 free AI generations a day, and the ATS resume checker and keyword checker run in your browser with no limit.
AI writing, tailoring and ATS checks
Kickresume's AI Writer can draft a full resume from your name and job title, and its tailoring tool rewrites your resume to match a pasted job ad using only what is already in your CV. Its ATS Resume Checker, listed on the pricing page as a Premium feature, runs more than 20 checks and compares your resume with resumes in Kickresume's database.
Applystead's ATS resume checker scores your resume from 0 to 100 on contact info, headings, bullets, numbers, length and dates, and its keyword checker shows which of a job posting's key terms your resume uses and which it is missing. Both run in your browser. Keyword coverage is a writing aid, not an ATS pass score or a hiring prediction.
Getting help with the applications themselves
Kickresume's pages checked here describe tools for writing and designing documents; once your resume is ready, you export it and apply yourself. Its terms also describe an optional database, shared with partner employers and recruitment agencies only with your consent.
Applystead's free account lets you apply by hand to a selection of matching jobs, up to 10 a day. The Standard plan prepares each application, including the resume and answers, and waits for you to review it and press Apply, up to 200 a day. Premium can submit applications automatically, but only after you give a separate, explicit approval; creating a profile or paying for membership does not start applications on its own.
- Pick Kickresume if you want designed documents, mobile apps and a personal website, and plan to apply on your own.
- Pick Applystead Standard if you want prepared applications you check one by one.
- Pick Applystead Premium only if you are comfortable approving automatic applying.
Common questions
How much does Kickresume cost?
Kickresume has a free plan at $0 a month. Premium is listed on Kickresume's pricing page at $24 a month on the Monthly plan, $54 every 3 months on the Quarterly plan and $96 every 12 months on the Yearly plan, as of the date this page was checked. Each paid plan lists a 14-day money back guarantee, and Premium is free for verified students and teachers.
Is Applystead a good Kickresume alternative?
It depends on what you need. If you want a large set of designed resume and cover letter templates, mobile apps and a personal website for a monthly price between $8 and $24, Kickresume fits. If you want free AI tailoring to a job description every day, a free browser-based ATS and keyword checker, or help preparing and submitting applications, Applystead fits.
Does Kickresume offer refunds?
Kickresume's pricing page lists a 14-day money back guarantee on each paid plan. Its terms say the guarantee may be offered to a new user once, and that otherwise subscriptions are non-returnable and no refunds are paid on any remaining subscription period. Plans renew automatically, so cancel before the current term ends if you do not want to renew.
Can I tailor a resume to a job ad for free?
On Kickresume, a free account gets one free use of the resume tailoring tool, and Premium gives unlimited tailoring. On Applystead, a free account includes AI tailoring to a job description 10 times a day, and the free resume tailor shares 5 AI generations a day with the other free tools without an account.
Why do Applystead's paid plans cost more than Kickresume Premium?
They cover different work. Kickresume Premium unlocks templates, AI writing, the ATS checker, mobile apps and website templates for your own documents. Applystead Standard, at $200 USD a month, prepares applications for you to review, up to 200 a day. Premium, at $1,000 USD a month, can apply automatically after your separate approval. If you only need documents, Kickresume Premium or Applystead's free account costs less.
Sources
- Kickresume PricingVerified Free plan contents, Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly prices, Premium features, font counts, 14-day money back guarantee, student and teacher offer, and the download FAQ.
- Kickresume Terms of UseVerified auto-renewal and cancellation rules, the once-per-user money back guarantee for new users, no refunds on remaining periods, and consent-based sharing with partner employers.
- Kickresume AI Resume BuilderVerified that the AI Writer drafts a resume from a name and job title, the limited free uses versus more AI requests on Premium, and exporting a resume to apply.
- Kickresume Tailor Resume to JobVerified that tailoring rewrites a resume to a pasted job ad using only existing CV content and matching keywords, with one free use and unlimited tailoring on Premium.
- Kickresume ATS Resume CheckerVerified the more than 20 checks, the areas checked, the score, keyword and skills checks, and the comparison with resumes in Kickresume's database.
- Kickresume AI Cover Letter GeneratorVerified that the AI cover letter writer uses a job title and job ad, that the first AI cover letter is free, and that more need Premium.