SpeedCV vs Zety: Honest Comparison for UK Job Seekers (2026)

Zety is one of the biggest names in CV building. SpeedCV is a UK-focused challenger that takes a different approach. If you're weighing the two for UK job applications, here's what actually matters — no spin, just facts.

The Short Version

Zety has a massive content library (200+ blog articles, 100+ CV examples) and a polished guided CV builder. SpeedCV has fewer resources but offers something Zety doesn't: a real ATS checker that tests against UK systems, live UK job matching, and GBP pricing without billing surprises.

The biggest difference isn't features — it's billing. Zety has widespread, well-documented complaints about subscription practices that you should know about before signing up.

Pricing Compared

Feature	SpeedCV	Zety
Free plan	Yes — unlimited CV creation, 5 AI actions/day	Yes — build only, no download
Trial price	£1.99 for 14 days	Paid short trial that auto-renews
Monthly price	£19.99/month	Recurring subscription (auto-renews)
Annual price	£79.99/year	Set at checkout — verify on zety.com
Currency	GBP	Set at checkout
Billing cycle	Calendar monthly	Recurring auto-renewal

Important: SpeedCV's pricing is fixed in GBP and billed on a calendar-monthly basis, with the annual plan at £79.99/year. Zety uses a recurring subscription that renews automatically — always check the current price and renewal terms at checkout before subscribing.

The Billing Problem

Here's the nuance. Zety actually holds a strong 4.3/5 "Excellent" rating on Trustpilot (12,360 reviews, as of June 2026) — most users praise how easy and fast it is to build a CV. But a recurring theme in its critical reviews is the subscription and cancellation experience:

Trial conversion: A short paid trial automatically converts to a recurring subscription. The auto-renewal is disclosed at sign-up, but reviewers report being caught out by it.
Difficulty cancelling: Several reviewers describe the cancellation process as confusing or hard to complete.
Continued charges after cancellation: Some users report being charged even after receiving a cancellation confirmation email — one reviewer reported charges continuing three months later.

This is a minority theme within an otherwise positive rating: it appears in Zety's 1-star Trustpilot reviews, not the overall consensus.

SpeedCV offers one-click cancellation from account settings with no retention mechanics, and charges in straightforward calendar months. The 14-day cooling-off period under the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 is honoured.

This isn't a claim that Zety is a scam — it's a legitimate business with good CV-building tools. But the billing practices are worth knowing about before you enter your card details.

Templates

Feature	SpeedCV	Zety
Total templates	27+	18
UK-optimised	Yes — tested against UK ATS systems	Partially — US-origin designs with UK localisation
Free templates	6	Build only (can't download for free)
Style range	Modern, classic, creative, professional	Modern, creative, professional, elegant
Photo support (UK)	No (Equality Act convention)	Yes (optional)

SpeedCV has more templates overall. Zety's 18 designs are well-polished and offer one-click colour customisation, but they originate from a US design approach adapted for international use.

ATS Optimisation

Zety includes a CV score feature that rates your CV as you build it and suggests improvements. However, this is a generic content scoring tool — it doesn't test against specific named ATS platforms, nor does it let you paste in a job description for targeted keyword matching the way SpeedCV's ATS checker does.

SpeedCV includes a dedicated ATS checker that scores your CV against 8 real ATS systems used by UK employers (Trac, Oleeo, SuccessFactors, iCIMS, Greenhouse, Workday, Taleo, Bullhorn). You paste a specific job description and get targeted keyword recommendations.

The difference: Zety tells you if your CV looks good in general. SpeedCV tells you if your CV will pass the specific ATS system your target employer uses.

AI Features

Feature	SpeedCV	Zety
AI CV writing	Yes — section-by-section	Yes — auto-suggestions, step-by-step
AI cover letter	Yes — linked to CV	Yes — one-click
ATS scoring (real systems)	Yes — 8 UK ATS platforms	No — generic score only
CV parsing/import	Yes — PDF, Word, LinkedIn	Limited
Interview simulator	Yes	No
AI photo editing	Yes — background removal	No
Salary calculator (UK)	Yes — PAYE, NI, student loans, Scotland	No
Job matching	Yes — live UK jobs from Reed/Adzuna	No

Zety's strength is in guided content creation — it walks you through each section with pre-written phrases and suggestions. SpeedCV focuses more on the application strategy side: scoring, matching, and interview preparation.

UK-Specific Features

Feature	SpeedCV	Zety
British English default	Yes	No — requires manual setting
UK date format default	Yes (DD/MM/YYYY)	No — requires manual change
A-levels / GCSEs / BTEC	Built-in section types	Generic education fields
NHS / Civil Service ATS	Tested against Trac, Oleeo	Not addressed
GBP pricing	Yes	Partial (fluctuating rates)
ICO registration	Yes	No
Live UK jobs	Yes	No

Zety is a US-origin platform with a UK subdomain. SpeedCV was built specifically for the UK job market.

Content Library

This is where Zety has a clear advantage:

Content	SpeedCV	Zety
Blog articles	8	200+
CV examples by role	0 (coming soon)	100+
Cover letter examples	0 (coming soon)	50+
CV tips and guides	8 in-depth guides	Extensive library

If you want to browse examples of CVs for your specific profession, Zety has far more reference material. SpeedCV's blog is small but focused on high-quality UK-specific guides.

Export and Download

Feature	SpeedCV	Zety
Free PDF download	No (paid plans only)	No (paid plans only)
Free TXT download	No	No
Paid exports	PDF, DOCX, PNG	PDF, DOCX, TXT
Watermarks (free)	Preview only	Build only (no download at all)

Neither platform offers free PDF downloads. The difference is that SpeedCV's free plan lets you create and preview unlimited CVs with real-time ATS scoring, while Zety's free plan lets you build but requires payment before you can see or download the final result.

Privacy and Data

Feature	SpeedCV	Zety
Data controller	SpeedCV Ltd (UK)	Bold LLC (US)
Supervisory authority	ICO (UK)	None (US-based)
GDPR compliance	UK GDPR + DPA 2018	EU GDPR (self-declared)
AI model training	Explicitly prohibited	Not specified
Data storage	EU database, US AI processing	US

SpeedCV's data controller is a UK company, with ICO oversight for UK users. Zety's data controller is a US company with no UK-specific supervisory authority.

Cancellation Experience

SpeedCV: One-click cancel in settings. No retention mechanics. 14-day statutory cooling-off.

Zety: Cancel in settings — but widespread user reports indicate the cancel button is sometimes unresponsive, charges continue after cancellation, and customer support is difficult to reach. Zety does offer a 7-day refund policy, but conditional refunds after that period are handled case-by-case.

Where SpeedCV Wins

ATS checker against real UK systems — not a generic score, but testing against Trac, Oleeo, Workday, etc.
Transparent billing — GBP, calendar monthly, one-click cancel
Live UK job matching — unique feature, no competitor offers this
Interview simulator — practise before your real interview
UK-native design — British English, UK conventions, ICO registered
Transparent UK billing — GBP, calendar-monthly, one-click cancel (Zety rates well overall at 4.3/5, but carries recurring cancellation complaints in its 1-star reviews)

Where Zety Wins

Massive content library — 200+ articles, 100+ CV examples per role
Guided CV builder — excellent step-by-step wizard for beginners
Auto-suggestions — pre-written phrases for hundreds of job titles
Brand recognition — millions of users worldwide
Cover letter examples — 50+ profession-specific examples

Who Should Use Which?

Choose SpeedCV if:

You're applying for UK jobs and want your CV tested against the actual ATS systems UK employers use
Transparent billing matters to you
You want job matching as part of the CV building process
You prefer a UK-registered, ICO-supervised platform

Choose Zety if:

You want a massive library of CV examples for your specific profession
You prefer a guided, step-by-step building experience
You're applying internationally, not just in the UK
You're comfortable monitoring your subscription closely to avoid billing issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zety a scam?

No. Zety is a legitimate CV builder with good tools. The complaints centre on billing practices (trial-to-subscription conversion, cancellation difficulties), not on the quality of the product itself.

Which has better ATS support?

SpeedCV, by a wide margin. It tests against 8 real UK ATS systems. Zety offers a generic CV score that doesn't test against specific platforms or job descriptions.

Can I use both free tiers to compare?

SpeedCV's free plan has no time limit — create unlimited CVs and get ATS scores. Zety's free plan lets you build a CV but you can't download or see the final formatted version without paying.

Which is cheaper long-term?

SpeedCV at £79.99/year, with fixed GBP pricing. Zety uses a recurring subscription that auto-renews — check the current price and renewal terms at checkout on zety.com before subscribing.

Is my data safe with both?

Both comply with GDPR. SpeedCV has ICO oversight and a UK-based data controller. Zety is US-based with no UK-specific data protection supervision.

For the full picture, see our best CV builders UK 2026 guide.