SpeedCV vs Zety: Honest Comparison for UK Job Seekers (2026)
SpeedCV vs Zety (2026): an honest UK comparison of pricing, subscription billing, ATS features and Trustpilot ratings for UK job seekers.
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.
Table of Contents
- The Short Version
- Pricing Compared
- The Billing Problem
- Templates
- ATS Optimisation
- AI Features
- UK-Specific Features
- Content Library
- Export and Download
- Privacy and Data
- Cancellation Experience
- Where SpeedCV Wins
- Where Zety Wins
- Who Should Use Which?
- Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Related comparisons
For the full picture, see our best CV builders UK 2026 guide.
Our verdict: try SpeedCV for free
All the upsides of the tools compared, without the downsides — AI CV builder, a real UK ATS checker, and UK-ready templates.
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