JSON Resume vs RenderCV (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, JSON Resume and RenderCV share a 2.6 GPA, both have a free plan, and JSON Resume has no paid plan to buy, against $10 a month for RenderCV.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
RenderCV
Open-source CV builder that turns YAML into a typeset PDF
Which one is for you
Pick JSON Resume if
- Fits if you are a developer who wants a resume as a JSON file
- Works for people who like choosing from community themes
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a template-and-wizard builder, as the main workflow is editing JSON
- Not for you if you avoid a command line, since PDF export is done with the CLI
- Watch out: theme quality varies, because contributors write the themes and not the project
- Watch out: the site is run by volunteers, and pages from the old registry have partly moved
Pick RenderCV if
- Fits if you are comfortable with YAML and a terminal and want a version-controlled resume
- Works for people who want a typeset PDF with no monthly fee
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want drag-and-drop templates, as output is a fixed-theme typeset PDF
- Not for you if you don't use a terminal, since the CLI needs Python 3.12 or newer
- Watch out: the pricing page doesn't say what the web app includes for free
- Watch out: the paid plan shows only a per-month figure for the 1-year term, with no yearly total
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAJSON ResumeGood | 2.6GPARenderCVGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AEverything is free and open source under the MIT licence, including the schema, command line and themes. | AThe command-line tool is free to install and run. The web app starts at $10 a month billed every 3 months, under the category's $14.41 middle. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no plan or cap: the schema, CLI, 227 themes and hosted site all cost nothing. | AThe open-source tool has no cap, so a person can make resumes for nothing, though the web app's free limits aren't spelled out. |
| Features | CAn open schema, 227 community themes, a command-line tool and publishing from a gist cover the job, but PDF export goes through the CLI, not a button. | CYAML input, several output formats, design options and validation, GitHub sync and any language. Output is a PDF from fixed themes, not a template gallery. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. The workflow is editing JSON and running a Node command line, with no wizard. | DNo store rating on record. The command-line tool needs Python 3.12 or newer and a terminal, which is aimed at technical users. |
| Platforms and integrations | CA web site plus the CLI, GitHub, npm and RenderCV. No phone apps are listed. | CA web app, plus the command-line tool and GitHub, Typst and VS Code. No phone apps are listed. |
| Best for | an open standard for resumes written as JSON | a resume written in YAML and typeset to PDF |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: JSON Resume and RenderCV. How we grade
Price against what you get
JSON Resume has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. RenderCV starts at $10 a month and scores 1.7.
They score the same, and JSON Resume starts $10 a month lower. Of the other resume builders on the chart, none scores higher than JSON Resume for less, and 11 score higher than RenderCV for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- RenderCV also covers Markdown.
At a glance
| JSON Resume | RenderCV | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $10 per month, billed every 3 months ($31 per quarter) |
| Free plan | Everything is free: the schema, the CLI, the 227 themes and the hosted site are open source under the MIT license. | The open-source command-line tool is free to install and run locally. The pricing page's description also says RenderCV can be used for free, without saying which web app features are limited. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | JSON Resume | RenderCV |
| Price read from | jsonresume.org | rendercv.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
JSON Resume
- The main workflow is editing JSON and using a Node-based command line; there is no template-and-wizard flow as in commercial builders.
- Theme quality varies, since themes are written by community contributors and not by the project.
- The site is maintained by volunteers, and pages from the old registry have partly moved to a new site.
- PDF export is done with the CLI rather than through a download button.
RenderCV
- The command-line tool needs Python 3.12 or newer and a terminal; the YAML workflow is aimed at technical users.
- The web app's plan is paid after a guest option; the pricing page does not spell out what the free web use includes.
- The paid plan shows only a per-month figure for the 1-year term, with no yearly total.
- Output is a typeset PDF from fixed themes, not a drag-and-drop template gallery.
Key features
JSON Resume
- Open JSON schema
- Work history, education, skills and projects are described once in a documented schema that can be validated in an editor, in CI or from any language.
- 227 community themes
- Themes are open-source npm packages, so the same resume.json can be previewed and swapped between looks without editing the data.
- Command-line tool
- The resume CLI starts a file, validates it, serves a preview and exports to PDF, HTML, Markdown or text.
- Publish from a gist
- Saving the file as a GitHub gist named resume.json makes it available as a public page on the site.
- Theme development kit
- A theme is an npm package with one render function that takes the resume and returns HTML, which makes it practical to build your own.
- Developer integrations
- The site lists an MCP server for agents, a Rust crate and a RenderCV converter for tools built on the schema.
RenderCV
- YAML input
- The CV is written as a YAML file, so it can be kept in Git, diffed and copied into variants for different roles. A form editor is offered for people who prefer not to write YAML.
- Several output formats
- A run produces a PDF, the Typst source, a PNG for each page, a Markdown file and an HTML file.
- Design options and validation
- Themes and layout settings live in the same YAML file, and the input is checked against a schema so mistakes are reported before rendering.
- AI assistant (paid web app)
- The Recruit plan lists an AI that reads, edits and improves a CV, plus job-specific cover letter generation and job search.
- GitHub sync and public links
- On the paid plan, CVs can be backed up as a GitHub repository and shared through public links.
- Any language
- The site and docs describe writing a CV in any language, with locale settings for dates and labels.
Plans
JSON Resume
Open source$0
Schema, CLI, themes and hosted site, all MIT licensed; no paid plan is listed.
RenderCV
Open-source CLI$0
Command-line tool you install and run yourself; the documentation shows it installing with pip, pipx, uv or Docker.
Recruit (1 month)$15
per month, billed monthly, renews automatically
Web app plan with unlimited PDF downloads, the AI assistant, cover letters, public links and GitHub sync.
Recruit (3 months)$10
per month, billed every 3 months ($31), renews automatically
Same plan, shown as the default term on the pricing page.
Recruit (1 year)$5
per month on the 1-year term; the yearly total is not shown
Same plan on the longest term. The page shows only the monthly figure for this term.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, JSON Resume or RenderCV?
As of Nov 13, 2026, JSON Resume is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $10 a month for RenderCV. JSON Resume is free, and RenderCV starts at $10 per month, billed every 3 months ($31 per quarter).
Which has a free plan, JSON Resume or RenderCV?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both JSON Resume and RenderCV have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.