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Free ATS CV / Resume Checker

See how your CV reads before you apply

Upload your CV or resume and get an instant ATS compatibility score - keyword gaps, formatting issues, and a personalised action plan. Free, in under 60 seconds. No sign-up required.

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Build an ATS-Optimised CV
✓ Instant ATS score✓ Keyword gap analysis✓ No sign-up required✓ Part of the Elite CV family
Free ATS CV / Resume ScannerFree · No Sign-Up

Run Your ATS Scan Now

Upload your CV or resume, paste the job description, and get an instant ATS score - keyword gaps, formatting issues, and a full action plan. Completely free.

  • Instant ATS score out of 100
  • Keyword gap report vs job description
  • Formatting & section structure check
  • Cover letter ATS analysis
  • Personalised action plan
  • PDF, DOCX & TXT, up to 10 MB
Check My CV: It's Free

🔒 Your CV is never stored or shared. No account needed.

Most
large employers screen CVs with an ATS
40+
compatibility checks on every CV or resume
60s
typical time to a full scan result
Free
no sign-up or payment required to scan

Process

How the ATS CV / Resume Checker Works

01

Upload Your CV or Resume

Upload your CV or resume as a PDF, DOCX or TXT file, up to 10 MB.

02

Add the Job Description

Paste the job posting you are targeting. This lets the scanner compare your CV keywords against the terms in the advert.

03

Get Your ATS Score

Receive an instant ATS compatibility score out of 100, a keyword gap report, and a formatted checklist of exactly what to improve.

04

Fix & Build

Apply the recommendations yourself or use Smart CV Builder to create a freshly written, ATS-optimised CV in minutes.

Why ATS Optimisation Matters

The Hiring Process Has Changed. Your CV or Resume Must Keep Up.

Most large employers now use Applicant Tracking Systems to pre-screen CVs before a recruiter reviews them. If your CV or resume is not ATS-compatible, the system may misread your experience, so your application can be filtered out or ranked below candidates whose CVs parse cleanly.

An ATS CV / resume checker helps you identify exactly which keywords are missing, which formatting choices are causing parse errors, and what you need to change to reach the recruiter's desk.

Most
large employers screen CVs with an ATS
40+
compatibility checks on every CV or resume
  • ✓ ATS systems scan for exact keyword and phrase matches from the job description
  • ✓ Tables, text boxes, images and some multi-column layouts can scramble the order in which an ATS reads your CV
  • ✓ Non-standard section headings prevent ATS from categorising your work history correctly
  • ✓ Recruiters set the filters an ATS applies, so a clean parse and the right keywords are what get you shortlisted
  • ✓ PDF and DOCX both work with modern ATS formatting and keywords are the real risk factors
  • ✓ Tailoring your CV to each role can increase your ATS score by 20–40 points

What You Get

A Complete ATS Analysis of Your CV or Resume

⏱

Instant ATS Score

Receive an ATS compatibility score out of 100 in seconds. See where your CV stands and what is pulling the score down.

🔑

Keyword Gap Analysis

See which keywords from the job description are present in your CV and which are missing. Know exactly which terms to add to improve your match rate before you apply.

📄

Formatting Check

Identify tables, text boxes, graphics and layouts that can disrupt ATS parsing. Get clear guidance on which formatting choices are working against your application.

📋

Section Structure Review

Ensure your CV or resume sections use headings that ATS systems recognise. Non-standard labels like "Career Journey" instead of "Work Experience" are a common cause of rejected applications.

📊

Job Match Score

When you provide a job description, our checker calculates your match rate for that role, showing how closely your CV fits it.

🎯

Prioritised Action Plan

Receive a ranked list of improvements ordered by impact. Know which changes will lift your ATS score the most so you can focus your time where it matters.

Results

Professionals Who Found What Was Blocking Them

★★★★★
"I had applied for 40 roles with no responses. The ATS checker showed my score was 42 out of 100. After fixing the keywords and formatting it highlighted, I had three interview requests within a week."
NK
Nomsa K.
Finance Director · Johannesburg
★★★★★
"I didn't realise my CV template had tables and text boxes — the ATS simply couldn't read half of it. This checker identified the problem in 30 seconds. I had no idea that was why I wasn't getting calls."
JM
James M.
Engineering Manager · Dubai
★★★★★
"The keyword gap report was eye-opening. I was using 'staff management' where every job description said 'team leadership.' A small change — a massive difference. My score jumped from 58 to 84."
SB
Sarah B.
Operations Director · London

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

An ATS CV checker is a tool that analyses your CV the same way Applicant Tracking Systems do. It scans for keyword alignment, formatting compatibility, and structural issues — then gives you a score and actionable recommendations so you can optimise your CV before applying.
Upload your CV (PDF, DOCX or TXT, up to 10 MB), optionally paste a job description, and the scanner checks keyword match, section structure and formatting in your browser. You receive an instant score out of 100 alongside a prioritised list of improvements.
Yes. The ATS scan, compatibility score, keyword gap report, and formatting check are completely free — no sign-up required. Once you know what to fix, Smart CV Builder can help you create a fully rewritten, ATS-optimised CV.
Treat the score as a measure of how cleanly your CV parses and how well it matches the role, not as a pass mark. No applicant tracking system publishes a threshold at which it rejects a CV, and recruiters set their own filters. Use the score to find what is weakest and improve it with each revision.
The most common causes are missing job-specific keywords, tables or layouts that scramble parsing, non-standard section headings, and embedded images or graphics. Our checker looks for each of these and tells you what to fix.
Both formats are accepted by most modern ATS platforms. The more important factors are clean formatting, clear section headings, and keyword alignment. Our checker will flag any file-level parsing issues regardless of format.

Take the Next Step

Your CV / Resume Should Open Doors, Not Close Them

Run your free ATS check now or use Smart CV Builder to create a professionally written, ATS-optimised CV or resume from scratch in minutes.

Run Free ATS Check →
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