Most resume builders follow the same script. You spend an hour perfecting a resume, then the download button asks for a subscription. Reactive Resume breaks that script completely: it is a free and open source resume builder with no ads, no tracking, and no paid tier at all. As of October 26, 2026, the repo reactive-resume/reactive-resume has 44,883 stars and 4,891 forks on GitHub, and it is MIT licensed. The hosted version runs the same open code, and you can also self-host it on your own server.
Key Takeaways
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Reactive Resume is free forever: no ads, no tracking, no watermark, and no premium tier locking downloads behind a paywall.
You edit on one side of the screen and see the finished page live on the other, then export to PDF, Word, OpenDocument, Markdown, or JSON.
It ships 18 templates, more than 50 interface languages, cover letters, version history, and a job application tracker.
A Check mode reviews readability and job keywords and compares your resume against a specific job posting.
Self-hosting needs only Docker and PostgreSQL, with a documented minimum of 1 vCPU and 1 GB of memory.
The catch is honest: the optional AI assistant needs your own provider key, and self-hosting means you run the server yourself.
The problem: your resume is held hostage at checkout
A resume is one of the few documents where a paywall hurts twice. First, it taxes people exactly when they are looking for work. Second, it creates a perverse incentive: the builder wants your resume to be just good enough to keep editing, but not finished enough to export for free. Watermarks, locked templates, and one-download trials are all versions of the same trick, and they turn a job search tool into a subscription funnel.
Reactive Resume removes the funnel because there is nothing to sell. The official docs state it plainly: the hosted app runs the same public code, with no closed pro edition, and the free builder page lists no premium tier, no watermark, and no paywall on downloads (Reactive Resume docs). That is not a free trial with an asterisk. Unlimited resumes and cover letters are part of the free offer, not a teaser for a paid plan.
Watch the 30-second repo signal: The Open Source Resume Builder That Never Charges You.
What Reactive Resume actually is
Reactive Resume is a web app for building resumes and cover letters. You write your details on one side of the screen and see the finished page on the other, so there is no guessing about how the PDF will look. The editor supports inline editing and a live PDF preview, and the page updates as you type.
It is also more than a template picker. The current version, v6, covers the whole job application workflow in one place:
Documents: keep every resume and cover letter in one library. Start blank, from a sample, or by importing an existing file.
Design: pick from 18 templates, then adjust fonts, colors, page size, and layout. The docs list about 500 fonts and A4, Letter, and free-form page sizes with multi-page layouts.
Check: a review mode points out issues on the lines they belong to and compares your resume with a job posting, checking readability and job keywords, with a public ATS checker for applicant tracking system compatibility.
Cover letters: standalone letters with their own version history, not an afterthought bolted onto a resume.
Applications: track each application from saved to offer in a list, board, or calendar, and see what is working in Insights.
Assistant: an optional AI assistant that proposes edits you accept or reject one by one, using your own AI provider key.
The interface is translated into more than 50 languages, which matters for a tool used by job seekers worldwide. Sign-in options include passkeys, two-factor authentication, and linked accounts, which is a welcome level of care for a free tool holding personal career data.
Import what you already have, export anywhere
One of the most practical features is how little it locks you in. Imports cover Reactive Resume JSON, JSON Resume files, LinkedIn exports, PDF files, and Word files. That means an old resume is a starting point, not a rewrite. Exports cover PDF, Word, OpenDocument, Markdown, and JSON, so the same resume can go to a recruiter as a PDF, into another tool as JSON, or into a portfolio as Markdown.
Public sharing works the same way. You can publish a resume link and protect it with a password, and see view and download statistics for it. That is genuinely useful for freelancers and for anyone who wants a single link on a portfolio page. It also pairs well with the rest of a job search setup: if you are building the portfolio itself, see How to Build a Developer Portfolio That Gets You Hired.
Free versus paid resume builders
The table below compares the model, not just the feature list, because the model is the point.
Aspect | Reactive Resume | Typical paid resume builder |
|---|---|---|
Price | Free, no paid tier | Free to edit, paid to download |
Ads and tracking | None | Often present, or data sold indirectly |
Templates | 18 | Often locked behind premium plans |
Downloads | PDF, Word, OpenDocument, Markdown, JSON | Often PDF only, sometimes watermarked |
Cover letters | Included, with version history | Often a separate paid add-on |
Application tracking | Included | Rare, or a separate product |
Self-hosting | Yes, Docker and more | No |
Source code | MIT licensed, public | Closed |
The comparison is fair only if the paid tools get their due: some offer polished AI writing, human resume reviews, and large template libraries that a volunteer-driven open source project cannot match one for one. What Reactive Resume offers instead is control. Your data, your files, your server if you want it, and no renewal date.
Self-hosting in practice
Self-hosting is where Reactive Resume earns its open source credentials. The Docker Compose setup runs the app plus PostgreSQL and serves it on port 3000, with a quick start of one compose command from the README. The docs list a modest minimum: 1 vCPU and 1 GB of memory for the app, 2 GB when PostgreSQL shares the host, and 10 GB of disk to start. Images are published to Docker Hub and GitHub Container Registry for both amd64 and arm64 machines.
PostgreSQL is required, and upload storage is required too, either a local folder or an S3-compatible bucket. SMTP for verification emails and Redis for coordination are optional. Sign-ups can be disabled after the first account, which is the right default for a personal instance. Beyond Docker, the project documents Vercel and Cloudflare Workers deployments, and Hostinger offers a one-click VPS deployment starting at $6.49 per month for people who want a server without configuring one.
One identity note for anyone following older links: the project has moved to the reactive-resume organization on GitHub, while its Docker Hub image still lives under amruthpillai/reactive-resume. Older pages pointing to the previous personal account are out of date. Use the current org URL for the repo, and the Docker Hub name for the image.
How to start
The fastest path is the hosted app at rxresu.me. Create an account, start a blank document or import an old resume, pick a template, and export the PDF. That is the whole onboarding, and it costs nothing.
The self-hosted path is only slightly longer. Install Docker, clone the repo, run the compose command, and open port 3000. Disable sign-ups after creating your account, add SMTP if you want password reset emails, and connect your own AI provider key if you want the assistant. If you run other self-hosted tools already, Reactive Resume slots into the same stack without a new subscription or a new vendor account.
Either way, the same advice applies: write the resume for a specific role, run Check mode against the actual job posting, and export a fresh PDF per application rather than sending one generic file everywhere. The tracker exists for a reason, and a tailored resume plus a record of where it went beats a beautiful generic one.
The honest caveats
Reactive Resume is not magic, and three limits are worth knowing before you switch.
First, the AI assistant is bring-your-own-key. If you do not have an OpenAI, Google Gemini, or Anthropic Claude key, that feature stays off. That is the right privacy trade, since your resume text never has to flow through a vendor's AI account, but it is not the one-click AI writing that paid tools advertise.
Second, self-hosting is real work, even when the minimum specs are modest. Updates, backups, and uptime are yours. The hosted version removes that burden, but then your data lives on someone else's server, even if the code is open and there is no tracking.
Third, a template cannot fix a weak resume. Eighteen templates give you layout choices, not achievements, and Check mode can flag keywords without telling you whether your bullet points prove anything. The tool removes friction from the process. The content still has to come from you.
Why this repo matters
At 44,883 stars, with 6,274 commits and 150 releases since its creation in March 2020, Reactive Resume is not a weekend demo. It is a mature project that chose a business model most resume tools reject: give everything away, charge nothing, and let people run it themselves. That choice is why it keeps growing. Job seekers recommend tools that did not charge them at the worst moment, developers contribute to code they can actually run, and self-hosters adopt software that respects their data.
If you are job hunting right now, the practical move is simple. Try the hosted version for your next application, import your current resume instead of starting over, and export the PDF. If it fits, keep it. If you want full control, self-host it. Either way, your resume stops being a subscription, and that alone is worth the switch.
The repo is worth reading in full, even if you never self-host it: reactive-resume/reactive-resume.
Read this article in Indonesian: Reactive Resume: Builder Resume Open Source Gratis yang Tidak Pernah Memungut Biaya.
FAQ
What is Reactive Resume?
It is a free and open source resume builder at github.com/reactive-resume/reactive-resume. You edit on one side of the screen, see the finished page live on the other, and export to PDF, Word, OpenDocument, Markdown, or JSON.
Is Reactive Resume really free?
Yes. There are no ads, no tracking, no watermark, and no paid tier. Unlimited resumes and cover letters are included, and the hosted app runs the same public MIT licensed code.
How popular is the repo?
As of October 26, 2026, it has 44,883 stars and 4,891 forks on GitHub. It was created in March 2020 and has 150 releases.
Can I self-host Reactive Resume?
Yes. The Docker Compose setup needs the app plus PostgreSQL, with a minimum of 1 vCPU and 1 GB of memory, and serves on port 3000. Vercel, Cloudflare Workers, and one-click Hostinger VPS deployments are also documented.
Does it include cover letters and application tracking?
Yes. Cover letters are standalone documents with version history, and the application tracker follows each application from saved to offer in list, board, calendar, and Insights views.
Does the AI assistant work without my own API key?
No. The assistant needs your own provider key, such as OpenAI, Google Gemini, or Anthropic Claude. That keeps your resume text out of a vendor's AI account, but the feature stays off without a key.