> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rxresume.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Reactive Resume vs Resume-Now > Compare Reactive Resume and Resume-Now by free export formats, guided writing, AI tools, templates, and self-hosting. Resume-Now is built around guided drafting, with content suggestions, AI writing tools, and resume analysis. Reactive Resume is built around direct editing of structured resume data and includes designed PDF and DOCX exports, with a much smaller writing-guidance surface. ## Quick comparison | Consideration | Reactive Resume | Resume-Now | | - | - | - | | Free final download | PDF, Word (DOCX), Markdown, and JSON | Plain-text TXT | | Designed PDF and Word | Included exports | Paid access required | | Writing workflow | Direct fields and an optional AI assistant using your own provider | Career questions, suggested bullets, and AI enhancement | | Analysis tools | Free Check mode and public ATS checker; AI writing review with your own provider | Resume checker, summary generator, skills generator, and AI review | | Deployment | Hosted use or self-hosting | Hosted service | Resume-Now's free-builder guide says the no-cost download is a TXT file, and that downloading with a premium template requires paid access. Its FAQ says premium file formats require an upgrade. So free creation is not the same as a designed PDF or Word document. Reactive Resume includes [PDF, DOCX, Markdown, and JSON exports](/guides/exporting-your-resume) in the core workflow. JSON is a structured backup format rather than a document you send; PDF and DOCX are the designed outputs here. ## Where Resume-Now is a better fit Resume-Now fits when you want help producing the content. Its free-builder guide walks through picking a template, importing an existing resume, answering career questions, choosing personalized content suggestions, and running an AI enhancement action. It also describes spell-check, formatting controls, and optional sections during review. The product has a larger set of related writing and analysis tools. Its public pages list an AI summary generator, a skills generator, a resume checker, and an AI review. Those help when you want suggestions and feedback before deciding what to include, rather than starting from a draft you already wrote. ## Where Reactive Resume is a better fit Reactive Resume fits when direct editing and a designed export matter more than a guided-content library. The editor keeps resume sections separate from the visual template, so you can change templates without replacing your experience, education, or skills. The [template guide](/guides/choosing-a-template) covers that selection process. Portability and deployment control come with it. Reactive Resume is [open source under the MIT license](/legal/license) and can be run by following the [self-hosting documentation](/self-hosting/docker). Its AI is provider-configured, so it stays optional rather than a required part of the editing workflow. ## Which should you choose? Choose Resume-Now if you want questions, suggestions, and a set of hosted analysis tools while drafting, and you accept the TXT-only free download. Choose Reactive Resume if you want direct control over your content and a designed PDF or DOCX export without moving to a premium tier. Both workflows still leave you to verify that every statement is accurate and that the final document suits the role. ## Reactive Resume limitations in this comparison Reactive Resume has a smaller built-in writing-guidance surface. It has no equivalent to Resume-Now's prewritten suggestions, summary generator, or skills generator. Its Check mode focuses on how software reads the resume, and its AI writing review, like the rest of its AI path, asks you to choose and configure a provider, which is more setup than a hosted suggestion workflow. ## Sources * [Resume-Now: using the builder for free](https://www.resume-now.com/job-resources/resumes/how-to-use-our-resume-builder) * [Resume-Now home page](https://www.resume-now.com/) Last checked: July 28, 2026 Try Reactive Resume when direct editing and designed exports matter more than a large guided-content library. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.