7 templates · free · PDF and DOCX
Free ATS-friendly resume templates
Seven single-column resume templates, all free on every Resumity plan, with PDF and Word (DOCX) export and no watermark. Each one below shows the same sample resume, so you can compare them directly, and each has a page with its sample files and its results from our parse test.
No template can be ATS-compliant for every employer, because each employer configures its own applicant tracking system. What we can show instead is how each template's PDF reads back through open-source text extractors, and you can download the sample PDFs we tested.
All 7 templates
MeridianStrict ATSResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. Centred header, grey rules, no colour. The editor starts with this one.
CatalystStrict ATSResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. Left-aligned header and teal accents. Experience comes first; no summary.
HenriettaStrict ATSResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. Classic business layout, education before skills, three-column skills grid.
FAANGPathStrict ATSResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. Minimal centred layout with skills above work experience.
DanielBalancedResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. Section headings in rounded grey pills; a softer look.
LeslieStrict ATSResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. Centred blue header, short blue underlines, experience before skills.
OliviaBalancedResume template by Resumity. Single column, ATS-readable. A solid blue header band with white text; the boldest of the seven.
Compare the templates
What each template does with the same resume, taken from its sample PDF.
| Template | Header | Section headings | Skills | Colour | Font | Resumity label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian | Centred name, contact line, then job title | Small capitals with a grey rule running right | Labelled rows | Black and grey | Inter | Strict ATS |
| Catalyst | Large left-aligned name, contact line, job title | Teal capitals over a full-width rule | Labelled rows | Teal accent | IBM Plex Sans | Strict ATS |
| Henrietta | Left-aligned name, contact line, job title | Capitals over a full-width hairline rule | Three-column grid, no group labels | Black and grey | Inter | Strict ATS |
| FAANGPath | Centred name, contact line, job title | Capitals over a full-width rule | Labelled rows, dot after the label | Black and grey | Inter | Strict ATS |
| Daniel | Left-aligned name, contact line, job title | Capitals inside rounded grey pills | Three-column grid, no group labels | Grey | Inter | Balanced |
| Leslie | Centred name, contact line and job title, in blue | Dark capitals with a short blue underline | Labelled rows, dot after the label | Blue accent | Inter | Strict ATS |
| Olivia | Full-width blue band, white centred name, contact line, job title | Blue capitals with a short blue underline | Labelled rows | Blue header band | Inter | Balanced |
Section order differs too: Catalyst starts with work experience and prints no summary, Henrietta puts education before skills, Leslie puts work experience before skills, and the rest go summary, skills, work experience, projects, education.
What all seven have in common
- One column, so the reading order is top to bottom.
- Real, selectable text with the font embedded in the PDF (Inter, or IBM Plex Sans for Catalyst), not a picture of text.
- Plain section headings such as Work Experience, Skills and Education.
- Name, email, phone and city as plain text at the top of page 1.
- In the sample files, only text, lines and simple shapes: no photos, tables or text boxes.
Parse test results for every template
In our 9 October 2026 parse study, three synthetic resumes were exported in all 7 templates with the same exporter the editor uses, and each PDF was read back with pdf.js 4.10.38, pdftotext (Xpdf) 4.00, pypdf 6.13.0: 63 extractions in all. Each row below covers 3 resumes read by 3 extractors. The template pages break the results down by extractor.
| Template | Name, email and phone | Section headings | Bullets intact | Jobs and bullets in order | Garbled characters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian | 9 of 9 runs | 45 of 45 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
| Catalyst | 9 of 9 runs | 36 of 36 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
| Henrietta | 9 of 9 runs | 45 of 45 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
| FAANGPath | 9 of 9 runs | 45 of 45 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
| Daniel | 9 of 9 runs | 45 of 45 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
| Leslie | 9 of 9 runs | 45 of 45 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
| Olivia | 9 of 9 runs | 45 of 45 | 78 of 78 | 100% | 0 |
What this does not show: we did not test commercial applicant tracking systems such as Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, iCIMS or Taleo, and the sample resumes are synthetic and in English. The test checks that text comes out complete and in order, not whether a recruiter likes the layout. Method, limits and raw data.
Questions
Are these resume templates ATS-friendly?
All seven are single-column, use real text rather than images, and use plain section headings such as Work Experience and Education. We exported PDFs from each one and read them back with three open-source text extractors (pdf.js, pdftotext and pypdf): every name, email, phone, section heading and bullet came back intact and in order. We did not test commercial applicant tracking systems such as Workday or Taleo. Each employer configures its own system, so no template can promise how a particular employer will read it.
Are the templates free?
Yes. All 7 templates are included in the free plan, and PDF and DOCX exports carry no watermark on any plan.
Can I get a template as a Word file?
Each template page has a sample PDF and a sample DOCX of the same resume. In the builder, every template exports to both PDF and DOCX.
Which template should I choose?
If you are unsure, start with Meridian, the editor's default. Choose Catalyst if you want your latest job first and no summary, Henrietta if you want education before skills, and Daniel or Olivia if you want more visual styling. You can switch templates in the editor without retyping anything.
What do "Strict ATS" and "Balanced" mean?
They are Resumity's own labels. Strict ATS templates use only text, rules and at most one accent colour. Balanced templates add a filled shape behind text: Daniel's shaded heading pills and Olivia's blue header band. Both groups passed the same parse test.
CV format by country
What employers expect differs by market: photo or no photo, which personal details to include, one page or two. These guides cover the local rules, with sources, and which of these templates fits.
Start with any template, switch any time
Open the builder, choose a template from the template picker, and change it later without retyping. Already have a resume? Check how your current PDF reads first; the check runs in your browser and needs no sign-up.
Also see how we test templates, the resume format guide and Resumity facts.