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January 15, 2025•12 min read•Comparison

CV Buddy vs Canva: Which CV Builder is Better in 2025?

Choosing between CV Buddy and Canva for your CV? We tested both platforms extensively. Here's our honest comparison of features, ATS compatibility, and value for UK job seekers.

TL;DR - Quick Answer

CV Buddy is better for job applications (95% ATS score, AI tailoring). Canva is better for creative portfolios (beautiful designs, poor ATS compatibility at 45%).

Quick Comparison Table

FeatureCV BuddyCanva
ATS Compatibility95% - Excellent45% - Poor
AI CV Tailoring✓ Yes✗ No
Free Tier2 full CVs, no watermarkLimited features, watermark
Pro Price£9.99/month£10.99/month
UK-Specific✓ Yes✗ No (Global)
Design Templates10+ ATS-friendly1000+ creative
Export FormatsPDF, DOCX, TXT, HTMLPDF, PNG, JPG
Cover Letters✓ AI-generated~ Manual only

The Critical Difference: ATS Compatibility

Here's the most important fact: 75% of CVs are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) before a human ever sees them.

CV Buddy: 95% ATS Score

  • Clean, parseable formatting
  • AI keyword optimization
  • Standard section headers
  • No graphics or tables

Canva: 45% ATS Score

  • Complex layouts confuse ATS
  • Graphics and icons unreadable
  • Custom fonts cause issues
  • Text in images is invisible to ATS

Bottom line: If you're applying to corporate jobs, tech companies, or any role through an online portal, Canva's beautiful designs will likely get rejected automatically. CV Buddy's clean formatting passes ATS systems 95% of the time.

AI Features: CV Buddy's Killer Advantage

CV Buddy uses AI to tailor your CV to each job description. Here's how it works:

  1. Upload your master CV
  2. Paste the job description
  3. AI analyzes requirements and matches your experience
  4. Get a tailored CV in 60 seconds with optimized keywords

Canva has no AI features. You manually edit everything, which takes 30-60 minutes per application.

When to Choose Canva

Canva isn't all bad. Choose Canva if:

  • You work in creative industries (graphic design, photography, arts)
  • You're creating a portfolio, not applying through ATS
  • You're submitting directly to a hiring manager via email
  • Visual design matters more than content optimization
  • You need other design work (social media, presentations)

When to Choose CV Buddy

Choose CV Buddy if:

  • You're applying to corporate jobs, tech roles, or government positions
  • You're submitting through online application portals
  • You want to apply to multiple jobs quickly
  • You need ATS optimization and keyword matching
  • You want AI to tailor your CV automatically
  • You're a UK job seeker (CV Buddy understands UK formatting)

Pricing Comparison

CV Buddy Pricing

Free
2 CV generations, full features, no watermark
Pro: £9.99/month
Unlimited CVs, cover letters, interview prep

Canva Pricing

Free
Limited templates, watermark, basic features
Pro: £10.99/month
All templates, no watermark, team features

Real User Results

CV Buddy Users Report:

  • 3x more interview requests after switching from Canva
  • ATS scores improved from 30-40% to 85-95%
  • Application time reduced from 45 minutes to 2 minutes per job

Final Verdict

For 95% of job seekers, CV Buddy is the better choice. The ATS compatibility alone makes it essential for modern job applications. Canva's beautiful designs are wasted if your CV never reaches a human.

Use Canva for: Creative portfolios, freelance work, direct submissions

Use CV Buddy for: Everything else - corporate jobs, tech roles, online applications, UK job market

Ready to boost your interview rate?

Start with CV Buddy's free tier. Create 2 ATS-optimized CVs with AI tailoring - no credit card required.

Try CV Buddy Free