LiveCareer Reviews: Ratings & User Feedback

|
Calendar Icon
June 17, 2024
|
Edited by
Camille Trent
|
Clock Icon
19
min read

TL;DR

While job seekers like LiveCareer's user-friendly interface and template selection, one frequently-noted downside is its pricing structure. Reviewers also mention a lack of robust free features compared to competitors. If you're budget-conscious and want a free option that covers what you need for a standard resume, LiveCareer might not be the best fit. Consider Teal's AI-powered Resume Builder, which offers a generous free plan and AI-powered features to craft a better resume for your job search.

Having a standout resume can make the difference between getting an interview or not. This post summarizes recurring themes from real LiveCareer reviews to give you a clear picture of the pros, cons, and what users love (or not) about the platform.

LiveCareer is run by Bold Limited, the same parent company as My Perfect Resume and several other resume websites. As such, the resume builder, pricing structure, and reviews are all very similar but wrapped in different branding. For more context into Bold Limited's track record, dive into My Perfect Resume reviews first.

These are a few of the benefits that LiveCareer offers:

  • User-friendly platform: Many reviewers thought LiveCareer had a user-friendly interface, making it a good option for beginners.
  • Start for free: LiveCareer lets you try using their resume builder for free to see if you like it before being prompted to pay for a subscription.
  • Matching cover letters: Keep your personal brand consistent with a matching cover letter personalized to your desired job. Plus, LiveCareer will generate pre-written content for you.

Looking for a resume builder and career platform that does more? Sign up for Teal’s free Resume Builder.

LiveCareer homepage
LiveCareer’s homepage

Understanding LiveCareer

With tools to build a resume, cover letter, and even a professional profile, LiveCareer helps users create the materials they need in the job search all on a user-friendly platform. The company claims to help job seekers build a resume in under fifteen minutes with step-by-step prompts.

What is the LiveCareer resume builder?

LiveCareer is an easy-to-use resume builder that offers free and paid plans along with career and resume tips. The resume builder's interface is intuitive, making it easy for beginners to create their first resumes and professional resume templates.

Plus, they have a cover letter builder with pre-written content you can quickly customize and a resume checker to get instant feedback on your resume.

Features of the LiveCareer resume builder

LiveCareer has multiple tools designed to help job seekers in the job search process. These are some of the features LiveCareer offers:

  • Budget-friendly options: You can get started trying their resume builder and using the basic features for free. Users also thought their paid options were reasonably priced.
  • Professionally-designed resume templates: Offers a variety of premade resume templates for different industries and careers. They also claim their resumes are ATS-optimized.
  • Cover letters: Lets you write personalized cover letters with pre-written content as a starting point. The cover letter designs match the resume templates, so your personal brand is consistent across all your job search materials.
  • Resume examples: Offer pre-written content suggestions as well as providing over 400 examples of resumes based on profession. For instance, there are sample resumes for teachers and nurses.
  • Bold profiles: Paid users can create Bold Profiles, which are essentially personal websites.
  • Unlimited downloads: Paid users get access to unlimited downloads, prints, and emails for files in Word Doc, PDF, and TXT formats.
  • Resume check: Paid users get the ability to instantly check a resume for more than 30 common mistakes with their Resume Check feature.

How to use the LiveCareer resume builder

To make a resume with LiveCareer, navigate to the Build Resume screen and start answering the step-by-step prompts.

Choose a template, fill in your work experience, and choose a paid plan if you want to download the resume as a PDF or Word document (on the free plan you can only download a TXT file, which is not an acceptable resume format). Users can pay with either a credit card or debit card account.

LiveCareer resume builder onboarding survey
LiveCareer’s resume builder onboarding survey

LiveCareer reviews by site

Overall, reviews for LiveCareer were mixed. While some users liked the user-friendly interface and basic free plan, there were several concerns about the limited customization options and a heavier focus on style than substance when it came to resume content.

Other reviews mentioned hidden costs, unexpected charges, and difficulty canceling subscriptions.

LiveCareer reviews on TrustPilot

2.2 / 5 ⭐️

Reviewers on TrustPilot liked that the cover letter and resume builders were easy to use and provided helpful tips for writing a resume.

However, many users reported that they felt misled by the pricing not being upfront. Some thought the whole tool was free when only a few features were available for free (such as downloading a resume as a TXT file). Further, some users had trouble canceling their subscriptions or didn’t realize they had signed up for an auto-renewing subscription in the first place.

4-star LiveCareer TrustPilot review
One user liked the builder but not the pricing.

LiveCareer reviews on Sitejabber

3.9 / 5 ⭐️

Sitejabber users liked that LiveCareer is user-friendly, has quality resume designs, and saves time building resumes, especially for beginners. One consistent downside was that users were frustrated by the service being advertised as free and then discovering that most of the features required a paid monthly subscription.

4-star LiveCareer Sitejabber review
This reviewer thought it was easy to use but was caught off guard by the paid plans.

LiveCareer reviews on Consumers Advocate

4.3 / 5 ⭐️

Consumers Advocate reviews were mixed about LiveCareer. While reviewers liked the selection of templates and intuitive resume builder, many had issues with the billing and cancelation. Users didn’t like that the service was advertised as free, and the pricing options only showed up after completely building a resume.

LiveCareer Consumers Advocate review
One reviewer was disappointed that the service wasn’t free as advertised.

LiveCareer reviews on the Apple App Store

3.7 / 5 ⭐️

Reviewers on the Apple App Store liked that they could build a resume on their phone, with one user noting that their new resume resulted in several interviews. However, some users ran into trouble when they tried to cancel the service or had difficulty editing their resumes later.

2-star LiveCareer Apple App Store review
This user received unexpected charges and a resume that did not look like the one they'd built.

Informal LiveCareer reviews by social media platform

LiveCareer reviews on Reddit

While some Reddit users liked LiveCareer’s resume builder and said it helped them land a new job, many more were frustrated with the hidden pricing and had trouble canceling their subscriptions. One user called the customer service team to cancel and received a sales pitch to stay with the service.

LiveCareer Reddit review
This reviewer had a hard time canceling their subscription.

LiveCareer reviews on Quora

Some Quora users recommended LiveCareer, but for the most part, reviewers were frustrated by the auto-renewing membership and misleading “free” option. One user canceled their subscription but continued to be billed for the service. Another reviewer, thinking the platform was truly free, was upset that they built their entire resume before being shown the pricing options.

3-star LiveCareer Quora review
This user didn’t recommend LiveCareer.

LiveCareer reviews on X

Some users on X recommended LiveCareer’s resume builder and career advice, with one saying  it helped them land a new job.

The most frequently mentioned downsides, echoing reviews on other sites, were the lack of pricing transparency and difficulties with canceling the service.

LiveCareer X review
This user kept getting bills after trying to cancel.

LiveCareer resume builder review

Overall, users enjoyed LiveCareer’s resume builder, saying it was intuitive, easy to use, fast, and professional. The resume builder takes users through the process of creating a resume step-by-step, starting with filling in personal details and choosing a template and then moving into work history, education, skills, and a summary.

LiveCareer’s resume builder interface
LiveCareer’s resume builder uses a six-step process

However, a few people were frustrated that they went through the entire resume builder process before being able to see the pricing options.

4-star LiveCareer review on Trustpilot
This reviewer liked the resume but wished the pricing was upfront.

Also, LiveCareer’s resume builder can suggest what bullet points to use based on a job title, but they are not personalized in any way, leaving the user to do all the heavy lifting.

In comparison, Teal’s Achievement Assistant uses the power of AI to let users effortlessly write impactful resume content faster. You can even input a custom prompt like you would with ChatGPT to make the bullet points more personalized to your unique experience.

LiveCareer templates review

People enjoyed the selection of resume templates that LiveCareer offers, noting that the designs look professional and stylish.

LiveCareer resume templates
A selection of LiveCareer’s resume templates.

However, some users ran into issues with the formatting of the designs and not being able to edit the templates the way they wanted. Also, some of the resume templates include photos, which for US-based job applicants is not recommended.

4-star LiveCareer review on Trustpilot
One user enjoyed the templates but had issues with the formatting.

Although the templates are well-designed, they are not easy to customize beyond the original design. One person was unable to rearrange the formatting of the design to fit their needs.

4-star LiveCareer review on Sitejabber
This reviewer thought it was user-friendly unless you want to customize the formatting.

LiveCareer cover letter builder review

Reviewers liked that LiveCareer offers both a resume and cover letter builder with coordinating designs on one platform.

LiveCareer cover letter builder
LiveCareer’s cover letter builder.

Others expressed frustration that the formatting was too formulaic and not easy to personalize.

4-star LiveCareer review on Trustpilot
This reviewer liked the cover letter and resume designs.

Also, while users can choose from a selection of pre-written paragraphs for cover letters, they cannot use AI to write a more personalized cover letter tailored to their own unique experiences. A potential worry would be that the content would be almost identical to other applicants.

LiveCareer pricing reviews

Although people thought the subscription options were affordable, pricing was consistently an area of frustration for many reviewers. First, the platform is advertised on various places, like Google, as being free, but only the most basic features are free. Downloading a a resume in a useable format like PDF or Word document (standard formats for resumes) requires a paid subscription.

LiveCareer pricing
LiveCareer’s pricing plans

Further, the pricing options are not visible until a user completely finishes building a resume, leading many users to feel frustrated by what they considered bait-and-switch tactics. One reviewer pointed out that the first plan is billed every four weeks for monthly access, which results in a few extra payments over a year.

Plus, many users mentioned that they either did not agree to sign up for a recurring subscription and were surprised by unexpected charges, or they had difficulty canceling the service. One person said LiveCareer held onto their credit card details and continued charging them after canceling.

A few unhappy users even claimed it was a scam business because of the auto-renewal.

2-star LiveCareer review on TrustPilot
This user received unexpected charges and didn’t receive a refund.

Teal not only offers 90 percent of the features for free but also provides upfront and straightforward pricing for the subscription options. Find a job or don’t need it anymore? You can cancel anytime.

Teal pricing
Teal’s simple pricing options.

Case study: How Ashleigh Went From Zero to 11 Job Interviews with Teal

LiveCareer review pros

Here are some pros to using LiveCareer based on user reviews and feedback:

  • User-friendly interface: Many reviewers praised LiveCareer's intuitive interface and straightforward resume-building process. This makes it a good fit for beginners.
  • Budget-friendly options: LiveCareer offers a freemium model with basic features starting for free and an inexpensive free trial. This can be attractive to job seekers on a tight budget looking for a one-time resume update.
  • Variety of templates: LiveCareer offers a decent selection of resume templates for various career paths and industries. This provides users with a good starting point for building their resumes.

LiveCareer review cons

LiveCareer offers a user-friendly platform, but there are some downsides to consider:

  • Limited customization: While LiveCareer offers a variety of templates, many users felt the formatting was inflexible, and they couldn’t make the changes and customizations they wanted.
  • Pricing and free plan limitations: While there is a basic free plan, the features are limited. To download your resume in PDF or Word format, you'll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
  • Cancellation concerns: Some user reviews mentioned having difficulty canceling. Also, some users were not aware that their subscriptions would auto-renew, although it is listed in the fine print. While the pricing page says you can cancel anytime, reviews suggest the process is taxing.

Who is LiveCareer best for?

LiveCareer would be best for those looking for a user-friendly interface and have their eyes on a LiveCareer template they can't find elsewhere. As users cannot download a resume into an optimal format, the ideal customer would have the budget to pay the ongoing subscription cost to access a PDF or Word doc versions of their resume.

Teal reviews vs LiveCareer reviews

When comparing Teal reviews to LiveCareer reviews, LiveCareer scores a 2.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. In contrast, Teal scores a 4.4 out of 5 stars. Plus, users were much happier with Teal’s billing options and subscription options, and social media users overwhelmingly preferred Teal’s exceptional service.

While LiveCareer discontinued their Chrome Extension, Teal maintains its 4.9-star rating on 2.7K reviews in the Google Chrome Store for its free Chrome Extension.

Here is what a few Teal users had to say:

One user thought Teal was excellent and wished they had started using it earlier.

In this positive review, Teal completely turned around this person’s job search.

This user loved Teal’s Chrome Extension to save jobs easily.

Why job seekers prefer Teal

LiveCareer might offer a user-friendly platform, but Teal is a powerful AI resume builder that offers complete customization for resumes and other job search materials as well as a focus on your entire job search journey.

Here’s an overview of what Teal offers:

Greater customization with AI

With Teal, job seekers can use AI to write truly personalized resume bullet points, summaries, cover letters, and beyond.

Tailor your resume to specific jobs

Teal's AI features like Matching Mode analyze job descriptions to help you tailor your experience and skills to position you as the perfect fit for the job.

An all-in-one career platform

Teal is a one-stop shop for your entire job search journey. From finding jobs to resume building to job tracking and sending follow-ups to hiring managers, Teal has the features you need to stay organized and stand out in the job market.

Flexible payment options

Teal offers a variety of pricing options, including a generous free plan. Need more? Upgrade to a premium plan starting at only $9 per week or $29 per month. Cancel anytime, hassle-free in your account details or by contacting Teal’s excellent customer service.

Not only does Teal offer a resume and cover letter builder, but it also includes:

  • Achievement Assistant to helps you write strong bullet points with impactful action verbs, quantifiable results, and powerful keywords matched to a specific job description.
  • Struggling with what to say to recruiters and hiring managers? Teal has a library of email templates for every stage of the job search to help you make the case for why you're the perfect candidate for the job.
  • The job tracker lets you bookmark and organize job applications in one centralized location so you can stay on top of your job search.

Case Study: How Morgan Landed a Remote Job at $3B Tech Company Calendly Using Teal

Teal's job search engine
Find, filter, and save coveted remote roles in Teal's free job search engine.

Teal supports your complete job search

While LiveCareer has a user-friendly interface, a variety of templates, and resume tips for beginners, the downsides are the limitations in customization, problems with formatting, and potential issues with pricing and canceling subscriptions. If you're looking to benefit from AI-powered resume writing, personalize your resume to specific job descriptions, and manage your whole job search in one place, Teal is the better choice.

Teal's AI-powered resume builder can help you show off your unique skills and experience to position yourself as the perfect candidate for the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LiveCareer a legit site?

LiveCareer appears to be a legitimate resume builder with positive reviews on some websites, but there are also concerns about the lack of pricing transparency. Ultimately, the platform is not free for anyone looking for a usable resume because the basic option only offers access to download a resume as a TXT file, which is not standard for resumes.

Is LiveCareer easy to cancel?

Reviewers commonly cited that it was difficult to cancel their subscriptions, with some facing unexpected charges to their bank account. However, LiveCareer's website states "You may cancel online, by email, or by calling us toll-free at 800-652-8430."

How much does LiveCareer cost?

LiveCareer offers a free plan with limited features or premium plans for additional formats and features. Their paid plans are $2.95 for 14 days of access, which auto-renews at $23.95, billed every 4 weeks, or an annual plan for $71.40, paid upfront.

Katie Harp

Katie is a digital marketer and writer. When she's not working, she enjoys trivia and board games, watching cat videos, and is learning programming for fun.

We help you find
the career dream.