Free · No sign-up · No paywall

Free CV Maker & CV Templates.

Pick a free UK CV template, fill it in and download it as a PDF or Word file.

Yes, it’s actually free: build your CV, then download it as a PDF or Word file with no sign-up, no trial, no watermark and no charge at the download button. UK A4 templates that applicant tracking systems can read, a live preview, and it runs in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded.

Free PDF & Word downloads No account or subscription Nothing uploaded UK A4 or US Letter

Saves in this browser as you type

Design

Font Paper

1 page

Free forever: no sign-up, no trial, no watermark. Made on your device; nothing is uploaded.

How it works

How to make a CV for free

Three steps, about 20 minutes, no account.

Fill in your details

Type your name, contact details, profile, jobs, education and skills. Your CV builds in the preview as you type.

Pick a look

Choose one of four ATS-friendly templates, a colour and a font. Reorder, rename or add sections.

Download free

Press Download PDF or Download Word. No sign-up, no watermark, nothing uploaded.

At a glance

What you get, free

Updated 30 October 2026

Price: Free: PDF and Word, every template
Sign-up: None, no email needed
Watermark: None
Downloads: PDF (selectable text) and Word .docx
Paper: A4 (UK) or US Letter
Templates: 4 single-column, ATS-friendly
Privacy: Built on your device; nothing uploaded
Saves: Autosaves in your browser; save a copy to move it

No catch

Free at the download button, not just to start

The most common complaint about online CV builders is building a whole CV, pressing download, and only then being asked to pay. Several of the biggest give only a plain text file free; a PDF or Word file needs a short trial that renews every four weeks unless you cancel. Altto doesn’t do that.

	Altto CV Builder	Typical “free” CV builder
Sign-up	None	Account needed
PDF download	Free	Often paid (text file free)
Word download	Free	Often paid
Watermark or page limit	None	Sometimes on the free plan
Subscription to cancel	None	Trial that auto-renews
Where your CV is kept	Only in your browser	On their servers

Based on the free plans of popular CV and resume builders as we found them on 30 October 2026; plans change, so check before you sign up anywhere.

Examples

CV personal statement examples

Your personal statement (or profile) is the three to five lines under your name. Change the details to fit you and the job you’re applying for.

School leaver or student, no experience

“Reliable, friendly Year 11 student looking for a weekend job in retail. Used to balancing schoolwork with football training and volunteering at a food bank, where I help pack parcels and welcome visitors. Quick to learn and happy to work early mornings.”

Graduate

“Recent BSc Business Management graduate (2:1) with a summer internship in a marketing team, where I ran social media reports for six clients. Confident with Excel and presenting to groups. Looking for a graduate role in marketing or sales.”

Career change

“Former hospitality manager moving into HR, with eight years of hiring, training and rota planning for teams of up to 25. Currently studying for the CIPD Level 3 certificate. Looking for an HR assistant role where my people skills count from day one.”

Experienced

“Retail supervisor with four years’ experience in busy high-street stores. I lead a team of eight, keep stock records accurate and raised average basket value by 12% last year. Looking for an assistant store manager role.”

First job

How to write a CV with no experience

Everyone starts somewhere. Employers hiring for a first job look for reliability, attitude and the skills you’ve shown at school or in your spare time.

Keep it to one page and start with a short personal statement about the job you want.
Put education first: your school or college, GCSEs (predicted grades are fine), and any course you’re on.
Add anything that counts as experience: work experience placements, babysitting, helping in a family business, volunteering, Duke of Edinburgh, sports teams, school council or clubs.
Write what you did and what came of it, for example “Coached the under-9s football team every Sunday for a season”.
Finish with skills the advert mentions: customer service, teamwork, time management, basic IT, languages.

Skills

Skills to put on a CV

Choose the skills the job advert asks for, then prove the best ones in your bullet points. Some common ones:

People skills

Customer service, communication, teamwork, listening, handling complaints, leadership, training others, working with children or older people.

Organisation

Time management, reliability and punctuality, planning rotas, working under pressure, attention to detail, problem solving.

Practical and IT

Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, Google Workspace, till and cash handling, stock control, food hygiene, first aid, full UK driving licence, forklift licence.

Languages and extras

Languages (with level, e.g. “Polish, fluent”), social media, sign language, DBS check (if you already have one), CSCS card.

Good to know

PDF or Word? CV or resume?

PDF or Word

Send what the advert asks for. If it doesn’t say, a PDF keeps your layout exactly as you made it; some agencies and older application systems ask for Word. Both downloads here are free and laid out the same way.

CV or resume

In the UK, Ireland and most of Europe you send a CV. In the US and Canada the same thing is called a resume and is usually one page on US Letter paper; choose US Letter under Paper if you’re applying there.

Applicant tracking systems (ATS)

Big employers often scan CVs with software first. Single-column layouts with real text and standard headings read best, which is how every template here is built. Use words from the job advert.

One CV for every job?

Keep one main CV, then tweak the personal statement and bullet points for each application. Use Save a copy to keep each version.

UK CV tips

How to write a CV UK employers want

Short, honest and easy to scan. Based on National Careers Service and UCAS advice.

Two sides of A4 at most

One page is fine for school leavers and graduates. The page counter turns red at three pages; Make it fit or the Compact template helps.

Start with a personal profile

Three to five lines under your name: who you are, what you’re good at and the kind of job you want. Change it for each application.

Show results, not duties

Start each bullet with a doing word and add numbers: “Trained 6 new starters” beats “Responsible for training”.

Leave these off

No photo, date of birth, age, marital status or full home address. Your town, phone and email are enough.

Education, newest first

Degree, then A levels, BTEC, T Level or Highers, then GCSEs with English and Maths grades. Put education first if you’re early in your career.

References

“References available on request” is normal. Don’t list referees’ contact details on the CV itself.

Sources: National Careers Service: CV sections · UCAS: how to write a CV

FAQ

CV maker and CV template questions

Is this CV builder really free?

Yes. Every template, the PDF download and the Word download are free, with no sign-up, no trial, no watermark and no page limit. There is nothing to cancel because there is no account or subscription. Altto is paid for by ads on the page, not by charging you at the download button.

Where can I get a free CV template in Word?

Right here. Pick one of the four UK A4 CV templates, fill it in on this page, then press Download Word for an editable .docx (it opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice and Altto Write) or Download PDF. Both are free, with no sign-up and no watermark.

How do I make a CV for free?

Fill in your details, work experience, education and skills in the form on this page and watch the CV build in the preview. Pick a template and colour, then press Download PDF (or Word). It takes about 15 to 30 minutes and costs nothing.

How do I write a good CV?

Start with your name and contact details, then a three to five line personal profile aimed at the job. List work experience newest first, with bullet points that show results (“Trained 6 new starters”), then education and skills. Keep it to two sides of A4, use a plain font, match the words in the job advert and check the spelling before you send it.

Why do other “free” CV makers charge when I download?

Many big CV and resume builders let you build for free but only give a plain text file free. A PDF or Word file needs a paid plan, often a low-cost trial that renews automatically every four weeks. Check the price before you start on any site. Here the PDF and Word files are free.

Is my CV uploaded anywhere?

No. The CV is built in your browser and the PDF and Word files are made on your own phone or computer. Nothing you type is sent to Altto or anyone else. Your work is saved only in this browser so it is still there next time; use Start again to clear it, especially on a shared computer.

Will my CV get through applicant tracking systems (ATS)?

The templates are single-column with real, selectable text and standard headings (Work experience, Education, Skills), which is what tracking systems read best. There are no text boxes, tables, skill bars or text inside pictures, the usual reasons designed CVs get garbled.

How long should a CV be in the UK?

No more than two sides of A4 for most jobs. The page counter above the preview turns red at three pages, and Make it fit shrinks the text and spacing slightly to pull it back. School leavers and graduates often fit on one page.

Should I put a photo or my date of birth on a UK CV?

Usually not. UK employers don’t expect a photo, age, date of birth, marital status or nationality on a CV, and leaving them out helps avoid bias. A photo is optional here for jobs abroad where it is normal.

What should a UK CV include?

Your name and contact details (phone, email, town; no full address needed), a short personal profile, work experience with achievements, education and qualifications, and skills. Add volunteering, certificates, languages or hobbies if they help. “References available on request” is enough for references.

Can I make a CV on my phone?

Yes. It works in Safari or Chrome on iPhone and Android. Fill in the form, tap Preview to see your CV, then Download PDF; it saves to Files or Downloads, ready to attach to an application.

How do I write a CV with no work experience?

Lead with a personal profile and your education (GCSEs, A levels, college course), then add part-time jobs, volunteering, school roles, Duke of Edinburgh or clubs. Write what you did and what came of it, and list skills such as reliability, teamwork or languages.

Can I come back and edit my CV later?

Yes. Everything autosaves in this browser, so it’s there when you return on the same device. To move it to another device, press Save a copy and open that file there with Open a saved copy.

Do I need a different CV for each job?

It helps. Keep one main CV, then for each application tweak the profile and reorder or reword bullet points to match the job advert’s words. Save a copy of each version.

What is a CV (curriculum vitae), and is it the same as a resume?

A CV, short for curriculum vitae, is a summary of your experience, education and skills that you send when applying for a job. In the UK and Europe it’s called a CV; in the US and Canada it’s a resume and usually one page on US Letter paper. Choose US Letter in Paper if you’re applying there.

How do I write a personal statement for a CV?

Write three to five lines at the top that say who you are, your strongest skills or experience, and the job you want. Change it for each application so it matches the advert. Examples for school leavers, career changers and experienced staff are further down this page.

Should a CV personal statement be in first or third person?

Either is fine as long as you keep to one. Many UK CVs drop the “I” (“Reliable student with weekend retail experience...”), which reads naturally and saves space.

What skills should I put on my CV?

Pick the skills the job advert asks for and that you can back up with an example: customer service, teamwork, communication, organisation, IT (Excel, Word), languages, a driving licence or trade tickets. Show the best ones in your job bullet points too.

Should I send my CV as a PDF or a Word document?

Send whatever the job advert or application form asks for. If it doesn’t say, a PDF keeps your layout exactly as you made it; some recruitment agencies and older application systems prefer Word. This builder gives you both, free.

What font and size should a CV use?

A plain, easy-to-read font such as Calibri or Arial at 10 to 12 point, with bigger bold headings. The templates here use Calibri-style or Cambria-style fonts at about 10.5 point.

How do I explain a gap on my CV?

Be honest and brief: give the dates and a short reason (caring, illness, travel, redundancy, study) and add anything useful you did then, such as a course, volunteering or a project. You can say more in your cover letter or at interview.

Should I list my hobbies on a CV?

They’re optional. Include them when they show something useful for the job, such as teamwork, leadership or commitment, especially if you have little work experience. Keep it to a line or two.

What is the best CV format and layout in the UK?

For most people a reverse-chronological CV: contact details, personal profile, work experience (newest first), education, then skills. A skills-based CV can suit career changers or people with gaps. All four templates here use the standard UK order, and you can reorder sections.

How do I write a CV for my first job or at 16?

Keep it to one page and put education first: your school, GCSEs (predicted grades are fine) and any college course. Then add work experience placements, volunteering, Duke of Edinburgh, sports or clubs, and finish with skills. Press “Example: school leaver” at the top of the builder to see one.

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