StellaCV vs Reactive Resume: comparing a polished commercial builder with a fully open-source alternative. Privacy, features, and AI capabilities head to head.
| Feature | StellaCV | Reactive Resume |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier + Pro at $12/mo | Completely free, open source |
| Self-hosting | Not available (SaaS only) | Fully self-hostable with Docker |
| ATS optimization | 18-point ATS scorer with live feedback | No ATS scoring features |
| AI writing assistance | Contextual AI bullet suggestions + summary generation | No AI features |
| Job tailoring | Paste a job description — get match score, rewritten bullets, and skill suggestions | Not available |
| Number of templates | 4+ professionally designed templates | Multiple templates, community-contributed |
| PDF export | Free, unlimited downloads | Free, unlimited downloads |
| Data format | Proprietary JSON in localStorage | JSON Resume schema, portable |
| LinkedIn import | Paste your LinkedIn profile — AI fills your resume in seconds (Pro) | JSON file import (manual export required) |
| User experience | Polished, guided editor with live preview | Functional but less polished interface |
| Data privacy | Local browser storage | Self-hosted = complete data ownership |
| Community & development | Commercial product, dedicated team | Open-source community, active GitHub |
Last updated March 2026. Feature details may change as products evolve.
Reactive Resume is an impressive open-source project. It's completely free, self-hostable, and uses the JSON Resume standard for maximum portability. If data ownership and open-source principles matter to you, Reactive Resume is hard to beat. The ability to run it on your own server means your resume data never touches a third party.
StellaCV's value add is in intelligence and polish. AI bullet suggestions, summary generation, and the 18-point ATS scorer are features that Reactive Resume simply doesn't have. The editor is more refined, with a guided experience that helps you build a stronger resume, not just format one. LinkedIn import saves significant time if you have an up-to-date profile.
Bottom line: choose Reactive Resume if you value open source, self-hosting, and data portability above all else. Choose StellaCV if you want AI-powered writing help and ATS scoring in a polished, ready-to-use package.
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