ScissorCVComparison
ScissorCV vs Teal
Teal has the best free job tracker in the category. ScissorCV has the better tailoring economics. Here is why running both is often the smartest move.
The short verdict
Teal has the best free job tracker in the category. ScissorCV has the better tailoring economics and the only real fabrication controls. Teal+ costs $13 per week, $29 per month or $79 per quarter with no annual plan, so a year of weekly billing reaches $676. ScissorCV is $19 once.
This is the one comparison where running both genuinely makes sense: Teal free for organising the search, ScissorCV for the per-application tailoring.
ScissorCV vs Teal at a glance
| ScissorCV | Teal | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19 one-time, lifetime | Free tier, or Teal+ at $13/week, $29/month, $79/quarter |
| Annual plan | Not needed | None offered |
| Cost over 12 months | $19 | $348 monthly, $316 quarterly, $676 weekly |
| Free tier quality | 5 full tailoring runs | Generous: unlimited resumes and job tracking, 10 templates |
| Free tier AI limits | 5 runs, then licence | Roughly 10 AI credits |
| Job application tracker | Local history of every application | Best in class |
| Where your resume lives | Your browser only | Teal servers |
| AI provider | Yours, free tier available | Teal's, credit-metered |
| Blocks unsupported claims | Yes, Truth Guard | Not a feature |
| Score methodology published | Yes | No |
| Regional CV formats | Six markets | US-centric |
| Application autofill | Yes | No |
| Resume design and templates | Functional, ATS-first | More polished, more templates |
Competitor pricing and plan details verified 30 July 2026 from each vendor's own pricing page. Vendors change prices — check theirs before subscribing.
Where Teal is genuinely better
- The job tracker. Bookmarking, statuses, notes, goals and follow-up tracking across an entire search — nothing in ScissorCV matches it, and the free tier includes it unlimited.
- The free tier is unusually honest. Unlimited resumes and unlimited job tracking at no cost, with only the AI features metered.
- Polish and template range. Teal's builder is more refined and its Chrome extension holds a 4.9/5 rating from over 3,200 reviewers.
- No API key. Teal handles the AI for you.
- LinkedIn profile import. Fast onboarding from an existing profile.
One thing to know about Teal+: the weekly billing is prominent and adds up fast. At $13 per week a year costs $676, and there is no annual plan to soften it. Reviews commonly cite billing and cancellation friction as the main complaint.
Where ScissorCV is better
- Unlimited tailoring for $19 once. Teal's AI features are credit-metered on free and require Teal+ for unlimited use.
- Nothing is uploaded. No hosted resume database, because there is no server.
- Truth Guard. Teal will happily write a strong bullet; ScissorCV checks whether your evidence supports it first and flags the gap if not.
- A documented, conservative score. You can read exactly what counts and what does not.
- Non-US markets and autofill. Six regional CV renderers plus application form autofill.
The recommended combination
Track with Teal free
Bookmark roles, manage statuses and keep your pipeline organised. Costs nothing, permanently.
Tailor with ScissorCV
Generate the resume and cover letter per application, check the honest score, review the gaps. $19 once.
Skip Teal+ entirely
The main reason to upgrade is unlimited AI generation, which is exactly what ScissorCV already gives you without a subscription. Total cost for the year: $19 instead of $348.