Free ATS Scanner · Updated May 2026

75% of resumes get silently rejected.

Paste your resume. See what an ATS actually sees. Keyword gaps, parsing failures, the line that got you binned. 8 seconds. No signup.

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The Short Answer· Updated May 2026

Most advice tells you to start over. Don't. The problem is usually 2 or 3 lines the ATS can't read. We show you which ones.

ApplyArc is a free ATS resume checker. Paste your CV, optionally with a job description, and it returns an ATS score, the keywords you're missing, and the exact lines that get binned. No signup. No email. ApplyArc is a UK-registered company (Companies House), a Microsoft for Startups member, and listed on Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice.

Scan my resumeNo signup. No email. No paywall.
18 AI career tools, one dashboardListed on Capterra, GetApp & Software AdviceMicrosoft for Startups memberMicrosoft Advisor: 90/100Private endpoints · AES-256 · UK-hosted

Other job search tools charge $29–50/mo → ApplyArc starts free, Pro £19/mo

Is Your Resume Getting Past the Robots?

75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before a human ever sees them

Paste your resume below and find out in seconds. No sign-up, no data stored — runs entirely in your browser.

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100% client-side · your resume never leaves your browser

Why Your Resume Gets Rejected

75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before a human sees them. Here's why:

Complex Formatting

Tables, columns, headers, and graphics that ATS can't parse

Missing Keywords

Skills and qualifications not matching job requirements

Wrong File Format

PDF issues, image-based text, or incompatible file types

Section Problems

Missing standard sections or unusual headings ATS doesn't recognise

What Our ATS Checker Analyses

complete scanning to maximise your chances of getting past automated filters.

ATS Score Instantly

Get a percentage match score showing how well your CV aligns with the job requirements.

Keyword Gap Analysis

See exactly which keywords from the job description are missing from your resume.

Format Compatibility

Identify formatting issues that might cause parsing errors in ATS systems.

AI Suggestions

Get natural ways to incorporate missing keywords without sounding robotic.

Human-Readable

Optimise for machines while keeping your CV engaging for recruiters.

Multiple Checks

Test different versions against multiple job postings to maximise your chances.

AI Career Coach

ATS checking is one of 17 tools. Your AI Career Coach sees your full pipeline and tells you what to do next.

How to Use the ATS Checker

Three simple steps to optimise your resume for ATS systems.

1

Paste Job Description

Copy the job posting you're applying for. Our AI extracts the key requirements and keywords.

2

Upload Your Resume

Paste your CV text or upload your resume file. We support Word, PDF, and plain text.

3

Get ATS Score & Tips

Instantly see your match score, missing keywords, and specific suggestions to improve.

Your Coach Keeps Working After the ATS Check

Most ATS checkers stop at the score. ApplyArc's AI Career Coach connects your resume to everything else in your job search.

What Coach Does Next

  • Generates a matching cover letter: Uses the same job description to create a tailored letter that reinforces your resume.
  • Tracks which version you sent: "Sent the Python-heavy resume to DataCo. Sent the full-stack version to Vercel."
  • Preps you for interviews: When a company calls back, Coach generates mock questions from their job posting.
  • Reminds you to follow up: "Acme hasn't replied in 7 days. Send a follow-up?"

What Standalone ATS Checkers Do

  • Give you a score. Then you're on your own. No cover letter, no tracking, no follow-ups.
  • No pipeline awareness. They don't know what else you're applying to or where you're stuck.
  • No interview prep. You pass the ATS, get the call, then scramble.
  • No pattern analysis. Can't tell you which resume versions actually lead to callbacks.

5 ATS Myths That Hurt Your Applications

Bad advice costs interviews. Here's what's actually true about ATS systems in 2026.

Myth: "You need to stuff your resume with keywords"

Truth: ATS systems score keyword relevance, not frequency. Repeating 'Python' 15 times won't help. Using it once in context will. Modern ATS tools penalise obvious keyword stuffing.

Myth: "PDF resumes always get rejected by ATS"

Truth: Most modern ATS platforms parse PDFs just fine. The real issue is PDFs created from images or with complex layouts. A clean, text-based PDF works perfectly.

Myth: "You should submit a plain text resume"

Truth: Plain text is safe but unnecessary for most systems. A well-formatted Word doc or clean PDF passes 95% of ATS platforms. Focus on structure, not stripping all formatting.

Myth: "ATS automatically rejects you below a certain score"

Truth: Most ATS tools rank candidates, they don't set hard cutoffs. A 60% match might still get seen if the pool is small. But higher scores mean you appear higher in the recruiter's queue.

Myth: "One resume works for every application"

Truth: Each job description has different keywords and priorities. A resume optimised for a PM role will score poorly for a software engineering role, even if you're qualified for both. Tailor every time.

ATS Varies by Industry

Different sectors use different platforms and prioritise different things. Here's what to watch for.

Tech & Startups

Common ATS: Greenhouse, Lever

Focus on specific tech stack keywords. List frameworks, languages, and cloud platforms explicitly. They search by skill, not by title.

Finance & Banking

Common ATS: Workday, Taleo

Conservative formatting matters. Avoid fancy layouts. Emphasise regulatory knowledge (FCA, SOX, Basel III) and compliance certifications.

Healthcare & NHS

Common ATS: Trac, NHS Jobs

Job titles must match NHS banding. Include registration numbers (GMC, NMC) and specific clinical competencies in dedicated sections.

Government & Civil Service

Common ATS: Civil Service Jobs

Use the STAR framework. Government ATS scoring often maps directly to the person specification. Address every bullet point explicitly.

Creative & Marketing

Common ATS: BambooHR, JazzHR

Even creative roles get ATS-filtered. Include tool names (Figma, Sketch, Google Analytics) as plain text. Link portfolios separately.

Retail & Hospitality

Common ATS: iCIMS, Oracle HCM

High-volume hiring means stricter filtering. Availability, certifications (food hygiene, SIA), and quantified experience matter most.

What This Checker Won't Do

We'd rather be upfront about limitations than overpromise.

Won't guarantee you pass every ATS

Every company configures their ATS differently. We optimise based on industry best practices, but there's no universal 'pass' button.

Won't rewrite your resume for you

We highlight gaps and suggest improvements. The actual editing is yours. This is a checker, not an auto-writer.

Won't test against specific ATS platforms

We can't simulate Workday or Greenhouse directly. We follow parsing standards that work across all major systems.

Won't hide a weak work history

If your experience doesn't match the role, no amount of keyword optimisation will fix that. We'll tell you the score honestly.

Quick ATS Formatting Checklist

Before you submit any application, run through these formatting basics. Most ATS rejections come from formatting errors, not missing skills.

Use a single-column layout

Two-column and sidebar layouts confuse older ATS parsers. Keep everything in one vertical flow.

Save as .docx unless told otherwise

PDF parsing varies wildly between platforms. Workday and Taleo handle .docx more reliably than PDF.

Use standard section headings

'Work Experience' not 'My Journey'. 'Education' not 'Academic Background'. ATS looks for exact heading matches.

No headers, footers, or text boxes

ATS software often skips content inside headers and footers entirely. Your contact info disappears.

Spell out acronyms at least once

Write 'Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)' the first time. Some ATS searches for the full phrase, not the abbreviation.

Use standard fonts at 10-12pt

Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman. Decorative fonts can corrupt during parsing and turn your resume into garbled text.

No images, charts, or icons

Skill bars, profile photos, and infographic-style layouts are invisible to ATS. They parse text only.

Include exact job title keywords

If the listing says 'Project Manager', use 'Project Manager' in your resume. Not 'PM' or 'Delivery Lead' alone.

Check Your Resume Now

See if your CV will pass ATS screening. Free, instant analysis.

No credit card required • 5 free checks/month

ATS Resume Checker FAQ

An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) resume checker scans your CV to identify formatting issues, missing keywords, and other problems that might cause automated screening systems to reject your application. Most large companies use ATS software, understanding how to pass these filters is essential for getting your resume seen by human recruiters.

Our AI analyses your resume against the job description to: (1) Check ATS compatibility, formatting, file structure, and parsability. (2) Extract keywords from the job posting and compare them to your CV. (3) Calculate a match score showing how well your experience aligns with requirements. (4) Provide specific suggestions to improve your ATS score.

Yes! The free plan includes 5 AI analyses per month. Plenty for an active job search. You can check multiple versions of your resume, compare against different job descriptions, and implement our suggestions. Pro users (£19/month) get unlimited checks plus all 18 AI tools.

Generally, aim for 70% or higher keyword match. However, don't keyword-stuff. ATS systems and recruiters can detect this. Our checker balances keyword optimisation with natural language to help you score well while remaining readable. We show which keywords to add naturally and which you already have.

No. Our approach focuses on identifying missing keywords and suggesting natural ways to incorporate them into your existing experience. We don't rewrite your resume. We highlight opportunities to strengthen it. The goal is a CV that passes ATS screening AND impresses human readers.

Our checker is designed for compatibility with major ATS platforms including Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo, iCIMS, and BambooHR. We follow industry best practices for formatting and structure that work across systems.

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