Jobscan: an ATS resume checker with a match score for every posting
Updated on September 8, 2026
Jobscan is an online ATS checker that compares your resume to a job description and returns a match rate score, the same kind of ranking applicant tracking software produces for recruiters. Five free resume scans a month, forever, with a paid Premium plan lifting the cap. The service dates back to 2014 and says it reverse-engineered the ranking logic of the major tracking systems. Active job hunters, fresh graduates and career changers get the most out of it.
- Detailed match rate for every single posting
- Pinpoints missing keywords straight from the job description
- Detects the employer's likely ATS (Taleo, Greenhouse...)
- Permanent free tier to try it out
- LinkedIn and cover letter tools with Premium
- English-only interface
- Advice built first for the US job market
- Monthly plan pricey for occasional use
Paste the resume, paste the posting, Jobscan runs the numbers
Jobscan reads your resume against the text of a job posting and reports a match rate, the missing hard and soft skills, and the formatting issues that trip up applicant tracking systems. The report runs 30+ checks and even guesses which software the employer relies on, then adapts its advice.
In practice, you upload a PDF or Word file or paste plain text, add the posting, hit scan. Seconds later, the report lands. Fix, rescan, watch the percentage climb. The suggested target sits around 75%.
| Report section | What Jobscan checks |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Hard and soft skills found in the posting but missing from the resume |
| Formatting | Tables, columns, headers and footers some ATS parse badly |
| Searchability | Contact details, section titles and date formats |
| ATS detection | Advice adjusted for Taleo, Greenhouse, iCIMS or Lever |
| Match rate | An overall score, with 75% as the suggested floor |
LinkedIn optimization, cover letters and a job tracker on the side
Beyond resume scans, Premium adds a LinkedIn profile optimizer, a cover letter checker paired with an AI generator, and unlimited AI resume optimizations. The job tracker, the resume builder and the Chrome extension, on the other hand, come with the free account.
That toolkit suits people applying in volume, graduates sending a first batch of applications, or career changers rewording a past life into a new field. Recruiters, meanwhile, keep stacking AI tools for human resources on their side of the table, so a little counter-intelligence helps.
Jobscan diagnoses far more than it writes. Many candidates pair it with a builder such as Kickresume, Teal or Rezi, design on one side, keyword control on the other.
Jobscan free plan, Premium pricing and non-English resumes
The free Jobscan account includes 5 resume scans per month, permanently (the counter resets every month, so no juggling several accounts). Unlimited scans, AI Optimize and the LinkedIn module sit behind Premium.
On the language front, keyword matching works on a resume written in French or another language since the tool simply compares two texts, but formatting advice follows US conventions and every employer configures its ATS differently. Treat the score as a compass, not a pass-or-fail stamp.
- Free, 5 scans per month with a simplified report
- Premium monthly, $49.95 per month
- Premium quarterly, $89.95 every three months, close to $30 monthly, with a 7-day free trial
- These figures match the grid published on jobscan.co at the time of writing, which stays the reference
Frequently asked questions
Is Jobscan free?
Partly. Every account gets 5 free resume scans per month with no expiry date and no card on file. Unlimited scans, cover letter checks and the LinkedIn optimizer come with Premium. For a light search focused on a handful of priority applications, the free tier does the job.
Is the Jobscan ATS score reliable?
It measures keyword overlap, not the behavior of one specific ATS. Each employer configures its software differently, so the match rate works as a guide rather than a verdict. Jobscan suggests topping 75%, a threshold its own research links to better callback rates.
Jobscan or Kickresume, which one should you pick?
They solve different problems. Kickresume builds a polished resume from templates with AI writing help, while Jobscan audits an existing resume against one specific posting. Plenty of job seekers chain them, building the document first, then checking its keywords before sending anything.
Does Jobscan optimize LinkedIn profiles?
Yes, on paid plans. The Jobscan LinkedIn optimizer scans your headline, summary and skills against the vocabulary recruiters type into their search filters, then lists the terms your profile is missing so you surface in more searches. The feature unlocks with a Premium subscription.
Verdict: Five free scans a month are enough to learn what your resume lacks for the roles you actually want; high-volume applicants, recent graduates and anyone targeting big ATS-heavy employers will get the most mileage out of Jobscan.
