Everything Resume vs OpenResume: What's the Difference?

Everything Resume and OpenResume share a common heritage—in fact, Everything Resume evolved from the OpenResume codebase. This page provides an honest, transparent comparison to help you understand the relationship between these projects and choose the right tool for your needs.

Key Takeaway: Everything Resume is a fork and continuation of the open-source OpenResume project, enhanced with AI capabilities, portfolio features, and expanded template options. Both remain free and open-source.

Project History & Relationship

OpenResume was created as an open-source resume builder focused on simplicity and ATS optimization. The project established a solid foundation for resume parsing, PDF generation, and user-friendly editing.

Everything Resume emerged as a fork of OpenResume, extending the original vision with:

Both projects remain open-source and independent. There is no corporate affiliation or competition—simply different approaches to solving the same problem.

Feature Comparison Table

Feature Everything Resume OpenResume
Core Resume Builder ✅ Enhanced with AI ✅ Original implementation
ATS-Friendly Templates ✅ 8+ templates ✅ 4 templates
PDF Export ✅ Unlimited ✅ Unlimited
AI Content Assistance ✅ Gemini/Vertex AI ❌ Not available
Portfolio Website Builder ✅ Multiple themes ❌ Not available
Cover Letter Generator ✅ AI-powered ❌ Not available
Resume Parsing (PDF Upload) ✅ ML-enhanced ✅ Basic parsing
Cloud Hosting ✅ Google Cloud Run Self-hosted or Vercel
Backend Architecture Node.js + Python FastAPI Client-side only
Open Source ✅ MIT License ✅ AGPL License
Cost Free Free

Technical Architecture Differences

OpenResume

OpenResume follows a client-side-first architecture:

Everything Resume

Everything Resume adopts a full-stack polyglot architecture:

This architecture enables AI features and portfolio hosting but requires more infrastructure.

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose OpenResume if you:

Choose Everything Resume if you:

Licensing & Open Source Commitment

Both projects are open-source with different licenses:

OpenResume: AGPL-3.0 (strong copyleft—derivative works must also be open-sourced)

Everything Resume: MIT License (permissive—allows proprietary derivatives)

Both licenses ensure the core software remains free. Everything Resume's MIT license provides more flexibility for commercial extensions while keeping the base platform open.

Contributing & Community

Both projects welcome contributions:

OpenResume: GitHub repository maintained by original creators with active issue tracking

Everything Resume: Fork with independent roadmap, accepting pull requests for features, bug fixes, and documentation

Contributors can support either or both projects. Code improvements in OpenResume may be adapted for Everything Resume where applicable, and vice versa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Everything Resume affiliated with OpenResume?

No formal affiliation exists. Everything Resume is an independent fork that started from the OpenResume codebase but has diverged significantly in features and architecture.

Will improvements in OpenResume be added to Everything Resume?

We monitor OpenResume development and may adopt improvements that align with our roadmap, with proper attribution. However, the codebases have diverged enough that direct merging is often not feasible.

Can I migrate my resume between platforms?

Both platforms support standard resume formats. You can export from one and import to the other, though some Everything Resume-specific features (like AI suggestions) won't transfer.

Which project is more actively maintained?

Both are actively maintained. OpenResume focuses on stability and simplicity, while Everything Resume prioritizes feature expansion and AI integration.

Conclusion

There's no "wrong" choice between Everything Resume and OpenResume—both are excellent, free tools built by developers who care about helping job seekers. OpenResume excels at doing one thing exceptionally well: building resumes with minimal friction. Everything Resume expands that vision into a comprehensive career platform with AI and portfolio capabilities.

Try both if you're curious. Both are free, open-source, and designed to respect your time and data. The job search is challenging enough; having quality tools should never be a barrier.