JobSprout vs Teal: Which Resume Builder is Right for You in 2026?

Teal has grown rapidly since launching in 2020, attracting over 4 million users with its combination of resume building and job application tracking. The platform stands out for its Chrome extension that lets you save job postings directly from LinkedIn and other job boards.

But what matters more to you: an integrated job search platform or a dedicated document builder? This comparison looks at JobSprout and Teal to help you decide which approach fits your job search.

Full disclosure: We built JobSprout, so we're naturally confident in our product. But we'll be honest about where Teal excels and where JobSprout might not be the right choice for everyone.

Quick Comparison Table

Pricing: The Real Costs

Teal's pricing structure is unusual. They don't offer monthly-only billing; instead, they push weekly, monthly, and quarterly options with different per-day costs.

JobSprout Pricing

• Free: 100 AI credits (one-time), 1 CV, 1 cover letter, 10 AI assistant messages/day, unlimited PDF downloads
• Pro Weekly: $6/week
• Pro Monthly: $12/month
• Pro Annual: $72/year ($6/month, 50% savings)
• Lifetime: $99 (one-time payment)

Teal Pricing

According to Teal's official pricing page and help documentation:

• Free (Teal): Unlimited resume creation, unlimited job tracking, 10 templates, limited AI credits
• Teal+ Weekly: $13/week ($1.85/day)
• Teal+ Monthly: $29/month ($0.96/day)
• Teal+ Quarterly: $79/quarter ($0.87/day)

There is no lifetime option for Teal.

The Pricing Verdict

How the pricing compares:

If you're planning to use resume tools for an extended job search, the pricing differences add up over time. JobSprout's lifetime option provides permanent access for a one-time payment.

Weekly options work if: You only need premium features for a short sprint, say one or two weeks of intensive applications. JobSprout at $6/week is less than half of Teal's $13/week for short-term needs.

Free Plan Comparison: What You Actually Get

Both platforms offer generous free tiers, but with different philosophies.

Teal Free Plan

According to Teal's official comparison:

Platform Features:

• Resume Creation: Unlimited
• Job Tracking: Unlimited
• Resume Templates: 10 free templates
• Keyword Matching: Top 5 keywords from job descriptions
• Resume Analysis: Basic analysis and recommendations
• Bullet Analysis: 2 credits
• Email Templates: 1 per job stage
• Resume Designer: Basic settings

AI Tools (Limited Credits):

• Resume Bullet Generation: 10 credits
• Professional Summary Generation: 2 credits
• Cover Letter Generation: 2 credits
• AI Interview Practice: 2 sessions
• AI Interview Scenarios: 2 scenarios

JobSprout Free Plan

• CVs: 1 CV
• Cover Letters: 1 cover letter (with full AI features)
• AI Credits: 100 one-time credits for AI writing
• AI Assistant: 10 messages per day
• Downloads: Unlimited PDF downloads
• Templates: Basic template (Pro templates require upgrade)

The Free Plan Verdict

Teal's free plan offers more breadth: unlimited resume creation, job tracking, and the Chrome extension. If you want to try everything Teal offers at a basic level, the free tier is generous.

JobSprout's free plan offers more depth: 100 AI credits versus Teal's much more limited credits (10 for bullets, 2 for summaries, 2 for cover letters). If you want to actually use AI to write your documents, JobSprout gives you more to work with.

Key difference: Teal limits you to 10 templates and basic analysis on free. JobSprout limits you to 1 CV but gives you more AI power to make that CV great.

AI Features: Different Approaches

Both platforms use AI, but their focus differs significantly.

Teal's AI Approach: Keyword-First Optimization

Teal built its AI around job description matching. Their core AI features:

Resume Bullet Generation

• Generate bullet points based on your experience
• Free: 10 credits; Teal+: Unlimited

Professional Summary Generator

• Creates summaries tailored to your background
• Free: 2 credits; Teal+: Unlimited

Cover Letter Generator

• Generates cover letters from your resume and job description
• Free: 2 credits; Teal+: Unlimited

Job Description Keyword Matching

• Compares your resume to job postings
• Free: Shows top 5 keywords
• Teal+: Full keyword list plus custom keywords

Resume Analysis

• Scores and provides feedback on your resume
• Free: Basic analysis
• Teal+: Advanced analysis with more detailed recommendations

AI Interview Practice

• Practice with AI-generated interview questions
• Free: 2 sessions; Teal+: Unlimited

JobSprout's AI Approach: Context-Aware Assistance

JobSprout's AI is designed to understand your complete context, not just individual bullet points.

AI Assistant

• A chat interface that knows your work history, CV, and target role
• Ask anything: "Make my summary more confident," "Tailor this for startups," "What's missing?"
• No need to re-explain your situation each time
• Free: 10 messages/day; Pro: Unlimited

AI Writer (Inline Editing)

• Select any text: a word, phrase, sentence, or entire section
• Tell the AI exactly what you want: "shorter," "more technical," "add metrics"
• Choose tone and length preferences
• You stay in control of your story

Deep Research (Pro)

• AI-powered web research about companies and roles
• Pulls in real company insights for cover letters
• References specific projects, tech stacks, and company values
• Makes cover letters feel genuinely researched

Grammar Check

• Finds spelling and grammar issues across your document
• Presents corrections for you to accept or reject
• You maintain control over changes

The AI Verdict

Choose Teal if: You want AI that helps with the mechanics of job applications: keyword matching, interview practice, and quick bullet point generation. Their interview practice feature is unique and genuinely useful for preparation.

Choose JobSprout if: You want AI that understands your entire context and helps you craft your story. The AI Assistant knows your background and can have conversations about your career without you re-explaining everything. The inline editing gives you precise control at any granularity.

Job Tracking: Teal's Standout Feature

This is where Teal genuinely stands apart. JobSprout doesn't have a job tracker; Teal built their entire platform around one.

What Teal's Job Tracker Offers

Chrome Extension

• Save job postings from any website (LinkedIn, Indeed, company career pages)
• One click to bookmark a job with all details captured
• Works on most major job boards

Application Pipeline

• Kanban-style board: Wishlist → Applied → Interviewing → Offer
• Track where you are with each application
• Set reminders for follow-ups
• Add notes about each opportunity

Job Description Analysis

• See keywords from saved job descriptions
• Match your resume to specific jobs
• Identify skill gaps between your resume and target roles

Email Templates

• Pre-written templates for each stage: applying, following up, negotiating
• Free: 1 template per stage
• Teal+: Unlimited templates

Does JobSprout Have a Job Tracker?

No. JobSprout focuses exclusively on document creation: resumes and cover letters. We believe in doing one thing well rather than adding features that dilute focus.

If you need a job tracker, you can use:

• A simple spreadsheet (many job seekers prefer this)
• A free Notion or Trello board
• Teal's free job tracking (works without paying)

The Job Tracking Verdict

Teal has an edge on job tracking. Their Chrome extension and application pipeline are genuinely useful, especially for high-volume job searches where you're applying to dozens of positions.

But ask yourself: Do you need a built-in tracker, or would you rather use a purpose-built tool for documents and track applications separately? There's no wrong answer; it depends on your workflow.

Templates and Design Quality

Teal Templates

Teal offers a selection of templates designed for ATS compatibility:

• Free: 10 templates
• Teal+: Full template library

Their templates focus on:

• Clean, professional layouts
• ATS-friendly structure
• Customization via "Design Mode" (basic settings free, advanced settings paid)

Teal templates are rendered as HTML/CSS, which produces good results but varies in quality depending on your browser and how you export.

JobSprout Templates

JobSprout uses Typst, a modern typesetting system (similar to LaTeX but more accessible):

• Professional Typography: Proper kerning, spacing, and line heights
• Print-Quality Output: Documents look professionally typeset
• Mathematical Precision: Consistent spacing and alignment throughout
• Visual Distinction: Your CV looks polished, not generic

The Typst difference is subtle but noticeable. Documents have the visual quality of professionally printed materials, not web pages saved as PDFs.

The Design Verdict

Teal offers more variety: More templates to choose from, especially on the paid plan.

JobSprout offers higher quality: Fewer templates, but each one is professionally typeset with Typst. In competitive hiring, visual quality signals attention to detail.

Cover Letter Support

Teal Cover Letters

• Free: 2 AI credits for cover letter generation
• Teal+: Unlimited generation
• Approach: Generates based on your resume and job description
• Templates: Multiple styles available

JobSprout Cover Letters

• Free: 1 cover letter with full AI features
• Pro: Unlimited cover letters
• Deep Research: AI researches the company and role to add specific insights
• Linked CV: Cover letter AI knows your CV context

JobSprout's Deep Research feature is particularly notable. It conducts web research about the company and role, then uses those insights to make your cover letter feel genuinely personalised. The AI references specific company projects, values, or recent news.

The Cover Letter Verdict

Different approaches to cover letters. JobSprout's Deep Research capability pulls in company-specific information to personalise content. Teal's generator creates cover letters based on your resume and job description. The right choice depends on how much customisation you want.

Interview Preparation

Teal's Interview Features

Teal includes AI-powered interview practice:

• AI Interview Practice: Practice answering common questions
• AI Interview Scenarios: Role-play specific interview situations
• Free: 2 sessions/scenarios each
• Teal+: Unlimited

This is genuinely useful. Many job seekers underestimate interview preparation, and having a tool to practice with before the real thing can boost confidence.

JobSprout's Interview Features

JobSprout doesn't include interview practice tools. Our focus is on documents: creating the best possible resume and cover letter to get you to the interview stage.

The Interview Verdict

Teal includes interview preparation tools. If you want built-in interview practice, Teal offers it while JobSprout focuses on documents. This is a meaningful feature for users who want an all-in-one career platform.

Who Should Choose Teal?

Teal is the better choice if:

1. You want an all-in-one career platform. Resume building, job tracking, and interview practice in one tool. Teal's integrated approach saves switching between apps.

2. You apply to many jobs and need to track them. The Chrome extension and application pipeline are genuinely useful for high-volume job searches.

3. Interview practice matters to you. Teal's AI interview features help you prepare before the real thing.

4. You prefer Teal's ecosystem. If the Chrome extension and job tracker integration are essential to your workflow, Teal delivers that. (Note: both now offer weekly billing, with JobSprout at $6/week vs Teal's $13/week.)

5. You want lots of template variety. Teal+ unlocks a larger template library with more design options.

Who Should Choose JobSprout?

JobSprout is the better choice if:

1. Budget matters. At $12/month versus $29/month (or $72/year versus ~$316/year), JobSprout saves significant money over time. The lifetime option at $99 pays for itself quickly.

2. Document quality is your priority. JobSprout focuses exclusively on helping you create better resumes and cover letters. The Typst typesetting produces print-quality documents.

3. You want context-aware AI. JobSprout's AI Assistant knows your entire background and can have conversations about your career. You don't need to re-explain your situation each time.

4. Deep Research for cover letters appeals to you. JobSprout's AI actually researches companies to personalise your cover letters with specific insights.

5. You prefer managing applications separately. Many job seekers prefer a simple spreadsheet or separate tool for tracking. JobSprout doesn't force you into a particular workflow.

6. You want more AI credits on the free plan. JobSprout's 100 free AI credits go further than Teal's limited allocation.

Feature-by-Feature Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Teal worth it?

Teal is worth it if you want an all-in-one career platform with job tracking, interview practice, and resume building. The free tier is generous for tracking and basic resume work. The paid tier makes sense if you need unlimited AI generation and full template access.

Is JobSprout better than Teal?

It depends on your needs. JobSprout is better for users focused purely on document quality, who want context-aware AI, and who prefer lower pricing. Teal is better for users who want integrated job tracking and interview practice in one platform.

Can I use Teal for free?

Yes, and Teal's free plan is genuinely useful. You get unlimited resume creation, unlimited job tracking, and the Chrome extension. AI features are limited but functional for basic use.

Does Teal have a lifetime plan?

No. Teal only offers weekly, monthly, and quarterly subscriptions. There's no one-time purchase option.

Does JobSprout have a job tracker?

No. JobSprout focuses on document creation. For job tracking, we recommend using a spreadsheet, Notion, or even Teal's free job tracker alongside JobSprout.

Which has better cover letters?

JobSprout's cover letters are more personalised thanks to the Deep Research feature, which pulls in actual company information. Teal's cover letter generator is competent but more template-based.

Which is better for career changers?

Both platforms can help career changers. Teal's keyword matching helps you identify terminology from your target field. JobSprout's AI Assistant can help reframe your experience for new industries through conversational guidance.

Are there any hidden fees?

Neither platform has hidden fees. Teal's pricing is straightforward per their website, and JobSprout's pricing is what you see on our pricing page.

The Bottom Line

Choose JobSprout if budget matters, document quality is your priority, you want context-aware AI that knows your whole situation, or you prefer Deep Research for genuinely personalised cover letters. JobSprout costs less than half of Teal monthly and offers professional Typst typesetting.

Choose Teal if you want an all-in-one career platform with job tracking, interview practice, and the convenience of a Chrome extension for saving jobs. Teal's integrated approach works well for high-volume job searches where tracking dozens of applications matters.

Both are legitimate tools built by teams that care about helping job seekers. The right choice depends on whether you want a focused document creator or an all-in-one career platform.

Try JobSprout

If context-aware AI, professional typesetting, and affordable pricing sound right for your job search, give JobSprout a try.

Create your CV and cover letter for free. Unlimited downloads. No credit card required.

Last Updated: January 2026

Pricing and features verified against official sources. Information accurate as of publication date. Always check each platform's website for current details.

Sources:

• Teal Pricing
• Teal vs Teal+ Comparison
• Teal About Page