In the competitive UK job market, a polished, professional CV is your most important tool. Online CV builders like CV Genius have become incredibly popular, offering sleek templates and helpful prompts to create a standout application in minutes. These tools can be a lifeline for job seekers who need to produce a high-quality document quickly.
However, the convenience of these services often comes with a subscription model that can catch users by surprise. Many have signed up for a low-cost trial, only to discover a much larger recurring monthly fee on their bank statement weeks later. This guide for 2025 will explain how the CV Genius service works and provide a clear, step-by-step plan on how to cancel your CV Genius subscription to stay in control of your finances.
How CV Genius Works: The Trial-to-Subscription Model
CV Genius offers an intuitive platform that guides you through building a CV from scratch. You can choose from various professional templates, input your information section by section, and get pre-written content suggestions to help you articulate your skills and experience. The process is smooth and the end results are visually appealing.
The critical point of confusion for many users arises at the payment stage. To download the CV you’ve just spent time creating (in a usable format like PDF or Word), you are required to sign up for a trial plan. This often costs a very small, appealing fee, such as £2.90 for 14 days of access.
What is frequently missed in the fine print is that this trial automatically converts into a full, recurring monthly subscription if not canceled before the trial period ends. This monthly fee is substantially higher than the trial cost, leading to unexpected charges and frustration for users who only intended to use the service once.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Cancel a CV Genius Subscription
If you have signed up for a CV Genius trial or subscription, it is vital to know how to cancel it to prevent future payments. The process can be done directly through your account on their website.
Step 1: Log In to Your CV Genius Account
The first step is to access your account dashboard.
- Navigate to the official CV Genius website.
- Log in using the email address and password you used to create the account and pay for the trial.
Step 2: Navigate to Your Account and Plan Details
Once you are logged in, you need to find your subscription settings.
- Look for “My Account” or your name, typically located in the top-right corner of the page. Click on it to open the menu.
- From the dropdown menu, select “Plan details” or a similar option related to billing or your subscription.
Step 3: Initiate the Cancellation
This is the most important part of the process.
- On the “Plan details” page, scroll down to the bottom.
- You should see a button or link that says “Cancel Subscription”. Click on this link.
- The system will likely ask you to confirm your decision. You may have to click through one or two screens asking for feedback or offering a discount to stay. Be persistent and proceed with the final confirmation.
Step 4: Verify Your Cancellation
Do not assume the cancellation is complete after clicking the button.
- Check for a Confirmation Email: You should receive an email from CV Genius confirming that your subscription has been canceled and will not renew. If you do not receive this within an hour, check your spam folder. If it’s not there, the cancellation may not have been processed correctly.
- Check Your Account Status: Log back into your account and navigate to the “Plan details” page again. It should now show that your plan has been canceled and will expire at the end of the current term.
To avoid any unwanted charges, you must complete these steps before your trial period or current billing cycle ends.
What to Do If You Encounter Problems
If you cannot find the cancellation button or believe you have been charged unfairly, take the following steps:
- Contact Customer Support Directly: Find the “Contact Us” page on their website and send a formal email requesting cancellation. This creates a paper trail.
- Contact Your Bank: If unwanted charges continue, call your bank immediately. Instruct them to block any future payments to “CV Genius” and cancel the continuous payment authority. You can also ask about initiating a chargeback for unauthorised fees.
A Note on Third-Party Cancellation Services
You may see third-party services like Unsubby that offer to manage subscription cancellations. While these platforms can be useful, for a service like this where direct action is possible online, it’s typically faster and more secure to handle it yourself. To effectively cancel CV Genius, using their own website portal is the primary method, with a direct call to your bank as the ultimate safety net.
Conclusion: Use Career Tools Wisely
CV Genius offers a genuinely useful tool for job seekers in a competitive market. However, its business model relies on users understanding the terms of their trial. This serves as a crucial reminder to always read the fine print before entering payment details online. By regularly checking your bank statements and knowing how to navigate the cancellation process, you can use these powerful tools to your advantage without falling into a subscription trap.
