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Free for recruiters and hiring teams · by Peoplebox.ai

Free AI resume screening tool for recruiters

Paste a job description, add up to 10 resumes or CVs, and get a ranked shortlist in seconds. Every candidate gets a match score out of 100, matched and missing skills, red flags and three interview questions to ask.

  • 10 resumes free with a work email
  • Resumes are read in your browser, never uploaded
  • PDF, DOCX, TXT or pasted text

Last updated 15 October 2026

Resume screener10 free resumes
Step 2Add up to 10 resumes
Drop resumes here

PDF, DOCX or TXT, up to 5 MB each.

    Scoring runs on this device. Peoplebox does not see or store your resumes.

    What this free resume screening tool does

    This free AI resume screening tool ranks resumes against your job description. It pulls the required skills, years of experience and minimum degree out of the job description, checks every resume against them, and orders candidates by a match score from 0 to 100, so you know which resumes to open first and why. It uses natural language processing (NLP), a branch of AI, to spot skills and their synonyms and to measure how closely each resume matches the job description. The same rules apply to every candidate, so the ranking is consistent and explainable.

    It is built for recruiters, talent acquisition teams and hiring managers with an open role and a pile of applicants. Use it to shortlist a batch of up to 10 resumes or CVs in one go. For a full walkthrough of the method, read our AI resume screening guide. If you receive hundreds of applicants per role, Peoplebox's AI resume screening software screens every applicant inside your ATS and interviews the shortlist.

    How the match score is calculated

    Every resume is compared with your job description on four signals. Each is scored out of 100, weighted, and combined into one match score so you can rank applicants in seconds.

    AI resume screening tool ranking candidates against a job description

    Must-have skills work as knockouts

    Mark any skill as a must-have. A candidate who doesn't show it can't score above 55, however strong the rest of the resume is.

    What the score means

    75 and above is a strong match, 60 to 74 is good, 45 to 59 is partial and below 45 is low. Use it to order your review, not as a final hiring decision.

    1. 45%

      Skills match

      Hard and soft skills from your JD are checked against the resume. Must-have skills count double.

    2. 25%

      Role relevance

      Compares the overall language of the resume with the JD, so different wording for the same work still ranks well.

    3. 20%

      Experience fit

      Reads stated years and job date ranges, merges overlaps, and compares the total with what the JD asks for.

    4. 10%

      Education

      Finds the highest degree on the resume and checks it against the minimum degree in the JD.

    What the screener checks on every resume

    The same checks a recruiter runs when skimming a resume, applied the same way to every file.

    Job description

    • Required skills
    • Years of experience
    • Minimum education
    • Editable must-haves

    Skills match

    • Hard and soft skills found
    • Missing skills
    • Must-have knockouts

    Experience

    • Total years
    • Overlapping roles merged
    • Number of roles

    Relevance

    • JD to resume similarity
    • Ranking across the batch

    Education

    • Highest degree
    • Meets the JD minimum

    Red flags

    • Gaps over 6 months
    • Short average tenure
    • Duplicate applications

    Data quality

    • Missing email or phone
    • Scanned or unreadable files

    Fair screening

    • Blind mode hides names
    • Same criteria for everyone

    Interview prep

    • 3 questions per candidate
    • Built from their gaps

    Synonyms

    • ReactJS = React
    • K8s = Kubernetes

    Any role

    • Tech and non-tech skills
    • Add custom skills

    Export

    • CSV shortlist
    • Questions included

    How to screen resumes with AI in 4 steps

    1. Paste the job description

      The screener pulls out the skills, years of experience and degree the role needs.

    2. Set your must-haves

      Tap the skills you won't compromise on and adjust the minimum years or degree.

    3. Add up to 10 resumes

      Drop PDF, DOCX or TXT files or paste resume text, then select Screen and enter your work email to see the shortlist.

    4. Review and export

      Open any candidate for the score breakdown and the interview questions to ask, then download the shortlist as a CSV.

    Example: a ranked shortlist for one job

    Here is what the shortlist looks like for one role. The job is a Senior Product Manager role with SQL and B2B SaaS set as must-haves, 5+ years of experience and a bachelor's degree. Names are illustrative.

    RankCandidateMatch scoreSkills gapRed flags
    1Candidate A86 (strong)NoneNone
    2Candidate B78 (strong)Roadmapping toolsNone
    3Candidate C66 (good)A/B testing8-month gap in 2024
    4Candidate D55 (partial, capped)Missing must-have: SQLNone
    5Candidate E38 (low)B2B SaaS, SQL, stakeholder management3 jobs in 2 years

    Candidate D has relevant experience but no SQL, so the score is capped at 55 even though other signals are good. You would open Candidates A, B and C first, and check Candidate D only if the must-have can be trained on the job.

    Free resume screener vs Peoplebox AI resume screening software

    The free tool ranks up to 10 resumes in your browser. Peoplebox AI resume screening software screens every applicant for every open role with Nova, Peoplebox's AI recruiter.

    Free toolPeoplebox with Nova
    Resumes10, one timeUp to 1,000 per job
    Match score and breakdownYesYes
    Must-haves and red flagsYesYes
    CSV exportYesYes
    Interview questions per candidateYesYes, plus AI interviews
    Profile enrichment (LinkedIn, public data)NoYes
    Saved jobs and shortlistsNoYes
    AI interviews for shortlisted candidatesNoYes, with Nova
    ATSNoYes
    AI voice and text to applyNoYes
    Re-engage past candidates in your existing ATSNoYes
    AI chatbot on your career pageNoYes
    Integration with your existing HRMSNoYes

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    Frequently asked questions

    What is an AI resume screening tool?

    An AI resume screening tool compares resumes with a job description and ranks candidates by fit. You start with the strongest matches and see why each candidate scored the way they did.

    How does this resume screener work?

    It reads your job description and pulls out the required skills, years of experience and minimum degree. It then finds skills in each resume using a skills library that understands common synonyms (such as ReactJS and React), measures how closely the resume wording matches the job description, works out total experience from job dates, and checks the highest degree. These signals are combined into one match score from 0 to 100.

    How is the match score calculated?

    The score combines skills match (45%), role relevance (25%), experience fit (20%) and education (10%). Must-have skills count double, and a candidate missing any must-have is capped at 55.

    What is a good resume match score?

    75 and above is a strong match, 60 to 74 is good, 45 to 59 is partial and below 45 is low. Treat the score as a way to order your review, not a final decision.

    Is the resume screener free?

    Yes. You can screen 10 resumes free. Enter your name, work email and phone number once to see your results. The sample job needs no details and does not count. To screen more, book a demo of Peoplebox.

    Are the resumes I add stored anywhere?

    No. Files and pasted text are read and scored inside your browser and are never uploaded to Peoplebox. Only the name, work email and phone number you enter are sent to Peoplebox.

    Which file types can I screen, and how many?

    PDF, DOCX and TXT files up to 5 MB each, or resume text pasted in. You can screen 10 resumes for free. Re-screening the same resumes with a different job description or must-haves does not use up your limit. Scanned resumes saved as images cannot be read, and the screener flags them so you can review them manually.

    Can I use this for CV screening?

    Yes. CVs and resumes are screened the same way. Upload CVs as PDF, DOCX or TXT and the screener ranks them against your job description.

    Can ChatGPT screen resumes?

    You can paste resumes into a general chatbot and ask it to rank them, but answers can change with the wording of your prompt, scores are not applied the same way to every candidate, and you would be sharing candidate data with a third-party service. This screener applies the same weights and must-haves to every resume and keeps the files in your browser.

    Is it legal to use AI to screen resumes?

    In most places, yes, as long as a person makes the final decision and the criteria are job-related. Some places add rules: New York City requires a bias audit and candidate notice for automated employment decision tools (Local Law 144), and the EU AI Act treats AI used in recruitment as high-risk. Check the rules where you hire. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Which AI tool is best for resume screening?

    It depends on your hiring volume. For a handful of resumes, a free AI resume screener like this one gives you a ranked shortlist in seconds. If you hire for many roles or receive hundreds of applicants per job, look for AI resume screening software that saves jobs, connects to your ATS and can interview shortlisted candidates, such as Peoplebox with Nova.

    Can job seekers use this to check their own resume?

    This tool is built for employers ranking several candidates for one role. A job seeker can add their own resume with a job description to see which skills from the posting are missing, but the score compares candidates against each other, so it works best with more than one resume.

    Find your best candidates in minutes

    Screen 10 resumes free, or book a demo to rank every applicant for every role with Nova, Peoplebox's AI recruiter.