How Rezi Grew to $5M+ Revenue with an AI Resume Builder

Business Overview of Rezi

What problem does Rezi solve?

Rezi was born out of Jacob’s frustration with the outdated process of building resumes that could bypass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Many candidates, despite being qualified, were getting rejected because their resumes weren’t optimized for the software recruiters use.

In 2015, Jacob posted a free resume template on Reddit. The template went viral in job-seeking communities, showing a massive demand for simple, ATS-friendly resumes. What started as a one-off template evolved into a scalable SaaS product — Rezi, an AI-powered resume builder

How does Rezi solve the problem?

Here are the specific actions they took to solve this market problem:

• AI-Powered Resume Builder: Rezi helps users create resumes tailored to job descriptions, ensuring higher chances of getting past ATS filters.
• Ease of Use: The product was designed so job seekers could generate resumes in minutes without design or writing expertise.
• Scalable SaaS Model: Jacob transitioned from a one-time downloadable template to a subscription-based SaaS where users could log in, upgrade, and manage resumes seamlessly.
• Lifetime Deal Option: To reduce churn and appeal to job seekers who only need resumes temporarily, Rezi introduced a $149 lifetime plan alongside a $29/month subscription.

“The shift to a software where users could authenticate and subscribe… that was the shift to a business model which was scalable.” — Jacob, Founder of Rezi

Who is the target audience of Rezi?

Rezi primarily serves job seekers who need resumes that stand out in automated hiring systems.

1. Students & Fresh Graduates: Looking to enter the workforce with resumes that pass ATS filters.
2. Mid-Career Professionals: Professionals seeking job changes or international roles.
3. Freelancers & Contractors: Independent workers needing polished resumes for competitive markets.

With over 3 million users worldwide, Rezi has become a go-to tool for anyone serious about optimizing their job applications.

Pricing Strategy of Rezi

• Free Plan: Basic features, allowing users to create and download resumes.
• Pro Plan: $29/month subscription offering unlimited resumes, AI cover letters, and advanced features.
• Lifetime Deal: $149 one-time payment for unlimited access — popular among job seekers who want value without recurring costs.

This hybrid of subscription and lifetime pricing caters to both short-term job seekers and long-term professional users.

Rezi’s Value Proposition

Rezi communicates value through:

• Guaranteed ATS Optimization: Every resume is structured to bypass recruiter filters.
• AI Assistance: Smart suggestions for phrasing, keywords, and structure.
• Affordability: A free plan plus flexible pricing makes it accessible to users in different stages of their career journey.
  
  

Growth Timeline & Transitions

Early Phase: Template → Viral Reddit Post

• Jacob began by posting a resume template on Reddit. It resonated strongly within career / job-search communities, becoming viral. That virality validated demand and drove initial user interest.
• From that traction, he decided to build a website to host the template and monetize it.
• Over time, he migrated from a template business (manual or consulting style) into a software product: users could authenticate, upgrade, and use a scalable SaaS experience. In his words: “the shift to a software where users could authenticate and subscribe … that was the shift to a business model which was scalable.”
  
  

SEO as the Main Growth Channel

Rezi generates ~431,575 organic visitors/month (as of 2025), making SEO its single biggest growth lever.

• Their SEO approach is “product-led SEO” — i.e., building features and content aligned with high-volume, low-competition keywords (particularly around resume building, ATS, and job description matching).
  • Some of their top prroduct led keywords
    • AI resume builder
    • Free resume
    • Resume builder AI
    • Best AI resume builder
      

To capture long-tail searches and build authority, they created content clusters around related themes:

• Synonym Pages / Skill Phrases: Many job seekers Google specific skill phrases when trying to phrase their resumes
  • Top keywords in this cluster
    •  develop synonym 
    • collaborate synonym
    •  work ethic synonym
    •  team player synonym.
      
      
• Templates: Templates are quick, plug-and-play formats to save time and reduce guesswork.
  • Top keywords in this cluster
    • cover letter templates,
  •   resignation letter templates.
    
    
• Resume Keyword lists:Curated examples of skills and sections commonly added to resumes
  • Top keywords in this cluster
    • technical skills examples for resume
    • computer skills examples for resume
    • team-building examples on resume
      
      
• Resume Examples:
  • Resume examples by job role :teacher, marketing, sales, sous chef, civil engineer, etc.
  • Resume examples by use case: Resignation letter examples, notice letter examples
    
    

Virality, Community & Reddit

• The initial Reddit virality was a key jumpstart. In the start, Reddit can be the most valuable launching ground.
• He also runs a subreddit for Rezi. He gives free lifetime licenses (normally priced ~$149) to community members to stimulate engagement and participation. It’s part of their retention and community strategy. Recently they’ve stopped it
  
  

• They run AMAs on reddit from time to time that builds credibility and authority. One such AMA Went viral in 2019 and brought these number
  • 47,611 visitors landed on the Rezi website in hours.
  • 7,239 created accounts and 3,844 guest accounts were opened.
  • 11,000 new users in <10 hours — all from one viral AMA
    
    

• Rezi gave away premium subscriptions for free in a viral campaign on Reddit, netting ~70,000 signups in a single day
• The founder posts informational posts on reddit without any link. They add their company watermark on the images like this 👇
  
  

Product Hunt launches

Rezi launched 8 times on Product Hunt, out of which these 3 are most important launches

1. Rezi 1.0 – the first release of its resume software. Although the launch got 200+ upvotes, it didn’t get the product hunt badge
2. Rezi 2.0 – an upgraded version with new features. The second launch got 400+ upvote and got #3 rank on Product Hunt
3. LinkedIn to Resume – a Chrome extension that instantly turns a LinkedIn profile into a resume, which became Product of the Day.
   
   

Paid Advertising & Churn

• Rezi has tried paid ads but reports that they were not profitable so far. He states currently “no paid ads for now.”
• Churn is a significant challenge: Jacob mentions ~16 % monthly churn.
• Their LTV (lifetime value) is roughly 3 months of the Pro plan ($29/month). They also offer a one-time payment (“lifetime” option) at ~$149.
• He ponders moving to a model where the product is free for job-seekers and monetized via companies posting jobs.
  
  

Collaborations & Partnerships

• Rezi deployed link-building strategies and affiliate partnerships with job boards and career websites (offering ~30% commission) to expand reach and SEO strength.
• StackCommerce Collab (Started Nov 2020, post-Product Hunt launch)
  • Performance-driven partnership with revenue alignment.
  • Created a Rezi deal page promoted via StackCommerce’s publishing partners.
  • Content placements in major media outlets: NY Post, CNBC, Entrepreneur, Engadget, The Next Web, Mashable, etc.
  • Delivered consistent inbound user acquisition by framing Rezi’s value proposition effectively.
  • While exact numbers weren’t shared, StackCommerce contributed widespread brand exposure and credibility.
    
    
• AppSumo Partnership (April 2020)
  • Partnered during COVID-19 when millions lost jobs — offered Rezi Lifetime for free to support displaced job seekers.
  • AppSumo marketed Rezi to its massive audience, effectively communicating its value.
  • Gave Rezi its first external validation through expert reviews and marketing execution.
  • Result: ~10,000 users (20% of total at that time) came directly from AppSumo.
    
    
    

Performance of Rezi

Key Growth Metrics

• Users: 3M+ job seekers worldwide
• Revenue: $5M+ lifetime revenue
• Profitability: Profitable for the past 5 years
• Team Size: ~12 full-time employees (mostly developers in Seoul), plus a remote content team
• Churn: ~16% monthly (due to episodic job-search nature)
• Unit Economics: Average lifetime value ~3 months of Pro plan

How to Replicate Rezi’s Success Strategy

Product Development Strategy

• Start with a simple free resource that resonates strongly (like Rezi’s template).
• Pivot to a scalable SaaS model that solves a core pain point better than anyone else.
• Offer hybrid pricing models (subscription + lifetime) to appeal to different usage patterns and different user journeys

SEO and Content Strategy

• Invest early in SEO — focus on product-led SEO (features + keywords together).
• Target both branded and high-volume industry keywords.
• Publish educational resources and tutorials around the core use case.

Community Strategy

• Launch on Reddit, Product Hunt, and AMAs to gain initial traction.
• Build a subreddit or niche community to keep users engaged.
• Reward active users with perks (free licenses, recognition).

Growth & Monetization

• Keep fixed costs lean and optimize infrastructure for profitability.
• Focus on organic growth channels before investing heavily in ads.
• Accept that churn may be high in episodic markets — design pricing to maximize upfront value.