If you're weighing up Distill vs CVFormatter, you want to know which CV tool suits your agency's needs — and where they overlap or complement each other. Both aim to tidy CVs for recruitment, but they take notably different approaches. Understanding these differences helps you avoid double handling and pick the right fit.
TL;DR comparison table
| Feature | Distill | CVFormatter |
|---|---|---|
| Core function | CV formatting + anonymisation | CV formatting and standardisation |
| Anonymisation | Yes — strips name, contact info, photo, graduation year | Not publicly stated; likely no anonymisation |
| Intake method | Email-based upload | Portal or direct upload (inferred) |
| ATS output | Clean Word docs tailored to ATS | Polished, standardised CV layouts |
| Pricing | Transparent, tiered per seat and volume (see pricing) | Not publicly listed; contact for quote |
| Seat limits | Flexible, based on plan | Unknown |
| Market focus | UK, Australia, Europe recruitment agencies | Global, including individual recruiters and agencies |
| Use case | Agencies needing anonymised CVs and ATS compliance | Agencies or recruiters wanting consistent CV layouts |
| Integration | No direct ATS integrations; email workflow | Unknown |
What CVFormatter actually does
CVFormatter positions itself as a CV formatting and standardisation tool aimed at recruiters and candidates. Their website describes the product as a way to produce professional, consistent CV layouts quickly. The focus seems to be on:
- Cleaning up CVs for clarity and readability
- Applying standardised templates to ensure uniformity
- Supporting recruiters and individuals who want a polished CV
They appear to cater to both in-house recruitment teams and staffing agencies. The platform likely accepts uploads via a portal or direct file upload, offering easy formatting options without manual rework.
CVFormatter doesn't appear to offer anonymisation features. There's no public mention of stripping personal identifiable information (PII) or data privacy controls designed for blind hiring workflows. Pricing isn't publicly listed, so interested agencies must contact them for a quote.
What Distill actually does
Distill is built specifically for recruitment agencies handling volume CV workflows across the UK, Australia, and Europe. It tackles two common pain points in one step:
- Formatting CVs to client or ATS specs: Distill automatically reformats messy CVs into clean Word documents that parse well in Bullhorn, JobAdder, and other ATS.
- Anonymising candidate data: It strips name, email, phone, photo, and graduation year before submission — essential for blind hiring and reducing bias.
Distill works via email submission, integrating into existing workflows without a portal. Agencies forward CVs to Distill; it returns formatted, anonymised files ready to upload. This suits teams who want to avoid manual reformatting and reduce compliance risk.
Pricing is transparent and tiered based on seat count and volume (see pricing). Distill offers flexible seat limits and volume discounts.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Anonymisation and compliance
- Distill: Explicitly designed to anonymise CVs by removing PII fields. This supports blind hiring workflows and assists compliance with data protection and equality guidelines.
- CVFormatter: No public indication of anonymisation features. Likely focuses solely on formatting and standardisation.
Formatting quality and ATS output
- Distill: Formats CVs to ATS-ready Word documents, optimised for parsing by major UK, AU, and EU ATS platforms. Handles tricky elements like tables, columns, and embedded fonts to reduce parsing errors.
- CVFormatter: Produces polished, consistent CV layouts using templates. Suitable for agencies wanting a uniform candidate presentation but may not specifically target ATS quirks.
Intake and workflow
- Distill: Email-based upload. No portal needed, which fits into busy recruiter workflows without extra login steps. Easy to forward CV attachments for processing.
- CVFormatter: Likely portal or direct upload interface. This might add a step for recruiters but offers a controlled environment for formatting.
Data retention and security
- Distill: Focuses on minimal data retention, processing CVs quickly and returning formatted results. Emphasises secure handling in line with GDPR and local data protection laws.
- CVFormatter: No publicly available details on data retention or security policies.
Pricing and seat limits
- Distill: Transparent pricing tiers based on seat count and CV volume. Suitable for agencies scaling up or controlling costs per user.
- CVFormatter: Pricing not publicly listed; agencies must request a quote. Seat limits and volume pricing unknown.
Integration and ecosystem
- Neither tool offers direct ATS integrations, but Distill's email forwarding suits existing ATS upload workflows without new software installs. CVFormatter's portal may integrate with candidate-facing tools but details are scarce.
Pricing breakdown
Distill publishes its pricing openly. You pay per seat with volume discounts kicking in at higher usage. This makes it clear upfront what the cost will be as your agency grows.
CVFormatter doesn't list pricing on their website. You need to contact their sales team for a quote, which can slow decision-making and complicate budgeting.
If price transparency and predictability matter, Distill is ahead here.
Which agency type fits which tool
- Agencies prioritising anonymisation and compliance: Distill is the better fit. If you handle blind hiring, want to reduce bias, and need to strip PII automatically, Distill's combined formatting and anonymisation workflow saves time and risk.
- Agencies or recruiters wanting polished, standard CV templates: CVFormatter may be sufficient if anonymisation isn't a priority. It suits teams that want consistent, professional CV layouts for client presentation or internal screening.
- Teams with minimal IT resources or no appetite for portals: Distill's email workflow is simpler to adopt.
- Larger agencies needing volume discounts and predictable pricing: Distill's clear pricing model helps budget control.
Many agencies use both tools together. CVFormatter can provide a polished CV base, then Distill can anonymise and finalise the document for client submission.
FAQ
Does CVFormatter anonymise CVs?
There is no public indication that CVFormatter strips personal information. If anonymisation is critical, Distill covers this.
Can I integrate Distill or CVFormatter directly with my ATS?
Neither tool offers native ATS integration. Distill works via email forwarding, which fits most ATS upload processes. CVFormatter's integration options aren't detailed publicly.
Which tool is better for blind hiring?
Distill explicitly supports blind hiring by anonymising candidate data. CVFormatter doesn't appear to offer this feature.
How do pricing models compare?
Distill's pricing is public and tiered by seats and volume. CVFormatter requires contacting their sales team for pricing details.
Can I use both tools together?
Yes. Some agencies format CVs with CVFormatter before sending them to Distill for anonymisation and ATS optimisation.
If you're sending 20+ CVs a week to Bullhorn or JobAdder clients, Distill formats and anonymises them to spec automatically. Try Distill free and see how it fits your agency workflow.