FormaCV and Distill are two of the closest matches in the CV formatting category: both price per CV with no seat fees, both include anonymisation, and both target recruitment agencies. That makes the differences worth being precise about — workflow, integrations, and data handling.
TL;DR comparison table
| Feature | FormaCV | Distill |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | AI CV formatting + blind CV support | CV formatting + anonymisation |
| Intake method | Drag-and-drop upload (PDF, DOCX, LinkedIn exports, call transcripts) | Email-first, web upload, or API |
| Anonymisation | GDPR-compliant blind CV functionality | Core feature — name, contact, photo, dates |
| ATS integrations | Bullhorn, JobAdder, Vincere + custom | None native; ATS-safe output + API |
| Pricing | $0.99 per CV, pay-as-you-go, no minimums | Pay per CV, unlimited users |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card | Free trial, no card |
| Data residency | EU/US choice, on-premises option | Zero retention — deleted after processing |
| Turnaround claim | ~60 seconds | ~30 seconds |
What FormaCV actually does
FormaCV restructures messy candidate CVs into branded, client-ready documents in about 60 seconds. It accepts PDF, DOCX, LinkedIn exports, and even call transcripts, detects the content with AI, and applies per-client templates. Blind CV anonymisation is included, along with skill scanning, auto-tagging, and vacancy matching.
Its pricing is refreshingly clean: $0.99 per CV, pay-as-you-go, with a 30-day trial and no seat fees or monthly minimums. It also offers native integrations with Bullhorn, JobAdder, and Vincere, plus enterprise options rare in this category: on-premises deployment and EU/US data residency choice.
What Distill actually does
Distill covers the same core ground — formatting plus anonymisation in one pass — with a different workflow philosophy. It's email-first: forward a CV to your Distill address and the finished, branded, optionally anonymised document comes back. Upload and API intake exist for teams that want them.
Distill has no native ATS plugins. Instead it outputs documents tuned to parse cleanly in Bullhorn, Vincere, JobAdder, and similar systems. On data handling, Distill runs zero retention — files are deleted immediately after processing, rather than stored under a residency policy.
Pricing breakdown
At entry volume the two are close: FormaCV's $0.99/CV against Distill's entry tier working out around the same per CV. At higher volumes Distill's tiers bring the per-CV price down, while FormaCV stays flat at $0.99. Both include unlimited users and publish their pricing — which already puts them ahead of most of the category. Model both against your real monthly volume on the pricing page.
Which agency fits which tool
FormaCV fits agencies that:
- Want native Bullhorn, JobAdder, or Vincere integration.
- Have enterprise requirements — on-premises deployment or strict data-residency rules.
- Like flat pay-as-you-go with no commitment at any volume.
Distill fits agencies that:
- Live in email and want the forward-a-CV workflow.
- Want zero data retention rather than residency options.
- Process enough volume that tiered per-CV pricing beats a flat rate.
- Want anonymisation tuned for blind submittals as the default, not an add-on.
FAQ
Q: Both anonymise — is there a real difference? A: Both offer blind CV support. Distill treats anonymisation as its founding feature, with granular control over what gets stripped (names, contact details, photos, graduation dates). Trial both on the same problem CV and compare the output.
Q: Which is cheaper? A: Nearly identical at low volume. Distill gets cheaper per CV as volume grows; FormaCV stays flat at $0.99. Run your own numbers.
Q: We're on Bullhorn — does FormaCV's integration decide it? A: If in-ATS workflow is your priority, it's a genuine advantage. If your intake is email-heavy or you want zero retention, Distill's model fits better. Some agencies trial both.
Q: What happens to candidate files? A: Distill deletes them immediately after processing. FormaCV offers EU/US residency and on-prem options; check their current retention policy for specifics.
Both tools are honest, transparently priced options in this category. If email-first workflow and zero retention match how your agency works, try Distill free.