A Kingston-based CV writing service founded in 2013 with Trustpilot 4.7 from 5,536 reviews and Google 4.8 from 1,790. Exceptionally transparent pricing from £50, lifetime free amendments, a freephone 24/7 helpline, and strong media credentials. However: no refunds under any circumstances, Glassdoor employee reviews describe writer pay as potentially unlawful with refunds deducted from writers’ earnings, and documented complaints about copy-and-paste CVs and alleged AI use sit alongside a 24-hour express service delivery failure in early 2026.
PurpleCV is a CV writing service based in Kingston, England, founded in 2013 by an experienced HR and recruitment professional. With Trustpilot 4.7 from 5,536 reviews and Google 4.8 from 1,790, it is one of the most reviewed UK CV writing services in this series. The pricing is among the most transparent available — all tiers and bundle prices are displayed openly on the website, with packages starting from just £50 for early-career clients.
In this PurpleCV review, we examine the strong review scores alongside the specific concerns that warrant buyer awareness: a confirmed no-refund policy, Glassdoor employee reviews that raise serious questions about how writers are compensated, and copy-and-paste quality complaints that appear consistently across both platforms. The positive reviews — naming specific writers and describing real, measurable outcomes — are genuine. So are the concerns.
Quick Facts
Ratings Across Review Platforms
PurpleCV’s customer-facing review scores are strong by any measure. Trustpilot 4.7 from 5,536 and Google 4.8 from 1,790 represent a robust combined dataset. The Glassdoor score of 1.5 from 3 employee reviews is a very different signal — not about the client experience, but about how the service operates internally — and is relevant context for understanding some of the quality complaints discussed below.
| Platform | Rating | Reviews | Sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot (UK) | ★★★★★ 4.7 | 5,536 | Very Positive |
| Google My Business | ★★★★★ 4.8 | 1,790 | Very Positive |
| Glassdoor (employees) | ★★ 1.5 | 3 | Very Negative (low volume) |
| Reviews.io | No listing found | N/A | |
| SmartCustomer | No listing found | N/A | |
What Glassdoor Reveals About How the Service Operates
Glassdoor employee reviews are not directly about the client experience, but they provide structural context that can explain quality patterns in the customer complaints. Three Glassdoor reviews at 1.5 stars include two specific, independent criticisms that are worth understanding before purchasing.
This structural context does not define every writer’s experience with clients — the positive reviews naming Tuli, Rachel, Elizabeth, Georgina, Carl, Joshua, and Will describe writers who evidently delivered genuine value. But it does help explain why some clients report a dismissive response when raising concerns.
Services Offered
PurpleCV offers a focused and clearly structured service menu, with all career levels covered at transparent prices. The free personalised job alerts service included with every CV order is an unusual practical benefit not available from most competitors. The King’s Trust partnership signals a commitment to supporting young people entering the workforce — a credible social impact signal.
All CVs are written from scratch by an assigned professional writer — no templates are used. ATS optimisation is applied as standard using industry-relevant keywords and clear formatting. Documents are delivered in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats. For specialist or niche profession orders, PurpleCV matches clients with industry-expert writers.
Pricing & Packages
PurpleCV’s pricing is one of the most transparent in this series — all tiers and bundle compositions are displayed openly on the service page with no form required. Packages are available as CV-only or bundles including cover letter and LinkedIn profile optimisation, with clearly disclosed savings over purchasing each item individually.
| Career level | CV only | Bundle (CV + Cover Letter + LinkedIn) |
|---|---|---|
| Early Career | £50 | £100 (save £40 vs individual) |
| Next Step Popular | £95 | £135 |
| Advanced Career | £110 | £140 |
| Specialist / Niche | £190 | £215 |
| Express Service (add-on) | +£40 | 24-hour turnaround · Clearly disclosed |
| Cover Letter (standalone) | £40 | — |
| LinkedIn Profile (standalone) | £40 | — |
Klarna buy-now-pay-later is accepted, making higher-tier packages accessible without a single upfront payment. Prices may change but the price at time of purchase is honoured. If prices reduce within 7 days of a purchase, PurpleCV will refund the difference — a consumer-friendly pricing commitment.
Quality & Process
The quality picture at PurpleCV is writer-dependent. When a committed, skilled writer is assigned — Tuli, Rachel, Elizabeth, Georgina — the positive reviews describe genuine transformation: CVs that produce interviews within days, LinkedIn profiles that generate recruiter contact, and a service described as worth considerably more than the price charged. When the assignment produces a less engaged writer, the complaints describe copy-and-paste reformatting with no substantive improvement.
Two independent complaints — one on Trustpilot (March 2026) and one on Google (January 2026) — use strikingly similar language to describe the same failure mode: the writer copied and pasted the client’s own information into a new format and returned it as the finished product. A separate Google complaint from 2025 describes a writer who refused to make modifications even when the document was unfinished. An alleged AI usage complaint from Google (January 2026) adds a further dimension not addressed anywhere on the website.
| Writer assignment | Named dedicated writer; specialist orders matched to industry experts |
| Named writers in reviews | Tuli, Rachel, Elizabeth, Georgina, Emily, Carl, Joshua, Will |
| Templates used | None — all written from scratch (stated) |
| AI tools used | Not mentioned on site — alleged in Google review (January 2026) |
| ATS optimisation | Applied as standard |
| Standard turnaround | 2 working days |
| Express turnaround | 24 hours (+£40) — delivery failure documented March 2026 |
| Delivery format | Microsoft Word + PDF |
| Revisions | Unlimited — for lifetime |
| 24/7 freephone access | 0800 228 9003 — direct writer contact |
Guarantee & Policies
| Satisfaction guarantee | Unlimited revisions until 100% satisfied |
| Lifetime free amendments | Free for life — no charge to update the CV later |
| Monetary refund | None — explicitly prohibited in Terms |
| Interview / outcome guarantee | Not offered |
| Price match (7-day) | Refund of difference if prices drop within 7 days of purchase |
| Complaints response | Within 3 working days · customerservices@purplecv.co.uk |
| Klarna | Buy now pay later — accepted |
| GDPR compliant | Yes |
What Real Customers Say
We analysed reviews from Trustpilot and Google My Business, alongside Glassdoor employee reviews. The positive client reviews name specific writers and describe real outcomes. The negative reviews describe a consistent copy-and-paste failure mode and one documented express service failure.
After having her CV, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter updated through PurpleCV, the client applied for an internship role. Within less than 24 hours, companies reached out, and an internship in Talent Management was secured. The lifetime service aspect was specifically praised — knowing the writer will always be available to make future updates was described as genuinely reassuring.
Writer Tuli worked extended hours to help the client meet an application deadline before the window closed. Communication was described as consistently excellent, concerns addressed promptly, and the final CV comprehensive and well-suited to a highly competitive employment market. Pricing described as fair for the Advanced Career package received.
Writer Rachel framed the CV with great skill and communicated well throughout. LinkedIn profile instructions were described as easy to follow and specifically tailored to different role types. Recommended to anyone needing to update or rewrite their CV.
Paid for the express service but it was not delivered on time, resulting in missing a job application deadline. The CV itself was described as simply copying and pasting the original information into a new format with no substantive improvement. Communication was described as poor and impersonal — the reviewer suggested it might have been a bot. A refund was requested but refused. The reviewer rewrote the CV themselves.
Described as a very badly written CV, with the writer copying and pasting the information provided. AI use was alleged. The writer and customer support staff were described as not UK-based. Paid for fast delivery before a Monday deadline but received no answer and delayed replies.
The overall process dragged on, requiring the client to chase a LinkedIn template that eventually arrived 8 months after the initial order. The CV sent was described as not optimised for recruiter search, resulting in no responses received from applications.
Writer described receiving very poor pay, with refunds deducted directly from the writer’s own earnings. Felt unvalued, with more appreciation received from clients than from management. Described as feeling like churning out work with no recognition for good performance.
Pay described as “disgusting” and, if the workers were employed rather than contracted, potentially unlawful.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Trustpilot 4.7 from 5,536 reviews
- Google 4.8 from 1,790 reviews
- Exceptionally transparent pricing from £50
- Lifetime free amendments — genuine long-term value
- Freephone 0800 228 9003 — 24/7 access
- Named writers with specific outcomes documented
- Industry-expert matching for specialist orders
- Free personalised job alerts with every CV order
- Express 24-hour service available (+£40)
- MS Word + PDF delivery
- Klarna buy-now-pay-later accepted
- 7-day price-match refund commitment
- King’s Trust partnership
- Media features: Telegraph, CNBC, HuffPost, Metro
- 12 years in business
Cons
- No refunds — ever (explicitly in Terms)
- Glassdoor: writer pay alleged as potentially unlawful
- Glassdoor: refunds deducted from writer’s earnings
- Copy-and-paste complaints on both Trustpilot and Google
- AI usage alleged (January 2026 Google review)
- Express service delivery failure documented (March 2026)
- LinkedIn template 8 months late (documented)
- Writer quality highly variable
- No free CV review pre-purchase
- No interview guarantee
- Glassdoor 1.5 from 3 employee reviews
Support & Communication
PurpleCV’s freephone helpline (0800 228 9003), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is one of the strongest support offerings in this review series. Live chat is also available on the website. The direct writer contact throughout the project and the lifetime amendment availability provide ongoing access beyond the initial delivery window.
| Freephone | 0800 228 9003 (24/7 — free from UK landlines and mobiles) |
| Office phone | 020 3504 3111 |
| Complaints email | customerservices@purplecv.co.uk (3 working days response) |
| Live chat | Available on site |
| Location | Kingston, England |
| Social — Instagram | @purplecvwriting |
| Social — LinkedIn | purplecv |
| Social — Facebook | purplecv |
| Social — YouTube | PurpleCV |
| Social — X (Twitter) | @PurpleCVwriting |
| r/devpt · r/badunitedkingdom |
CV ROI Calculator
PurpleCV makes no formal ROI claim, though several testimonials reference landing roles within 2–3 weeks of receiving the new CV. Enter your details to evaluate the investment — and remember there is no refund if it does not deliver.
* No refund is available under any circumstances. If you have a time-critical application, be aware of the documented express service delivery failure in March 2026 and factor this into your risk assessment for deadline-sensitive orders.
Our Verdict
PurpleCV has a genuinely strong client-facing profile — Trustpilot 4.7 from 5,536 and Google 4.8 from 1,790 cannot be easily dismissed, and the positive reviews naming specific writers and describing measurable outcomes within days of receiving the new CV are credible and specific. The pricing transparency, freephone 24/7 access, lifetime amendments, Klarna payment option, and price-match commitment collectively represent one of the more consumer-friendly service designs in the UK market at this price point.
The concerns are also specific and documented. The Glassdoor revelations — that writer pay may be unlawfully low and that refunds are deducted directly from individual writers’ earnings — provide structural context for understanding the copy-and-paste quality complaints that appear independently on both Trustpilot and Google. A writer working under financial pressure, with personal exposure for every client complaint and no refund mechanism to escalate through, has structural incentives that do not serve quality. The no-refund-ever policy compounds this: clients who receive a reformatted copy of their own CV have no financial recourse.
Best for: UK job seekers who want a broad-coverage, transparently priced CV writing service with a strong review base, and who understand that the quality outcome depends heavily on which writer is assigned. The 24/7 freephone and lifetime amendments are genuinely useful differentiators. Not ideal for clients with time-critical deadlines given the documented express service failure, or for anyone who would need a refund if dissatisfied — that option does not exist here.
From £50 · Lifetime amendments · 24/7 freephone · Klarna accepted
4.7 on Trustpilot · 4.8 on Google · No refunds policy applies — read the full review before purchasing.
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