Disclosure: This comparison is published by CraftedBio. We've aimed to be accurate and fair about both tools, including our own limitations, but you should weigh that context when reading.
If you want to turn your résumé into a personal website without building one from scratch, two names come up often: self.so and CraftedBio. Both start from your résumé. Both use AI to do the first draft. And both give you a link you can share.
They're built with different goals, though. self.so is a free, open-source tool that gets a clean one-page site online as fast as possible. CraftedBio is built to help you tell the story behind your résumé and keep shaping the site over time. This guide covers how they differ and who each one suits.
The short version
- Choose self.so if you want a free, simple, one-page site from your résumé or LinkedIn in about a minute, and you're happy with a standard layout. It's also a good pick if you're a developer who wants to host and modify an open-source project yourself.
- Choose CraftedBio if you want your site to say more than your résumé does: richer stories behind each role, photos and video, design choices, and editing by chatting with AI.
What each tool is built for
self.so describes itself as "100% free & open source." You sign up, upload your résumé as a PDF (or use your LinkedIn), and its AI extracts your information into a single-page personal website. Its homepage says the process "takes 1 minute." The code is public on GitHub, so developers can clone it and run their own version.
CraftedBio also starts from your résumé (PDF or DOCX) and generates a personal website in about 90 seconds. The difference is what happens next. An AI co-writer interviews you about specific roles and projects, asking follow-up questions to pull out the details a bullet point leaves behind. You can then edit the site by typing instructions like "make my About section more confident," add photos and video, and choose your colors and fonts. Your site lives at craftedbio.com/yourname.
Features side by side
| self.so | CraftedBio | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Résumé PDF or LinkedIn | Résumé PDF or DOCX |
| Time to first draft | About 1 minute (per its homepage) | About 90 seconds |
| Site structure | Single page | Personal website with sections for your story, experience and projects |
| Story and content help | Extracts what's on your résumé | AI interview to add the story behind each role (smart interview on Pro) |
| Editing | Limited (see below) | Chat-based AI editing, plus direct edits |
| Photos and video | Not a core feature | Photos on Starter (up to 3); unlimited photos and video on Pro |
| Design control | Standard layout | Choose color, font pairing and size |
| Visitor analytics | Not listed | On Pro |
| Custom domain | Possible if you self-host the open-source code | Not offered |
| Price | Free | Starter free; Pro $12/month or $99/year |
| Open source | Yes | No |
A note on self.so's editing: at the time of writing, the project's GitHub roadmap lists "ability to edit any section in the site" and themes as future tasks. Features change, so check the current site before you decide.
A closer look at self.so
What it does well:
- It's free. There's no paid tier to think about.
- It's fast and simple. Upload, review, publish. If you need a link for an application due tonight, that's a real advantage.
- It's open source. Developers can read the code, run it themselves and change it. If you self-host, you can put it on your own domain.
- LinkedIn import. If your LinkedIn is more up to date than your résumé, starting from it saves a step.
Where it's limited:
- It mostly reflects your résumé. The site is built from what's already in your PDF or profile. If your résumé is thin or generic, your site will be too.
- Fewer ways to customize. It's designed as a clean, standard one-pager rather than a site you shape in depth.
- Less room for media. If you want to show a project demo, a talk or a short video intro, you'll need to do that somewhere else.
A closer look at CraftedBio
What it does well:
- The interview. This is the biggest difference. Instead of just reformatting your résumé, CraftedBio asks questions like what was actually hard about a project, or what changed because of your work. Your answers become the story on your site. That's especially useful for students with short résumés and career changers who need to explain a pivot.
- Editing by chatting. You can ask for changes in plain English and see them applied, so you don't need design or coding skills to keep improving the site.
- Photos, video and design. Add a headshot, project images or a video intro, and pick a look that fits you.
- Analytics on Pro. You can see whether people are actually visiting the link you're sending out.
Where it's limited:
- No custom domain. Your site lives at
craftedbio.com/yourname. If owningyourname.commatters to you, that's a real gap today. - Not open source. You can't self-host or change the code.
- The best features cost money. The free Starter plan includes the AI-generated site, your personal URL, up to 3 photos and basic AI editing, with a small "Built with CraftedBio" footer. Removing the footer and unlocking the smart interview, unlimited media and analytics takes Pro, which has a 7-day trial.
Which one should you choose?
Choose self.so if...
- You need a simple, free personal site today and don't plan to spend much time on it
- Your résumé already tells your story well
- You're a developer who wants to self-host or customize the code
- You want your site on your own domain and are comfortable hosting it yourself
Choose CraftedBio if...
- Your résumé doesn't capture what you've actually done, and you want help putting the story into words
- You're a student or new grad with projects, clubs and side work that don't fit neatly in bullet points
- You're changing careers and need to explain how your experience connects
- You want photos, video or a design that feels like you
- You want to keep editing your site over time without touching code
The practical question: what will people see?
Whichever tool you use, the person clicking your link wants to quickly understand who you are, what you can do and how to reach you. Our guide to personal website examples for college students breaks down what that looks like by major, and most of it applies to anyone.
A good test: show your finished site to a friend for 30 seconds, then ask them to describe what you do. If they repeat your job title back to you, your site is probably mirroring your résumé. If they mention a specific project or result, it's working.
Once your site is live, put the link where it'll get seen. Here's how to add a personal website to your LinkedIn profile in five places.
Try both
Both tools have a free way to start, so you don't have to decide in the abstract. Upload the same résumé to each and compare the results side by side.
If you want to see what the interview adds, create your free CraftedBio site from your résumé. It takes about 90 seconds to get a first draft.
Frequently asked questions
Is self.so really free? Yes. Its homepage describes it as 100% free and open source.
Does CraftedBio have a free plan?
Yes. The Starter plan is free and includes an AI-generated site, a personal craftedbio.com/yourname URL, up to 3 photos and basic AI editing. Pro is $12 a month or $99 a year, with a 7-day trial.
Can I use my own domain? With self.so, you can if you self-host the open-source code. CraftedBio doesn't offer custom domains.
Which is better for students? If your résumé is short, CraftedBio's interview (on Pro, with a 7-day trial) helps you add the context behind your projects and activities. If you just need a quick, free page with your basics, self.so works.
Can I import from LinkedIn? self.so supports LinkedIn as a starting point. CraftedBio starts from a résumé file (PDF or DOCX).