LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com, is an online learning platform that offers a variety of courses related to business, technology, and creative skills. With a vast library of over 16,000 courses, LinkedIn Learning has become a popular way for professionals to gain new skills and keep up with the latest developments in their field. But can multiple people use the same LinkedIn Learning account? Let’s take a closer look at how LinkedIn Learning accounts work and the options available for sharing access to courses.
LinkedIn Learning Account Types
LinkedIn Learning offers two main types of accounts: individual and organization/team accounts.
Individual Accounts
An individual LinkedIn Learning account is intended for single users. When you sign up for a personal account, you get access to the full LinkedIn Learning library and can track your own learning progress. The account is linked to your individual LinkedIn profile.
Individual accounts only allow a single user to access the LinkedIn Learning courses at one time. So if you share your login credentials with others, only one person will be able to use the account at once.
Organization/Team Accounts
LinkedIn Learning also offers accounts for organizations and teams. These accounts are meant to provide access to LinkedIn Learning for multiple employees.
With an organization account, you can create admin-level profiles to manage licensing and permissions. You can also create individual sub-accounts for each employee you want to grant access to.
The number of people who can use an organization account depends on the type of LinkedIn Learning plan the company subscribes to. For example, the Team plan allows up to 50 account administrators and an unlimited number of learners. The Enterprise plan supports unlimited administrators and learners.
So if your company has a team/enterprise account, multiple employees can access LinkedIn Learning simultaneously with their own login credentials. Admins can track learners’ progress and license usage to optimize the learning program.
Can Individual Accounts Be Shared?
While individual LinkedIn Learning accounts are designed for single users, some account holders do share their login credentials to allow additional people access. Here are a few things to keep in mind with this approach:
Simultaneous Use Limitations
As mentioned above, individual LinkedIn Learning accounts can only be used by one person at a time. So if you share your username and password, only one person will be able to be logged in and taking courses at once. You won’t be able to access the account simultaneously.
Progress Tracking Issues
When a single account is shared by multiple people, it also creates problems with progress tracking. LinkedIn Learning allows you to bookmark courses, track learning hours, and mark courses complete. But if multiple people use the same account, they’ll be overwriting each other’s progress data.
Violates Terms of Service
It’s important to note that sharing individual accounts goes against LinkedIn Learning’s Terms of Service. The Terms of Service state that each individual account may only be used by the account owner. Letting multiple people access your account is considered a violation, which could potentially lead to termination of your account by LinkedIn.
Alternative Options for Sharing Access
While individual accounts have limitations for sharing with multiple users, there are some alternative options to make LinkedIn Learning available more broadly:
Purchase Multiple Accounts
One above-board approach is to purchase additional individual LinkedIn Learning accounts. You can buy gift accounts for others directly through LinkedIn Learning. This allows each person to have their own account credentials and learning progress tracking.
The main downside is the cost of purchasing multiple accounts at the individual subscription rate. But it’s the most compliant way to share access.
Explore Team/Enterprise Plans
As mentioned previously, LinkedIn Learning’s organizational account options are designed for multi-user access. Companies can purchase a Team or Enterprise plan to get licenses for all their employees.
If you only need to share access with a few others, the Team plan is relatively affordable. It starts at $240/year for 5-9 users. Enterprise plans are available if you need 50+ licenses.
Use a Shared Display Name
If purchasing multiple accounts isn’t feasible, another workaround is to create individual accounts with a shared display name.
For example, you could make accounts like:
– TeamJohnSmith
– TeamJohnSmith2
– TeamJohnSmith3
This allows each person to have their own login and progress tracking. You can also share courses you take with the other accounts easily. The main limitation is that all accounts would need to renew and pay annually.
Pros of Sharing a LinkedIn Learning Account
While sharing a LinkedIn Learning account does come with some challenges, there are also some potential benefits:
Cost Savings
The most obvious advantage is the cost savings of only paying for a single account versus multiple subscriptions. For small teams or budgets, it may be more feasible to share a login rather than paying for each person.
Simpler Account Management
Using one account login for multiple people also means simpler account management. You don’t have to handle renewals and billing for multiple accounts. And there’s just one set of credentials to distribute.
Collaborative Learning
When colleagues share an account, they may discuss the courses they’re taking and learn together. Account holders can share courses they find valuable with the rest of their team.
More Exposure to Content
With a shared account, each team member is exposed to more LinkedIn Learning content. They can explore courses others have taken and benefit from their colleagues’ discoveries.
Cons of Sharing a LinkedIn Learning Account
On the other hand, there are also some notable downsides to be aware of with sharing a LinkedIn Learning account:
Simultaneous Usage Limits
The biggest limitation is that LinkedIn Learning individual accounts can only be used by one person at a time. So if you share an account with 5 people, only 1 can be taking courses at once.
Loss of Personalization
When multiple people use the same account, the experience loses personalization. You don’t get course recommendations tailored to you or see your own learning progress and profile.
Progress Tracking Disruption
It can be frustrating to have your bookmarks, course progress, and learning history overridden by others using the shared account. Progress tracking gets messy with multiple account users.
Risk of Termination
And as noted earlier, sharing individual accounts technically violates LinkedIn Learning’s Terms of Service. If discovered, LinkedIn could potentially terminate the shared account altogether.
Best Practices for Sharing Accounts
If you do decide to share access to an individual LinkedIn Learning account after considering the tradeoffs, here are some best practices:
Coordinate Schedules
Try to coordinate schedules and take turns using the account one person at a time. This avoids conflicts with simultaneous usage limits. Consider blocking out days or times for each sharer.
Communicate Outside the Platform
Use email, messaging, or Slack to discuss course progress and recommendations outside of LinkedIn Learning. This avoids cluttering up the platform with notes just for your shared group.
Create a Course Sharing System
Come up with a system to share courses or playlists among your group. You could use shared notes, spreadsheets, or tags to bookmark content to come back to.
Don’t Use Main Account
If possible, create a separate shared account instead of using a primary account. This reduces the chances of messing up someone’s main learning progress profile.
Switch Logins Frequently
Don’t stay logged into the shared account all the time. Switch users frequently to allow others access. Set calendar reminders if needed.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Learning is designed primarily for individual account holders, with options for organizational accounts if purchasing multiple licenses. While sharing an individual account is possible, it comes with limitations like simultaneous usage restrictions and disrupted progress tracking.
For full, compliant access for multiple users, the best options are purchasing multiple accounts or exploring LinkedIn Learning’s team/enterprise plans. But in cases of limited budget or users, account sharing may be considered as long as best practices are followed. Proper coordination and communication can help maximize the value while minimizing the headaches.
Over 16,000 courses are available on LinkedIn Learning, so maximizing legitimate access to this learning library can be valuable for both individual learners and organizations. Carefully evaluating the pros, cons, and logistics of sharing accounts can allow you to open up educational resources while remaining compliant.
References
LinkedIn Learning. Plans and Pricing. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/subscription/products
LinkedIn Learning. Terms of Service. https://www.linkedin.com/legal/lms-tos
Account Type | Simultaneous Users | Progress Tracking | Cost |
Individual | 1 | Individual | $19.99-$29.99/month |
Team (5-9 users) | Unlimited | Per User | $240-$360/year |
Enterprise (50+ users) | Unlimited | Per User | Custom Quote |
Pros of Sharing Accounts
- Cost savings of a single subscription
- Simpler account management
- Collaborative learning opportunities
- Exposure to more content
Cons of Sharing Accounts
- Simultaneous usage limits
- Loss of personalization
- Disrupted progress tracking
- Risk of account termination