LinkedIn InMail credits allow you to directly contact other LinkedIn members, even if you are not connected with them. InMail credits are a paid feature on LinkedIn and must be purchased in order to send InMails. This leads to the common question – do InMail credits expire after purchasing them? Let’s take a closer look at whether InMail credits expire and how long they are valid for on LinkedIn.
The Expiration Policy for InMail Credits
Yes, InMail credits do expire on LinkedIn after a set period of time. Here are the key details on the InMail credit expiration policy:
- Purchased InMail credits are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
- Any unused InMail credits will expire 365 days after the date they were purchased.
- Credits expire based on a first-in-first-out basis, meaning your oldest credits will expire first.
- You can see your InMail credit balance and expiration dates in your LinkedIn account under the “Communications” tab.
So in summary, InMail credits are only valid for 1 year after purchase. You need to use your credits within 365 days or you will lose any remaining balance.
What Happens When InMail Credits Expire
If you have any InMail credits that surpass the 365 day expiration date, here is what will happen:
- The expired credits will be removed from your account balance.
- You will no longer be able to use those expired credits to send InMails.
- You will need to repurchase new InMail credits if you want to continue sending InMails.
- Expired credits are not eligible for refunds or extensions.
Essentially, any InMail credits that hit their 1 year expiration date are forfeited. You do not get any type of credit or refund for unused expired InMails. This is why it’s important to use your purchased InMail credits within a year to get the full value.
Why Do InMail Credits Expire?
You may be wondering, why does LinkedIn enforce an expiration policy on InMail credits? There are a few reasons that LinkedIn opts to set expirations on purchased credits:
- To encourage users to be active – By having expirations, it promotes active usage rather than hoarding credits.
- Avoid account balance issues – Expirations help avoid very large unused credit balances on accounts.
- Revenue model – Expirations support LinkedIn’s sales of InMail credits as an ongoing revenue stream.
By having expirations in place, it essentially creates an ongoing demand and sales funnel for InMail credits. Users have to continue repurchasing new credits as old ones expire to keep sending InMails.
How Many InMail Credits Can You Purchase at Once?
When purchasing InMail credits, you can buy them in packages or bundles. Here are the options for purchasing InMail credit packs on LinkedIn:
InMail Credit Pack | Quantity of Credits |
---|---|
Starter Pack | 25 credits |
Essentials Pack | 50 credits |
Premium Pack | 100 credits |
Premium Plus Pack | 150 credits |
Ultimate Pack | 300 credits |
As you can see in the table, the minimum quantity you can purchase at once is 25 credits, going up to a maximum of 300 credits in a single purchase. The more credits you buy in bulk, the lower the per-credit cost is.
What is the Cost Per InMail Credit?
The cost per InMail credit depends on the quantity you purchase. The more credits you buy at once, the lower the per-unit price is. Here is a breakdown of the approximate cost per InMail credit for different purchase quantities:
Credit Pack | Price | Credits | Cost Per Credit |
---|---|---|---|
Starter Pack | $50 | 25 | $2 |
Essentials Pack | $100 | 50 | $2 |
Premium Pack | $200 | 100 | $2 |
Premium Plus Pack | $250 | 150 | $1.67 |
Ultimate Pack | $500 | 300 | $1.67 |
As you can see, the per-unit cost drops when purchasing larger quantities of credits. The lowest per-credit price of $1.67 is achieved when buying either the Premium Plus or Ultimate packs.
Tips to Avoid Losing InMail Credits to Expiration
To make sure you fully utilize InMail credits before they expire, here are some helpful tips:
- Track your credit expiration dates in your account and calendar.
- Set reminders for yourself as expiration dates approach.
- Purchase only the number of credits you know you can use in a year.
- Actively engage with your LinkedIn network to have a steady flow of recipients.
- Use credits up faster by sending more InMails per week/month.
- If you have excess credits, see if colleagues can use them before expiration.
Staying aware of expirations, buying only what you need, and regularly using your credits are good ways to prevent losing them to expired balances.
Can You Get an Extension on Expired Credits?
Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not offer any extensions or grace periods for expired InMail credits. Once credits pass their 1 year expiration date, they are permanently expired in your account with no way to reactivate them. LinkedIn’s policy is firm that the credits must be used within 365 days of purchase.
The only option if you have expired credits is to repurchase new ones if you want to continue sending InMails. LinkedIn will not make exceptions or give extensions under any circumstances when credits expire.
Can You Get a Refund for Expired Credits?
LinkedIn’s policy is that no refunds are issued for unused InMail credits that have expired. Because a full year is given to use the credits, LinkedIn expects buyers to fully use them within that generous timeframe. There are no refunds given if any credits remain unsent when they expire.
This is why it’s crucial to purchase only the number of InMail credits you are absolutely sure you can use within 1 year. Letting any credits expire and go to waste without use is throwing money away. So buy prudently based on your expected InMail sending frequency and needs.
The Bottom Line – Use InMail Credits Before They Expire
The bottom line is that InMail credits have a limited lifespan – they expire 365 days after purchase. To maximize value, it’s critical that you actively use and deplete your purchased credits within a year.
Be strategic about buying only the quantity of credits you can reasonably use within 12 months. And diligently track expiration dates and credit balances in your account. With some simple planning and discipline, you can make sure no credits ever go unused before they expire.
Knowing the expiration policies for InMail credits allows you to make the most out of this important LinkedIn marketing and outreach tool. Use your purchased credits actively and often, and aim to have zero unexpected expirations and wasted money.