LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social networking sites, with over 740 million members worldwide as of January 2021. While LinkedIn offers several tiers of paid subscriptions, a basic LinkedIn account is free to create and use. Here is an overview of what you get with a free basic LinkedIn account and how much it costs to upgrade to premium subscriptions.
What Do You Get With a Basic LinkedIn Account?
A basic free LinkedIn account gives you access to core LinkedIn features for building your professional profile and network. Here are some of the key things you can do with a free basic account:
- Create a profile summarizing your work experience, education, skills, and accomplishments
- Connect with other LinkedIn members you know and trust to build up your professional network
- Join LinkedIn Groups related to your industry or interests to connect with like-minded professionals
- Follow companies to get updates on job openings, company news, and products
- Search and apply for jobs posted on LinkedIn
- View full profiles of other members to learn about their background and experience
- Receive InMail messages from recruiters and other members (limited to 15 per month)
- See who has viewed your profile (limited to last 5 profile viewers)
With a basic account, your profile will have a limited number of sections available to showcase your background. You can make connections, but you’ll be restricted in how many invitations you can send per week.
Overall, a free basic LinkedIn account lets you establish an online professional presence and build connections, but with some limitations on features and visibility.
How Much Does a Basic LinkedIn Account Cost?
A basic LinkedIn account is completely free to sign up for and use. LinkedIn offers this free tier as a way to encourage professionals to join the platform and start making connections.
Unlike some other social networks that limit what you can do without paying, LinkedIn allows you to take advantage of core social networking features without any subscription fee. Some key things to know about the free offering:
- No credit card required to sign up for a basic account
- No monthly or annual fee
- Full access to features like profile, connections, groups, posting, and InMail albeit with some limitations
- Ability to look for and apply to jobs
- No advertising when using on desktop; mobile apps have limited ads
So in summary, a basic LinkedIn account costs absolutely nothing to use. The company generates revenue through premium subscriptions, marketing solutions for businesses, and advertising to free users, but signing up for an account and accessing core networking features is completely free.
What Features Are Limited with a Basic Account?
While you can do a lot on LinkedIn without paying, some features are limited with a basic free account. Here are some of the key restrictions to be aware of:
- Profile sections locked – You only get limited Profile, Experience, Education, Skills, Accomplishments sections
- Number of connections capped at 500+ connections
- Limited profile views – Can only see last 5 people who viewed your profile
- Restricted InMail messages – Can only send 15 per month to people not already connected
- No access to LinkedIn Learning courses
- No ability to send messages to people outside your network
- Limited search filters and no saved searches
- No access to full profiles of 3rd-degree connections
- No personalized content recommendations
For recruiting-focused professionals, one major limitation is that you can’t send InMail messages to people who aren’t already connections. This restricts your ability to reach out to promising job candidates.
The table below summarizes the key differences in features between the free Basic account and paid Premium accounts:
Feature | Basic | Premium |
---|---|---|
Profile Sections | Limited | Expanded |
Connections | 500+ | 10,000+ |
InMail Messages | 15/month | Unlimited |
Search Filters | Limited | Advanced filters & saved searches |
Ad Experience | Limited ads | Ad-free |
Is a Basic Account Enough for Most Users?
For most professionals looking to establish an online presence and network on LinkedIn, a basic free account should be sufficient. With the ability to create a profile, make connections, join groups, and search jobs, you can take advantage of LinkedIn’s core value without having to pay.
Heavy LinkedIn users like recruiters, sales professionals, and marketers may find the limitations to be too restrictive over time. For example, recruiters may quickly hit the cap of 15 InMail messages and need the unlimited volume offered in premium accounts. Sales professionals may want to contact more prospects through messages. And marketers may value the expanded analytics and advertising capabilities with premium packages.
But for the average professional mainly focused on networking and looking for opportunities, a basic free LinkedIn account goes a long way. The key restrictions to watch out for are the limited profile sections, inability to contact people outside your network, and capped number of InMail messages.
How Much Do LinkedIn Premium Subscriptions Cost?
If you find yourself needing more features, LinkedIn offers three levels of premium or paid subscriptions:
- Premium Career: $29.99/month or $239.88/year
- Premium Business: $47.99/month or $359.88/year
- Sales Navigator: $64.99/month or $779.88/year
Premium Career is suited for professionals focused on finding new job opportunities and building their network. Premium Business serves sales professionals who need to find and contact prospects. Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s flagship package tailored specifically for sales relationships.
Here is an overview of some of the key features unlocked at each paid tier:
Feature | Premium Career | Premium Business | Sales Navigator |
---|---|---|---|
Profile Badge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
InMail Messages | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Advanced Search Filters | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Who’s Viewed Your Profile | Last 90 days | Last 90 days | Last 90 days |
Learning Courses | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Lead and Company Insights | ✓ | ✓ | |
Contact Management and Tracking | ✓ |
As you can see, Premium Career focuses more on expanding your network and profile presence, while Premium Business and Sales Navigator add sales-focused features like lead intelligence and tracking.
In addition to monthly plans, annual subscriptions come with a discount of around 20% off the monthly rate. All premium accounts offer a free 30-day trial so you can test out features before committing to a paid plan.
Conclusion
In summary, a basic LinkedIn account is completely free to sign up for and use. It allows you to create a profile, connect with other professionals, join groups, search jobs, and more. While some features are limited like profile sections and InMails, a basic account provides ample networking capabilities.
Heavy LinkedIn users may want to upgrade to a premium subscription which start at $29.99/month for Premium Career. But for most professionals focused on networking and opportunities, the basic free account should be sufficient to establish a presence on LinkedIn without paying anything.
LinkedIn provides a generous free offering compared to other social networks, giving professionals access to core features without subscription fees or excessive ads. The basic account strikes a solid balance between providing engaging networking capabilities while encouraging upgrades through limited features and visibility.
For the average LinkedIn user, the basic free account allows you to create a profile, build connections, and access opportunities at no cost. While power users will want more, most individuals can productively network and stand out on LinkedIn with a free basic account and no price tag attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a basic LinkedIn account cost money?
No, a basic LinkedIn account is 100% free to create and use. You do not need a credit card and there are no hidden fees. LinkedIn offers a generous free tier to allow professionals to join the platform and take advantage of core features without paying.
What are the limitations of a free basic LinkedIn account?
Key limitations include: restricted profile sections, 500+ connection limit, 15 InMail messages per month, limited profile views, inability to message people outside your network, and no access to LinkedIn Learning courses.
What features do premium LinkedIn accounts unlock?
Premium accounts unlock more profile sections, 10,000+ connections, unlimited InMail messages, advanced search filters, expanded profile analytics, LinkedIn Learning courses, and ad-free browsing. Higher tiers add sales-focused tools.
Does LinkedIn have a free trial for premium accounts?
Yes, LinkedIn offers 30-day free trials for all premium account types. This allows you to test out features before committing to a paid monthly or yearly subscription.
Can I use a basic LinkedIn account to look for jobs?
Yes, a basic LinkedIn account allows you to search and apply for jobs posted on LinkedIn. You can also set up job alerts to be notified of new openings matching your interests. The main limitation is reaching out to hiring managers.