It can be frustrating when LinkedIn unexpectedly charges your credit card after signing up for their free trial. There are a few possible reasons why this may have occurred:
You forgot to cancel before the trial ended
LinkedIn offers a free one month trial of their premium features. However, they will automatically start charging your card once the trial ends unless you cancel your subscription beforehand. Many users sign up to try it out but forget to cancel before the month is up. So if you continued using the premium services past the trial period, LinkedIn will charge you.
You accidentally purchased a paid plan
When signing up for LinkedIn, make sure to specifically select the “free trial” option. Sometimes users mistakenly sign up for one of the paid plans instead. LinkedIn has monthly subscriptions like Premium Career, Premium Business, Recruiter Lite, and Sales Navigator that range from $29.99 to $79.99 per month. If you signed up for one of these paid plans without realizing it, LinkedIn will immediately bill you instead of starting a free trial.
You hit the trial limit
LinkedIn only allows one free trial per user. If you’ve already used a trial on that account in the past, you won’t be eligible for another one. Attempting to start a second trial would result in LinkedIn automatically charging you for a paid plan instead.
You have an existing Premium subscription
If you currently have a Premium paid subscription, you cannot downgrade to use a free trial on that same account. LinkedIn will continue charging your card on file rather than starting a new trial.
You used a different email
Free trials are limited to one per email address. If you’ve had a free trial on one email already, LinkedIn won’t permit a second trial even if you sign up with a new account. Make sure you are using an email that hasn’t activated a previous trial.
Your credit card has expired
LinkedIn will run an authorization on your card when you start the trial. If your card is expired or invalid, their system will automatically swap your account into a paid plan so they can collect payment. Be sure the card you provide is current and has not expired recently.
You reached the monthly limit
LinkedIn caps the number of free trials they permit each month. During busy periods when trial signups are high, you may encounter an error when trying to activate your trial. This is often just temporary – try again the following month or contact their customer support for assistance.
You canceled too late
To avoid being charged, be sure to cancel your Premium subscription at least 24 hours before your free trial ends. If you cancel on the last day of your trial, the system may not have time to fully process the request before your billing date arrives. Give yourself a buffer of a day or two to be safe.
Accidental signup by a child
Sometimes children who have access to a parent’s computer or account details accidentally sign up for paid subscriptions without understanding what they are doing. If you notice an unexpected LinkedIn charge that you didn’t authorize, check to see if a child could have signed up without your knowledge.
Account was compromised
In rare cases, a LinkedIn account may become compromised by a hacker or security breach. If someone else gains access to your account, they could potentially sign up for premium plans under your name and billing details. Review your account security settings and watch for any suspicious activity.
You have an outstanding balance
If you have any unpaid charges or overdue invoices on your LinkedIn account, you will be ineligible to start a free trial until you clear your balance. LinkedIn will require a valid payment method on file before allowing you to use their services again.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a few key reasons LinkedIn may unexpectedly charge you despite signing up for a free trial:
- Forgetting to cancel before the trial ended
- Accidentally purchasing a paid plan
- Already using your one free trial in the past
- Having an existing paid subscription
- Using a different email that already had a trial
- Your card being expired or invalid
- Hitting the monthly limit on trials
- Canceling too close to the billing date
- A child signing up without consent
- Your account being compromised
- Having an outstanding balance
To avoid surprises, be sure to cancel at least 24 hours before your trial ends, monitor account activity for unauthorized changes, and contact LinkedIn customer support if you are incorrectly charged.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cancel a LinkedIn free trial?
To cancel a LinkedIn free trial:
- Go to your Account settings
- Under “Manage my Premium subscription”, click Cancel subscription
- Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm you want to cancel
Be sure to cancel at least 24 hours before your trial ends to avoid being charged.
What happens if I forget to cancel a LinkedIn free trial?
If you forget to cancel before your free trial ends, LinkedIn will automatically start charging your credit card on file for whichever paid monthly subscription you activated during the trial. To stop the charges going forward, you will need to actively cancel the paid plan.
Can I get a refund if I’m accidentally charged for LinkedIn Premium?
If you act quickly, you may be able to get a refund on accidental LinkedIn charges. Contact their customer support team within 48 hours and explain that you did not intend to continue the paid plan. They may grant you a one-time courtesy refund, especially if it’s your first time requesting one.
What are the different LinkedIn Premium plans?
Plan | Price (per month) | Features |
---|---|---|
Premium Career | $29.99 | Profile branding, expanded search, professional learning courses |
Premium Business | $59.99 | Employee targeting, mail messaging, analytics |
Recruiter Lite | $59.99 | Applicant tracking, pipeline management, hiring insights |
Sales Navigator | $79.99 | Advanced lead and account targeting, sales alerts |
The most basic paid plan is Premium Career. Recruiter Lite and Sales Navigator offer more specialized features for job recruiters and sales professionals.
Is a LinkedIn Premium subscription worth the cost?
Whether Premium is worth it depends on your individual needs. For most job seekers, the free account provides sufficient functionality. Premium can be useful for salespeople who want to expand their connections and identify promising leads. The recruiting plans offer helpful automation and pipelines for hiring at scale. Review the features to determine if the paid benefits warrant the monthly charges for your use case.
Troubleshooting LinkedIn Free Trial Charges
I was charged even though I canceled my trial – what should I do?
If you are charged even after properly canceling before the free trial ended, contact LinkedIn customer support. Explain the situation and provide any confirmation emails showing you canceled the subscription. They should refund the charge since you canceled in time.
My child started a paid subscription without my consent – can I get a refund?
Yes, explain to LinkedIn customer support that your child accidentally started the paid plan and you wish to cancel immediately. As long as you contact them right away, they should refund any unauthorized charges.
I think my account was hacked – how do I find out?
Review your account activity to look for any changes you didn’t make, such as new email addresses, profile details, or billing information. Also check your LinkedIn login history for logins from unknown devices. If you see suspicious activity, change your password immediately and contact customer support.
Avoiding LinkedIn Free Trial Charges
How can I prevent being charged unexpectedly?
To avoid surprises, be proactive with these steps:
- Review account details frequently for unauthorized changes
- Cancel any trial at least 24 hours before it ends
- Make sure your credit card on file hasn’t expired
- Carefully check which subscription plan you are signing up for
- Monitor childrens’ usage of your computer and account
When does the LinkedIn free trial end and billing begin?
The LinkedIn Premium free trial lasts for one month (30 days) from when you first activate it. When the month is up, billing will begin on the same day of the following month unless you cancel prior. So if you start your trial on the 15th, you would be charged on the 15th of the next month if still subscribed.
Can I get another free trial if I already used one in the past?
Unfortunately LinkedIn only permits one free trial per user. Each email address and account can only utilize the free trial offer once. You will have to sign up for a paid plan if you want to access Premium features again after already having a trial.
LinkedIn Free Trial Best Practices
What’s the best way to start a LinkedIn free trial?
To smoothly begin a LinkedIn free trial:
- Double check you are signing up for the free trial, not a paid plan
- Use an email that has not activated a previous trial
- Enter a valid credit card – verify it has not expired recently
- Make a calendar reminder to cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends
- Review any welcome emails from LinkedIn confirming your trial start date
Should I use a disposable credit card when testing LinkedIn Premium?
Using a disposable or virtual credit card can be smart when signing up for a LinkedIn free trial. These temporary card numbers provide an added layer of protection in case you forget to cancel and unintentionally get charged. Just be sure to cancel the disposable card as well if you decide not to continue with a paid LinkedIn subscription after the trial.
Can I sign up for multiple trials if I have multiple LinkedIn accounts?
Each LinkedIn user is limited to one free Premium trial, even if you have multiple accounts. LinkedIn’s systems track trials based on your email address, phone number, name, and payment details. Trying to get multiple trials by opening new accounts is not permitted and may result in your accounts being suspended.
Conclusion
Getting unexpectedly charged by LinkedIn after signing up for their free trial can certainly be frustrating. But in many cases, it simply indicates that the trial ended and billing began for the Premium account. Be proactive by cancelling ahead of time, verifying your plan selection, and contacting customer service if you see any unauthorized charges. With some care taken upfront, you can safely take advantage of LinkedIn’s free trial without surprises.