Can I get refunded for LinkedIn premium?

LinkedIn Premium is LinkedIn’s paid subscription service that provides users with additional features beyond the free version of LinkedIn. Some of the key benefits of LinkedIn Premium include seeing who has viewed your profile, sending InMail messages directly to anyone (even if you’re not connected), unlimited profile searches, guidance on optimizing your profile, access to online courses and professional coaching, and insights into how you compare with other applicants when looking for jobs.

While LinkedIn Premium provides useful tools for networking and recruiting, there are times when users may want to request a refund if they decide the paid subscription is not for them. In this article, we’ll look at whether it’s possible to get a refund on LinkedIn Premium and the steps involved in requesting one.

Can You Get a Refund on LinkedIn Premium?

The short answer is yes, it is possible to get a refund on LinkedIn Premium if you meet certain criteria. LinkedIn’s official refund policy states that they do offer full refunds on monthly Premium subscriptions if you request a refund within the first 30 days. Annual subscriptions are also eligible for a prorated refund within the first 30 days.

After 30 days, refunds are no longer available for either monthly or annual Premium subscriptions. LinkedIn does not offer partial refunds — it is simply all or nothing within that initial 30 day window.

So in summary:

• Full refunds are available on monthly Premium subscriptions if you request within 30 days of purchase.
• Prorated refunds are available on annual Premium subscriptions if you request within 30 days of purchase.
• No refunds are provided after the initial 30 day window, for either monthly or annual subscriptions.

How to Request a Refund on LinkedIn Premium

If you want to request a refund on LinkedIn Premium, the process is straightforward but does require contacting their customer support team. Here are the steps to request a refund:

1. Go to your Settings page on LinkedIn. Under the “Account” section, click on “Purchase history”.
2. Find the Premium subscription purchase you want to request a refund for. Make note of the purchase date.
3. Open a case with LinkedIn’s Customer Service department. You can do this directly from the Purchase History page by clicking “Request refund”.
4. Explain to the customer service representative that you want a refund for the Premium subscription. Specify which subscription product you want refunded.
5. If you are within 30 days of purchase, the representative will process your refund request. Refunds are provided to the original payment method.

A few things to note about the refund process:

• You need to contact Customer Service — refunds are not processed automatically.
• The 30 day refund window starts from the date of purchase, not activation.
• Be ready to provide your order number and other payment details.
• Refunds are only processed back to the original payment method.

As long as you meet the 30 day eligibility window, Customer Service is generally accommodating of refund requests. Make sure to be polite but firm in stating you want a refund for the unused portion of Premium services.

Getting a Refund for Accidental or Unauthorized Purchases

In some cases, users report being accidentally charged for LinkedIn Premium or unauthorized purchases being made through their account. This can occur due to:

• Accidentally clicking buttons during the LinkedIn sign-up process
• Not realizing a free trial has converted to a paid subscription
• Kids or other family members using your account to sign-up for Premium
• Identity theft issues where someone else gains access to your account

If you’ve been unexpectedly charged for LinkedIn Premium in error, contact Customer Service right away to dispute the charges. Explain it was an accidental or fraudulent purchase and you will not be using the Premium services.

LinkedIn may still provide a refund in these cases even if it is beyond the normal 30-day window. However, each case is evaluated individually, so a refund is not guaranteed. Acting quickly and providing documentation around unauthorized charges will strengthen your case though.

Downgrading from Premium to Free Account

Another option if you don’t want to pay for LinkedIn Premium going forward is to simply downgrade back to the free account option. Here’s how to downgrade from Premium to a free account:

1. Go to the “Purchase history” section under account settings.
2. Locate the Premium subscription and click “Cancel subscription”.
3. Follow the prompts to confirm you want to cancel Premium access.
4. Your account will revert to a free account immediately after cancellation.
5. You can also opt to “postpone” cancellation if you want to temporarily pause the subscription instead of fully canceling.

Downgrading to the free account allows you to avoid future charges but does not provide any refund for the current payment period already billed. But for some users, this is good enough if they simply want to opt-out of Premium without getting previous payments back.

If you do downgrade but later decide you want Premium again, you can always re-purchase a subscription at any time.

Getting a Refund for Unused Job Seeker Features

LinkedIn Premium for job seekers comes with several features aimed at giving you a competitive edge for finding and landing jobs. This includes being able to see how you rank against other applicants and unlocking the full suite of LinkedIn Learning courses.

But if you purchased a Premium subscription primarily for the job search features and ended up not using them before finding a job, you may be able to request a partial refund.

Contact Customer Service and explain you only used Premium briefly while job searching and no longer need access to those specific tools now that you are employed. Politely request a refund for the unused job seeker benefits you paid for with Premium.

While LinkedIn does not advertise partial refunds, some users have reported success getting prorated refunds this way when job-hunting Premium features go unused. However, there is no guarantee as it depends on the individual representative.

Can I Get a Refund on Premium Purchased Through Apple or Google?

Many users purchase LinkedIn Premium directly through the app stores for Apple and Google platforms. In these cases, the app store manages the billing and subscriptions instead of through LinkedIn directly.

So can you get a refund for Premium purchased on an iPhone or Android device?

The short answer is yes, but you need to request the refund directly through Apple or Google, not LinkedIn. Here is the process for each:

For LinkedIn Premium purchased through Apple:

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on your Apple ID profile in the top right corner.
3. View purchase history and locate the LinkedIn Premium subscription.
4. Tap “Report a Problem” and request a refund from Apple.

For LinkedIn Premium purchased through Google Play:

1. Open the Play Store app on your Android device.
2. Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner and choose “Subscriptions”.
3. Select the LinkedIn Premium subscription.
4. Tap “Cancel Subscription” and then “Refund” to request a refund from Google.

In both cases, you need to process the refund directly through the app store within their respective refund periods. Apple offers refunds up to 14 days, while Google allows refunds within 48 hours.

Getting a Tax Refund for Premium

If you used LinkedIn Premium strictly for business purposes, you may be able to get a tax deduction or refund for the cost of your subscription fees. This depends on where you live and your local tax laws.

For example, in the United States, the IRS allows self-employed taxpayers to deduct eligible business expenses on Schedule C of their personal tax return. Qualified business use of LinkedIn Premium could fall under tax deductible categories like advertising, marketing, career search fees, or professional development courses.

To claim a tax deduction or refund, be sure to save receipts showing your Premium costs. Also track how you used LinkedIn for business activities versus personal use. Consult a local accountant or tax advisor to understand what write-offs you may qualify for in your specific situation.

Some users have been successful claiming partial or full tax refunds on LinkedIn Premium used for freelancing, contractors, side businesses, and other self-employment scenarios. But results can vary widely based on your location, tax bracket, and how integrated Premium was into your core business activities.

Getting a Refund for Unused Premium Insights

One of the key perks of LinkedIn Premium is gaining access to Premium Insights about people in your network. This provides detailed information on their work history, education, interests, accomplishments, and more.

However, some users sign up for Premium and then realize they are not really utilizing the Insights as much as they expected. In these cases, you may be able to get a partial refund by arguing the Insights were not applicable to your needs.

Reach out to Customer Service and politely explain that the Premium Insights did not prove as useful as anticipated. Ask for a prorated refund specifically on the portion of your subscription fee that was supposed to cover Insights access.

In most cases, LinkedIn will not grant this type of partial refund. But if you purchased Premium primarily for Insights and have a sympathetic representative, you may get lucky. It’s worth politely asking, especially if the Insights features went completely unused after signing up.

Can I Get a Refund for an Inactive or Closed Account?

What happens if you purchased a Premium subscription but then ended up not using your LinkedIn account at all? Or if the account gets permanently closed or deactivated?

Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not offer refunds in situations where the account ends up inactive or closed entirely – even if you never used any Premium features. Because technically you still had access to those features, even if you chose not to use them.

That said, if your account gets hacked or deactivated due to identity theft, you may have a case for a refund. Explain the situation to Customer Service and provide evidence around the unauthorized access that led to your account being disabled. Emphasize that you paid for Premium features that you no longer have access to through no fault of your own.

But outside of identity theft scenarios, don’t expect to get your money back if you simply failed to ever log-in or use a paid Premium account. LinkedIn considers that the user’s responsibility, even if in retrospect the purchase was unnecessary.

Getting a Refund for Premium Features That Stop Working

Technical issues leading to Premium features being unavailable could be grounds for a partial refund.

For example, let’s say the Job Insights tool that compares you to other candidates stops loading for a month due to bugs. Or the LinkedIn Learning courses become unavailable halfway through your annual subscription. In cases like this, you paid for services you can’t use through no fault of your own.

Document the issues extensively and explain to Customer Service exactly which Premium features stopped functioning properly. Provide dates showing the length of problems. Politely but firmly request a partial refund proportional to the time you were unable to access promised features.

With clear details on ongoing technical issues impacting paid services, LinkedIn will likely grant a prorated refund to offset the problems – even if beyond the standard 30-day window. But the key is thorough documentation and evidence of long-running loss of services.

How to Avoid Needing a LinkedIn Premium Refund

While refunds are possible in many cases, avoiding the need to request your money back is always preferable. Here are some tips to prevent buyers’ remorse and reduce the need for refunds:

• Start with a free trial first to test Premium features in full before paying.
• Only purchase Premium if you have very specific needs you’ve validated upfront.
• Use a reminder for when the free trial ends so it doesn’t convert unexpectedly.
• Downgrade immediately if you find you are not using Premium features regularly.
• Be cautious of add-ons or offers for “free Premium trials” which can auto-convert.
• Lock down account security and monitor purchases closely.

Taking advantage of the one month free trial before paying is by far the best way to determine if you’ll truly benefit from Premium. Never pay upfront unless you’ve used a trial first to confirm the features are worth the price for you.

Have a clear business or career goal in mind before purchasing Premium. Don’t assume more expensive means better. Only upgrade if the specific benefits like InMail or Insights accelerate your concrete objectives.

And be vigilant about canceling unwanted services immediately to avoid refund hassles later on. Act quickly at the first sign of buyer’s remorse to prevent wasted spending.

Conclusion

LinkedIn Premium offers useful features for networking and recruitment. But the paid subscription may not be a fit for every user’s needs or budget.

The good news is you can get a full or partial refund on LinkedIn Premium within the initial 30 day window, or in special cases like unauthorized purchases or technical issues. Contact Customer Service, provide details, and politely request the refund.

To avoid refund hassles altogether, take advantage of the generous free trial period first. Only purchase Premium with clear goals in mind after confirming the features are worth the price tag for you. And don’t be afraid to downgrade immediately if you have buyer’s remorse or find the features lacking for your needs.

With a thoughtful approach, you can take full advantage of Premium benefits or gracefully opt-out to maximize value from the world’s largest professional networking platform.