Many LinkedIn users have tried LinkedIn Premium in the past on a free trial basis and found it useful for networking and job searching. However, after the free trial ended, they did not want to pay for a subscription. This leads to the common question – can I try LinkedIn Premium for free again if I’ve already had a free trial before?
The Basics of LinkedIn Premium Trials
LinkedIn Premium is LinkedIn’s paid subscription service that provides users with additional features not available with the free basic account. This includes more profiles views, increased InMail messages, professional learning courses, and profile highlights.
LinkedIn offers new users a free one month Premium trial upon signing up. This allows you to test out the Premium features risk-free before deciding if you want to pay for a subscription.
However, LinkedIn’s policy is that you can only avail of one free Premium trial per account. Once your initial free trial ends, you can’t simply cancel and sign up again for another free month. LinkedIn keeps track of those who have already started a trial to prevent abuse of the system.
So in short, no – you technically can’t try Premium for free again on the same LinkedIn account if you’ve already used a trial before.
Why Only One Free Trial is Allowed
LinkedIn limits free trials to one per account for an important reason – to prevent abuse of the system. If unlimited free trials were allowed, users could continuously create accounts and get Premium over and over without ever paying. This could greatly affect LinkedIn’s revenue stream which they rely on to support their business.
By restricting it to one trial, LinkedIn ensures users will have to eventually subscribe to continue using Premium features after seeing its benefits during the initial free period. This maintains the viability of Premium as a paid-for service.
While multiple trials may sound enticing for users, it would simply be unsustainable for LinkedIn to provide Premium for free indefinitely.
Ways to Try Premium For Free Again
Although officially you can only get one Premium trial per account, there are some creative ways people attempt to try Premium again for free after already using a trial before.
Use a Different Account
One method is to simply create a new LinkedIn account with a different email address and start fresh. As long as you haven’t used a free trial on that account before, you can get 30 days of Premium access.
However, this also means building up your network again from scratch, re-adding connections, and having a separate profile from your original account.
Use Someone Else’s Free Trial
Some users try sharing Premium trials with family or friends who haven’t used theirs before. For example, your spouse may start a Premium trial and give you the login info to access it.
This comes with risks though, like account sharing possibly being against LinkedIn’s terms of service. And the other person would need to keep paying for Premium once the trial ends for you to continue using it.
Cancel and Resubscribe After Some Time
Another option is to cancel Premium after using the free trial, wait several months, and hope that enough time has passed that LinkedIn’s system resets for your account to get Premium free again. There is no guarantee this will work though.
Use a Different Payment Method
Some users think signing up for a new trial with a different credit card or payment method may work. LinkedIn may track trials by payment information to prevent multiple trials on the same account. But again, there is no solid evidence this technique is effective.
The Risks of Trying Multiple Trials
While the allure of getting additional Premium trials is understandable, there are some risks users should keep in mind:
– Your account could get flagged or banned by LinkedIn for violating their policies if you are discovered trying to get multiple trials. This could lead to losing access.
– New accounts don’t have your established network connections. Starting over removes much of the benefit of Premium features to begin with.
– If you use someone else’s free trial, both accounts could potentially get penalized if LinkedIn uncovers account sharing.
– There are no guarantees tricks like using different payment methods or waiting long periods will work. You may waste time without success.
Is it Worth it?
Given the risks and uncertainty involved, most experts recommend simply accepting the single free Premium trial LinkedIn provides. The complications of trying to get another free trial usually outweigh potential benefits.
Rather than spending energy trying to gain the system, focus instead on making the most of the initial 30 days to evaluate if Premium is worth paying for in the long-run for your needs.
Alternatives to LinkedIn Premium
If after using the free trial you find you don’t want to pay for Premium, there are a few free alternatives to consider:
LinkedIn’s Free Account
LinkedIn’s standard free account still provides helpful networking and job search features, albeit more limited than Premium. You can build an impressive profile, make connections, join groups, follow companies, and search jobs even without the paid plan.
Microsoft 365 Subscription
Subscribers to Microsoft 365 get access to Premium features like InMail messages and profile highlights as part of the subscription. If you already use Microsoft 365 for work, check to see if LinkedIn Premium is included.
Social Media Sites Like Facebook
Facebook Groups and Pages can offer some informal networking opportunities similar to LinkedIn. While it lacks the professional focus, for some users it may provide enough connections.
Professional Associations and Networks
Paid membership in industry/professional associations or local Chambers of Commerce can provide digital and in-person networking and job search help outside of LinkedIn.
Recruiters and Staffing Agencies
Working with professional recruiters, both internal company recruiters and third party agencies, is a proven way to find job openings without needing Premium.
Conclusion
To conclude, LinkedIn unfortunately only allows one free Premium trial per account. While some workarounds exist to try and get a second free trial, the risks often outweigh potential rewards.
For most users, the wiser path is to maximize that initial 30-day trial, and then if you choose not to subscribe, rely on LinkedIn’s free account or other networking options to meet your needs. Premium certainly offers helpful benefits, but is not an absolute requirement for an effective job search or establishing connections.
Hopefully this overview clarifies whether you can realistically try LinkedIn Premium again for free. Let the single trial be an opportunity to experience Premium and assess if the features warrant the ongoing paid subscription fee for your personal situation.