LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 830 million members worldwide. As a social media platform aimed at career and business connections, LinkedIn offers both free and paid subscription options for users. So does LinkedIn have a yearly subscription option and if so, what features and benefits do paying members get?
The Short Answer
Yes, LinkedIn does offer premium paid subscriptions on a monthly or yearly basis. The main LinkedIn premium subscription is called LinkedIn Premium Career. This gives paying members access to additional features like being able to view everyone who has viewed your profile, advanced search filters, expanded InMail messaging, professional learning courses, and more.
LinkedIn Basic vs Premium
LinkedIn offers both a free basic account and paid premium account options. Here is an overview of the key differences between the free LinkedIn basic plan and paid Premium plans:
LinkedIn Basic (Free)
- Create a profile
- Connect with other members
- Join groups
- Search for jobs
- Post and apply to jobs
- Receive InMail messages
- See who viewed your profile (limited)
LinkedIn Premium
- See full profiles of members who viewed you
- Advanced profile search filters
- Unlimited InMail messages
- Take online professional courses
- Salary data
- Additional profile recommendations
As you can see, the Premium account unlocks additional features beyond the basics available for free LinkedIn members.
LinkedIn Premium Subscription Options
LinkedIn offers three main paid Premium subscription options:
LinkedIn Premium Career
- Ideal for individuals focused on job search and professional development
- See who’s viewed your profile and access advanced insights
- Take unlimited Lynda.com courses
- Get interview preparation and coaching
- Browse LinkedIn Learning content
LinkedIn Premium Business
- Designed for business marketing and sales leads
- See more contact info when you search
- Get InMail credits each month
- See how you rank for profile searches
LinkedIn Premium Hiring
- For recruiters and HR professionals
- Post jobs and search LinkedIn talent bank
- Filter and export candidate search results
- See profile views by job posting
- Access salary data
The Premium Career plan is the main option for individuals focused on professional networking and growth.
LinkedIn Premium Career Plan Features
Here is an overview of the key features included with the LinkedIn Premium Career subscription:
- See Full Profile Views: See expanded information on who has viewed your profile, such as full name, title, location and company.
- Advanced Profile Search: Use filters like years of experience, company size, job function and more to precisely target your searches.
- Unlimited InMail: Send unlimited direct messages to any LinkedIn member without needing a connection.
- Professional Learning: Watch 25,000+ expert-led courses with LinkedIn Learning and Lynda.com.
- Salary Insights: Get access to salary data for specific job titles by location.
- Profile Recommendations: See recommendations on ways to improve your profile and increase reach.
- Premium Badge: Display a Premium subscriber badge on your profile.
These features allow paying subscribers to get more value out of LinkedIn for networking, recruiting, and professional development.
How Much Does LinkedIn Premium Cost?
LinkedIn Premium is available as either a monthly or annual subscription. Here are the current pricing options:
LinkedIn Premium Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
---|---|---|
Premium Career | $29.99/month | $239.88/year (save 17%) |
Premium Business | $64.99/month | $519.92/year (save 17%) |
Premium Hiring | $99.95/month | $799.60/year (save 20%) |
As you can see from the pricing options, choosing an annual subscription can save between 17% to 20% compared to paying month-to-month. The annual Premium Career plan costs $239.88 per year when paid upfront annually.
Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It?
Whether LinkedIn Premium is worth it depends on your specific needs and how you plan to use LinkedIn. Here are some of the key benefits that can make Premium worthwhile:
- For job seekers, seeing full profile views and advanced insights provides an edge in your search.
- The ability to take unlimited online courses expands your skills.
- Premium subscribers can be viewed as more serious about business.
- For sales leads, Premium provides more search filters and InMail messages.
- Recruiters gain tools to find and engage talent more effectively.
However, if you just use LinkedIn occasionally for basic networking, you may not need to upgrade to Premium. Frequent LinkedIn users who want to maximize the platform for business, recruiting, or career growth can gain a lot of value from the Premium features.
What Payment Options are Available?
LinkedIn offers flexibility in how you pay for Premium subscription plans. Payment options include:
- Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
- Debit card
- PayPal account
- Mobile carrier billing (select carriers)
When you purchase or renew Premium, you will be asked to provide card details or PayPal account information for automatic recurring billing either monthly or annually based on your subscription term.
Can I Cancel LinkedIn Premium?
Yes, you can cancel your LinkedIn Premium subscription at any time if you decide you no longer want to pay for it.
To cancel Premium:
- Go to your LinkedIn Account Settings
- Under “Products”, click “Manage” next to your Premium subscription
- Choose “Cancel subscription” and follow prompts
- Your subscription will remain active until the billing renewal date and then expire
If you cancel partway through your annual subscription, you will not receive a refund for unused remaining months.
How Does LinkedIn Premium Compare to Other Options?
LinkedIn Premium is unique as it enhances the world’s largest professional networking platform. However, here is how it compares to some alternatives:
- General Social Media Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. allow you to connect but are not career-focused like LinkedIn.
- Job Sites: Sites like Monster and Indeed help active job seekers but lack LinkedIn’s networking features.
- Resume Sites: Resume database sites let recruiters find candidates but are more passive than LinkedIn.
- Online Learning Platforms: Sites like Udemy or Coursera offer affordable courses but not LinkedIn’s full package.
For professional networking, company research, and recruiting, LinkedIn Premium offers unique benefits other sites lack. The combination of premium features makes it a powerful career tool.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Premium provides users willing to pay with additional features and expanded access for professional networking, job searching, recruiting, and skill development. While a free basic account allows networking basics, the Premium options provide significant added value.
For individuals serious about advancing their careers or businesses, the annual Premium Career subscription can be well worth the investment. However, users need to assess if the $239.88 per year cost is justified based on how they specifically utilize LinkedIn.