InMail credits on LinkedIn allow you to directly contact other members on the platform that you are not currently connected to. Each InMail credit lets you send one message to a LinkedIn member. You can purchase different quantities of credits depending on your messaging needs.
Getting InMail Credits
There are a few different ways to get InMail credits on LinkedIn:
- With a Premium Career subscription – This grants you a certain number of credits per month depending on your subscription level.
- By purchasing extra credits – You can buy packs of additional InMail credits beyond what’s included in your subscription.
- Through recruitment campaigns – Recruiters may receive free InMail credits for messaging candidates.
- As an incentive for being active – LinkedIn sometimes provides a few free credits for active engagement.
InMail Credits with Premium Subscriptions
If you upgrade to a Premium Career account on LinkedIn, you will automatically get a set amount of InMail credits each month. The number of monthly credits depends on which Premium tier you choose:
- Premium Career – 15 credits per month
- Premium Career Plus – 25 credits per month
- Premium Career Executive – 50 credits per month
These credits roll over each month if unused but there is a cap on how many total credits you can accumulate. For Premium Career it’s 60 credits, Premium Career Plus has a 100 credit cap, and Premium Career Executive caps at 200 credits.
One thing to note with the Premium subscription InMails is that you can only message members who are at least two degrees away from you in your network. For example, you can’t InMail a second-degree connection, only those who are third-degree and higher.
Purchasing Additional InMail Credits
If you want to send more InMails than your Premium account provides each month, you can purchase extra credits. Here are the current packages offered:
- 25 credits – $59.99
- 50 credits – $99.99
- 75 credits – $139.99
- 100 credits – $174.99
- 200 credits – $299.99
- 500 credits – $599.99
Purchased InMail credits are added to your account’s monthly allowance and do not expire. Any unused credits simply roll over month-to-month, contributing to your accumulated credit balance.
You can buy extra credits right from the LinkedIn website. Just click the “My Network” tab, choose “Stay in touch”, and then select “Buy more credits”. You can purchase credits with a credit card or through your Microsoft/LinkedIn billing.
Free Recruiter InMails
If you have a Recruiter account on LinkedIn, you may receive free InMail credits to message potential candidates. LinkedIn provides recruiters with credits based on factors like account status, number of job posts, and how often candidates respond to your InMails.
The number of free credits can range from 50-300 per month. Recruiters can also buy additional credits beyond the free allotment if needed. The InMail capabilities work the same for recruiters as other users.
InMail Credits from LinkedIn
Occasionally, LinkedIn will reward highly engaged users by providing a small number of free InMail credits. This usually ranges from 1-10 credits. You may receive these credits via email or notification from LinkedIn highlighting your activity.
It’s not guaranteed that active users will receive free credits. But it’s one way LinkedIn tries to encourage engagement on the platform. Any free credits received expire after one month if unused.
Using InMail Credits
Now that you understand how to get InMail credits, here is how you actually use them to message LinkedIn members:
- Locate the member you want to message on LinkedIn. You can search profiles or view suggestions.
- Click the “Connect” button on their profile. If you aren’t connected, you’ll see options to send an InMail or request to connect.
- Choose “Send InMail” and click Next. You will then see options to send a free InMail or use paid credits.
- Select “Use paid InMail credits”. You will then compose your message and send it. This deducts 1 credit.
A few things to note about sending InMails:
- Recipients do not have to accept an InMail connection request. They simply receive your message in their inbox.
- You can customize the subject line and content but should keep messages professional.
- InMails bypass spam filters and go directly to the main inbox like an email.
- There is no guarantee the recipient will reply to messages.
- You cannot send attachments, photos, or videos via InMail.
Who You Can Message
Not every LinkedIn member is eligible to receive InMails. Here are the limitations on who you can message:
- You can only InMail your 1st-degree connections if you have a recruitment account. Otherwise, you can only message 2nd and 3rd-degree connections and above.
- Members can opt out of receiving InMails from certain subscribers like recruiters or sales professionals. So your message may not reach every profile.
- You cannot message another user who has blocked you or reported abuse.
- Suspended accounts or non-full members (users with a basic profile) cannot receive InMails.
Essentially, for regular users, your InMail credits can only message more distant connections on LinkedIn. Direct contacts and close networks are not eligible unless you have a recruitment account.
Message Limits and Restrictions
To prevent spam and abuse, LinkedIn does enforce some limits on how many messages you can send:
- You can only InMail each member once unless they respond. You cannot message repeatedly.
- Accounts are restricted to sending no more than 300 InMails every month. Recruiters may have higher limits.
- If your messages receive low response rates, LinkedIn may throttle how many you can send per day.
Violating these limits or sending inappropriate content may get your account restricted. Always maintain professional messaging standards when using InMail credits.
InMail Credit Tracking
LinkedIn makes it simple to monitor your available InMail credits. Here’s how to check your balance:
- Go to the “My Network” tab and choose “Stay in Touch”
- Under the “Send InMail” section, you will see your available credits and monthly allowance.
- Clicking “Buy More Credits” shows additional details like unused monthly credits and purchase options.
- You can also view credit use details by clicking “See Sent InMails”.
The LinkedIn mobile app also displays your InMail credit balance in the Menu > My Network > Stay in Touch section. This allows you to easily track credits on the go.
As you send InMails, the balance will automatically decrement. It’s updated in real-time across LinkedIn platform. If you ever notice discrepancies or wrong credit counts, you can contact LinkedIn customer support for help.
Getting the Most Value from InMail
To maximize the impact of your InMail credits on LinkedIn, here are some best practices:
- Personalize messages – Reference the member’s profile and make it specific to them.
- Craft compelling subject lines – This helps get your message opened and read.
- Send thoughtfully and selectively – Quality over quantity when messaging.
- Focus on recipients likely to respond – Evaluate profiles carefully before messaging.
- Follow up tactfully – If no response, re-message occasionally if appropriate.
- Monitor your response rate – Aim for steady and quality responses.
With the proper strategy, InMail credits can expand your LinkedIn network and reach. But they should be used selectively for the greatest benefit. Follow LinkedIn guidelines and send quality messages.
