LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social media platforms, with over 810 million members worldwide as of 2023. For many professionals and businesses, having a LinkedIn presence has become indispensable for networking, finding jobs, promoting a personal brand, and generating leads. But how much does it actually cost to have a LinkedIn page and use LinkedIn’s premium features?
The Cost of a Basic LinkedIn Profile
The good news is that creating and maintaining a basic LinkedIn profile is completely free. Anyone can sign up for a LinkedIn account and create a profile highlighting their professional background, skills, accomplishments, education, and more. You can also connect with other LinkedIn members, join industry groups, follow companies, and build up your professional network without paying anything.
With a free basic account, you can:
- Create a profile with your professional details
- Connect with other members
- Join groups and follow companies
- Search for jobs
- View other users’ profiles and posts
So if all you need is a basic presence on LinkedIn to network and look for opportunities, you can get that without any financial investment.
Pricing for LinkedIn Premium Subscriptions
While a basic profile is free, LinkedIn also offers several premium subscription options that unlock additional features. Here are the current pricing tiers for premium LinkedIn subscriptions (as of October 2023):
| LinkedIn Subscription | Price per Month |
|---|---|
| Premium Career | $29.99 |
| Premium Business | $49.99 |
| Premium Sales | $79.99 |
| Premium Hiring | $99.95 |
| Premium | $79.99 |
The Premium Career subscription is geared towards individual professionals, while the Premium Business, Sales, and Hiring plans offer features tailored for business accounts. The Premium subscription bundles all the features of the individual plans together.
Here is an overview of what you get with each paid LinkedIn subscription tier:
Premium Career
- See who viewed your profile
- Get contact information for people outside your network
- Take unlimited LinkedIn Learning courses
- Get interview preparation and coaching
Premium Business
- Create professional branding for your company
- Advertise to targeted audiences
- See more contact information
- Get analytics on post performance
Premium Sales
- Contact leads directly with InMail messages
- Receive recommendations for warm sales leads
- Get insights on your contacts and accounts
- Customize sales workflows
Premium Hiring
- Post jobs and actively recruit candidates
- Search members by skillset and experience
- Use additional screening and management tools
- Get analytics on your recruiting efforts
Premium
- Get all the features of the other premium subscriptions
- Best value if you want everything LinkedIn offers
What is LinkedIn Learning and how much does it cost?
LinkedIn Learning is LinkedIn’s library of over 16,000 online video courses taught by industry experts. Courses cover topics like business, creative, and technology skills.
Normally, a LinkedIn Learning subscription costs $29.99 per month. However, it is included for free with a Premium Career or Premium account. Premium Career and Premium members can take unlimited LinkedIn Learning courses at no extra cost.
Does LinkedIn offer a free trial?
Yes, LinkedIn currently offers one month free trials for all its paid subscriptions. So you can test out a premium subscription for 30 days before committing to paying.
To start a free trial, visit the LinkedIn Premium page and select the plan you want to try. You will need to provide credit card information upfront, but you will not be charged until after the 1 month trial period ends.
Can you cancel LinkedIn Premium?
Yes, you can cancel a LinkedIn Premium subscription at any time. Here are some key things to know about canceling Premium:
- You can cancel at any time – there is no long term contract.
- You can cancel online through your account settings or by contacting LinkedIn customer support.
- When you cancel, you will continue to have access until the end of the current billing period.
- If you cancel before your trial ends, you will not be charged at all.
What happens when you cancel LinkedIn Premium?
Here is what happens when you cancel a paid LinkedIn Premium subscription:
- Your account reverts back to a free basic account.
- You lose access to all Premium features and tools.
- You can keep your profile and connections, but some visibility is restricted.
- You will no longer receive Premium support.
- You still have full access to free LinkedIn features.
Conclusion
Having a LinkedIn presence is free and provides valuable networking and career opportunities. But upgrading to a paid Premium subscription unlocks additional features, especially for job seekers, businesses, sales, and recruiters. Premium plans range from $29.99-$99.95 per month, with a one-month free trial available. Overall, investing in a Premium subscription can be worthwhile if you will actively utilize the enhanced tools it provides. But a basic free profile is still beneficial on its own as well.