Is it easy to cancel 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 to people outside your network, unlimited access to full profiles, advanced search filters, and learning courses. However, while LinkedIn Premium offers useful tools for networking and job hunting, some users may want to cancel their subscription at some point, which raises the question – is it easy to cancel LinkedIn Premium?

How to cancel LinkedIn Premium subscription

Fortunately, canceling a LinkedIn Premium subscription is a relatively straightforward process. Here are the steps to cancel LinkedIn Premium:

1. Log into your LinkedIn account on a desktop. You cannot cancel Premium on the LinkedIn mobile app.
2. Click on the “Me” icon at the top right and select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
3. On the “Settings & Privacy” page, click on the “Account preferences” tab.
4. Under the “Premium” section, click on “Cancel premium”.
5. On the cancellation page, select your cancellation reason from the dropdown menu and click “Continue to cancel”.
6. Confirm the cancellation on the next page.

That’s it! LinkedIn will immediately downgrade your account to a free version. You will lose access to all Premium features but your profile and data will remain intact. The remaining time left in your current billing cycle will still be available until it expires.

LinkedIn Premium cancellation policies

In addition to the relatively simple cancellation process, LinkedIn also has straightforward policies around Premium cancellation that make it easy for users to downgrade or get a refund:

• You can cancel auto-renewal at any time to prevent being billed again at the end of your current cycle.
• If you cancel within the first 30 days, you’ll get a full refund.
• After 30 days, there are no refunds but you can still immediately cancel the subscription.
• When you cancel, you retain Premium access for the remainder of the billing period you already paid for.
• You can reactivate Premium within 12 months to restore your subscription as it was.

These policies allow flexibility to change your mind within 30 days or immediately cancel after that without penalty. The ability to retain the remainder of the billing cycle is generous compared to some other sites.

Potential difficulties canceling LinkedIn Premium

While the cancellation process itself is straightforward, some users have reported a few potential difficulties to be aware of:

• The cancellation page can sometimes be confusing with separate ” downgrade” and “cancel” options.
• A few users have reported issues receiving their refund within the promised timeframe.
• Some users warn to watch out for offers on the cancellation page to extend Premium for free for a limited time, which could automatically resubmit the subscription.
• In some cases, people have said they needed to contact customer service to fully cancel the auto-renew option.

However, most users are able to cancel without any major issues if they carefully follow the steps and ensure the “cancel subscription” option is selected, not just downgrading.

Strategies to cancel LinkedIn Premium

Here are some tips and strategies for smoothly canceling your LinkedIn Premium subscription:

• Cancel a couple weeks before billing date – Gives enough notice and time to address any issues.
• Double check account settings – Verify auto-renew is off after canceling.
• Screenshot cancellation – Keep for records in case of billing disputes.
• Export data – Download your connections list before downgrading.
• Avoid downgrade offers – Opt to completely cancel subscription.
• Use live chat – Reach customer service instantly if any problems.

Following these best practices can help avoid obstacles and ensure your Premium subscription is canceled correctly the first time.

Pros of canceling LinkedIn Premium

Why might someone want to take the effort to cancel their LinkedIn Premium subscription? Here are some of the pros of canceling Premium:

• Save money – Premium costs $29.99/month, so canceling can provide a nice monthly savings.
• Avoid renewal charges – Canceling stops those automatic billing charges from hitting your credit card every month.
• Features not needed – If you aren’t using Premium features like InMail regularly, it may not be worth the cost.
• Take a break – You can always resubscribe later if you want access again.

Especially for job seekers or casual users, the free version of LinkedIn may provide enough functionality without the ongoing expense of Premium.

Cons of canceling LinkedIn Premium

On the other hand, there are also some downsides to canceling LinkedIn Premium that are worth considering:

• Lose features – You’ll no longer have access to things like seeing profile views, unlimited InMails, advanced filters and data insights.
• Reduced visibility – Your profile may get less exposure without the extra prominence of Premium.
• Fewer insights – You’ll lose out on the expanded profile data and analytics available with Premium.
• Reactivation fee – If you later want to resubscribe, you’ll have to repay the $29.99 monthly fee.

For active networkers and job seekers getting a lot of value from Premium capabilities, the loss of those features could be a real setback.

LinkedIn Premium alternatives

If you want to cancel LinkedIn Premium but still need some of the functionality, here are a few alternatives worth considering:

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator – More focused sales tool with customized lead recommendations. $64.99/month.
• Premium free trial – Get a 1 month free Premium trial every 12 months.
• Other networks – Use Facebook, Twitter or Quora communities for networking.
• Job hunting tools – Sites like ZipRecruiter or recruitment platforms.

While not perfect replacements, these options can provide more targeted and often less expensive ways to get similar benefits as Premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if I cancel LinkedIn Premium?

Yes, you can get a full refund if you cancel your LinkedIn Premium subscription within the first 30 days. After 30 days there are no refunds, but you will retain access until the end of your current billing period.

What happens to my Premium features if I cancel?

All Premium features will be immediately disabled when you cancel your subscription. You will revert to the free account capabilities. However, you keep full access to your profile and connections.

Can I reactivate Premium after canceling?

Yes, you can reactive Premium within 12 months of canceling and restore your account as it was, without losing connections, messages or other data.

Is it better to downgrade or cancel LinkedIn Premium?

It is better to fully cancel the subscription if you want to stop paying the monthly fee. Downgrading only prevents auto-renewal but doesn’t stop the current billing cycle charges.

Can I cancel LinkedIn Premium on mobile app?

Unfortunately you cannot cancel your Premium subscription via the mobile app. You need to login and cancel Premium on the LinkedIn desktop site for it to take effect.

Conclusion

Canceling LinkedIn Premium is generally a quick and straightforward process following the steps to cancel auto-renewal and subscription in the account settings. While a few users report some issues receiving refunds or turning off auto-renew, overall LinkedIn’s cancellation policies are consumer-friendly. Before canceling, weigh the pros and cons and consider alternatives to Premium. But if you need to cancel, you can do so confidently knowing the cancellation process with LinkedIn is relatively painless.