LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 810 million members worldwide. As a freemium service, LinkedIn offers both free and paid memberships that unlock additional features. One of LinkedIn’s paid offerings is LinkedIn Premium, which provides more advanced search filters, Insights analytics, and messaging capabilities.
LinkedIn Premium comes with a one month free trial upon sign-up. This allows new users to test out the premium features before committing to a paid subscription. But is LinkedIn’s free trial a legitimate offer or simply a bait-and-switch marketing ploy? Let’s take a closer look at what’s included in LinkedIn’s free trial and the steps required to sign up.
What’s Included in LinkedIn’s Free Trial
LinkedIn’s free trial provides full access to all of its Premium features for one month. This includes:
- InMail messages – Send unlimited emails directly to anyone’s inbox, even if you’re not connected.
- Search filters – Search by industry, job title, company size, and other filters to narrow your search results.
- Profile viewing insights – See who’s viewed your profile and access analytics on your page views.
- Learning courses – Take free courses on business, creative, and technology skills offered through LinkedIn Learning.
- Salary insights – View salary ranges for different job titles.
- Interview preparation – Get tips on preparing for interviews and connect with coaches.
In addition to Premium features, a LinkedIn free trial provides full access to JOBS PRO. This job seeker’s toolkit allows you to apply to jobs, save jobs to track application status, get custom job recommendations, and access salary data.
Overall, LinkedIn’s free trial grants temporary access to features that are normally only available under a paid Premium subscription. It lets you test drive LinkedIn Premium risk-free before paying.
What’s Required to Sign Up for LinkedIn’s Free Trial
Signing up for LinkedIn’s free trial only requires a few simple steps:
- Create a LinkedIn account if you don’t already have one.
- Go to the LinkedIn Premium or JOBS PRO page and click “Start your free trial.”
- Select between a free 1 month Premium trial or 1 month JOBS PRO trial.
- Enter your payment information, which is required upfront but will not be charged during the trial period.
- Agree to the Premium Subscription Agreement or JOBS PRO Subscription Agreement.
- Start using Premium or JOBS PRO features for one month at no cost.
The sign-up process is quick and straightforward. LinkedIn clearly indicates that you are signing up for a “free trial” and will not be billed for the first month. Your payment method is needed upfront to prevent abuse of the free trial offer, but no charges will occur during the trial period.
What Happens After the Free Trial Ends
LinkedIn provides a few reminders as your free trial nears its end date. A week before the trial ends, you’ll receive an email outlining the Premium or JOBS PRO plan you will be billed for and its cost after the trial. Two days before billing, you’ll get another reminder email.
Once the 1 month trial period expires, your subscription will automatically continue and you’ll be charged the regular monthly price for Premium or JOBS PRO. This will continue month-to-month until you cancel your subscription.
If you wish to cancel before being charged, you can easily do so from your account settings. Just make sure to cancel at least 24 hours before your free trial ends.
Here are the current monthly prices after the Premium and JOBS PRO free trials end:
| LinkedIn Product | Monthly Price |
|---|---|
| Premium Career | $29.99 |
| Premium Business | $47.99 |
| Premium Sales | $64.99 |
| JOBS PRO | $39.99 |
These prices are in line with the value provided by Premium and JOBS PRO features. While not cheap, the subscriptions can be worthwhile for those who use LinkedIn extensively for business networking or job seeking.
What Happens if You Cancel After Already Being Billed
If you forget to cancel your Premium or JOBS PRO subscription before the first month billing date, you will be charged the regular monthly fee. But there are options to get a refund or partial refund:
- Cancel within 48 hours – If you cancel within 48 hours of your billing date, you can request a full refund of that month’s charges.
- Cancel after 48 hours – If you cancel after 48 hours, you can request a prorated refund for any unused days remaining in that billing period.
- Downgrade your plan – Rather than canceling, you can downgrade to a less expensive Premium plan or to a free account. You’ll receive a prorated refund based on the lower plan.
To request a cancellation and refund, you’ll need to contact LinkedIn’s customer support directly. This can be done via live chat on LinkedIn’s website or by submitting a written request. Provided you did not already utilize too many Premium features after being billed, LinkedIn will generally grant refunds or prorated credits.
What Members Are Saying About the Free Trial
Most LinkedIn members who have signed up for the Premium or JOBS PRO free trial report positive experiences. Here are a few testimonials:
“LinkedIn’s free trial was simple to set up. I liked being able to test out Premium before paying. Ended up using Premium for several months after the trial before downgrading back to a free account.” – Sarah D., marketing professional
“The JOBS PRO free trial came in handy while I was interviewing for new roles. I could see how many people applied to the same jobs as me and use tools to refine my applications. Didn’t continue after the trial, but it was useful.” – Mark J., accountant
“I signed up to try LinkedIn Premium for sales. Being able to send InMails directly has increased my lead generation. And the sales analytics are invaluable. I’m definitely keeping my paid subscription after the trial.” – Leila S., sales manager
The few negative reviews of LinkedIn’s free trial mostly come from users who forgot to cancel before their first payment. But overall, most experiences are positive provided you understand the eventual billing practices.
Is LinkedIn’s Free Trial Legit?
Based on the transparent sign-up process, reasonable cancellation policy, and member reviews, LinkedIn’s free trial offer appears to be completely legitimate. The key aspects that support it being legit include:
- Clear “free trial” labeling during sign-up with no hidden charges.
- Premium and JOBS PRO provide real value when trialing them out.
- Easy to cancel before being billed at end of trial period.
- Refunds available if you forget to cancel in time.
- Most user reviews are positive.
LinkedIn depends on converting free trial users into paid members. There would be no incentive for them to employ bait-and-switch tactics or mislead people about the offer terms. While you do have to enter payment information upfront, this is a common practice for free trials to prevent abuse.
The Bottom Line
LinkedIn’s free 1 month Premium and JOBS PRO trials are clearly promoted as such during sign-up. The company provides reminders ahead of billing and ways to cancel or refund if desired. User reviews indicate predominantly positive experiences. There is no evidence to suggest anything potentially illegitimate about LinkedIn’s free trial for Premium access. It provides a legitimate way to evaluate Premium’s benefits risk-free.
