How Much Is LinkedIn Premium?

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Publish date: Aug 10, 2026

There are four LinkedIn Premium tiers: Career, Business, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter Lite. Each one is built for a different type of user, with a different set of tools and a very different price tag.

It's worth noting that 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn, outperforming every other social platform, according to Linkedin Statistics 2026. That makes understanding what you're paying for more important than ever.

What Is LinkedIn Premium?

LinkedIn Premium is a paid subscription that gives users access to tools beyond the standard free account. While the free version covers basic networking and job searching, Premium unlocks features designed to help users do more, faster.

LinkedIn offers four Premium tiers, each built for a different goal: job searching, business networking, sales prospecting, and recruiting. Rather than one-size-fits-all, each plan targets a specific type of user with a specific set of needs.

For sales teams and business owners, Premium has also become a go-to platform for lead generation strategies, particularly through its more advanced plans.

Pricing varies depending on which plan you choose and whether you bill monthly or annually.

How Much Does LinkedIn Premium Cost?

The pricing of LinkedIn Premium depends on two things: the plan you choose and how you pay for it. Monthly billing gives you flexibility, while annual billing typically goes with some discount. The four available plans cover very different use cases, so the right choice comes down to what you actually need LinkedIn to do for you.

Premium Career

Premium Career is LinkedIn's entry-level paid plan, and it's built with job seekers in mind. It starts at $29.99/month, or $239.88/year if you go with the annual plan.

Here's what you actually get with it:

  • InMail credits: think of these as direct messages you can send to recruiters or hiring managers even if they're not in your network yet
  • Profile viewer insights: you get to see who's been checking out your profile over the last 90 days, which is great for spotting when a recruiter has had a look
  • LinkedIn Learning: access to thousands of online courses, from technical skills all the way to interview prep
  • Applicant insights: this one shows you how your profile stacks up against other people applying for the same job, so you're not going in blind

If you're actively hunting for a job right now, this plan is probably the one that makes the most sense to start with.

Premium Business

Premium Business is geared towards professionals who want to grow their network and get more out of LinkedIn beyond just job searching.

It runs at $59.99/month, or $575.88/year on the annual plan. Yes, it's pricier than Career, but it comes with a noticeably bigger set of tools.

Here's what you get:

  • More InMail credits: you get 15 per month instead of 5, so you can reach out to a lot more people
  • Expanded search access: you can browse more profiles and run more searches without hitting LinkedIn's limits
  • Business insights: you get access to data about companies, like growth trends and headcount changes, which is handy if you're researching potential partners, clients, or employers
  • Unlimited profile browsing: unlike the free plan, you can check out as many profiles as you want without restrictions

The main difference from Career is the focus. Career is built around getting hired. Business is built around growing professionally, whether that means building connections, researching companies, or putting yourself out there as a thought leader.

If you're not actively job hunting but want to get serious about networking and business development, this is the plan for you.

Sales Navigator Core

Sales Navigator Core is a step up from the standard Premium plans, and it's built specifically for sales professionals who need more than just basic networking.

It runs at $99.99/month, or $959.88/year on the annual plan. It's the priciest of the main plans, but it's also the most powerful if sales prospecting is a big part of your day to day.

Here's what you get:

  • Advanced lead and account search: you get 34 lead filters and 16 account filters, letting you zero in on prospects by job title, seniority, company size, industry, geography, and even recent job changes
  • Buyer intent signals: an AI-powered filter that surfaces leads who are already showing signs of being in the market, so you're reaching out at exactly the right moment
  • CRM integrations: syncs directly with Salesforce and HubSpot, so everything stays connected with your existing sales tools
  • Lead tracking and alerts: get notified when a lead changes jobs or their company makes a move, giving you a natural reason to reach out
  • 50 InMail credits per month: way more outreach firepower compared to the standard plans

This is the plan for outbound sales teams doing serious B2B prospecting. If lead generation is a core part of your day to day, Sales Navigator Core is built exactly for that.

Recruiter Lite

Recruiter Lite is LinkedIn's hiring-focused plan, built for individual recruiters or hiring managers who need to source candidates without relying purely on job postings.

It runs at around $169.99/month. There's no confirmed annual billing option, so it's worth checking directly with LinkedIn on that.

Here's what you get:

  • 20+ candidate search filters: narrow down candidates by job title, location, industry, skills, experience, and spoken languages, so you're not scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant profiles
  • 30 InMail credits per month: reach out directly to candidates who aren't in your network yet, with saved message templates to speed things up
  • Daily candidate recommendations: LinkedIn actively runs your saved searches and surfaces new matching candidates every day, so you're not always starting from scratch
  • Basic candidate management: a built-in pipeline to track who you've contacted, reviewed, or shortlisted

One thing worth knowing: Recruiter Lite is a single-user license, so it's built for solo recruiters or hiring managers rather than full recruiting teams. If you're hiring at scale, LinkedIn's full Recruiter Corporate plan is the better fit.

Keep in mind that all prices listed above are based on US rates. What you actually pay may differ depending on your country, any active promotions, or whether you choose monthly or annual billing. Always check LinkedIn directly at checkout for the most accurate price.

What Features Does LinkedIn Premium Include?

LinkedIn Premium isn't one single toolbox, it's a set of features that change depending on which plan you're on. Some are available across all plans, others are exclusive to the more advanced tiers. Here's a breakdown of the ones that actually make a difference.

  • InMail messages: these let you contact anyone on LinkedIn without being connected first. InMail gets an open rate of 50 to 60%, compared to cold email's 15 to 27%, which makes it a genuinely useful tool for recruiters, job seekers, and sales pros alike
  • Profile view insights: you get to see exactly who has visited your profile, not just a vague number. Handy for spotting recruiter interest or tracking who's checking you out after a pitch
  • Advanced search filters: depending on your plan you get anywhere from 20 to 34+ filters to narrow down people or companies by job title, location, industry, seniority, and company size
  • LinkedIn Learning: thousands of online courses covering business, tech, and creative skills. It's included in Career and Business plans and honestly worth using even if you're not actively job hunting
  • Applicant insights: shows you how your profile stacks up against other candidates applying for the same role, so you can spot gaps before a recruiter does
  • Unlimited profile browsing: free accounts hit a wall on how many profiles you can view. Premium removes that limit completely
  • Sales prospecting tools: available on Sales Navigator, these include lead tracking, buyer intent signals, and CRM sync. For a lot of sales teams it also replaces the need for separate data vendors, since the prospecting data is built directly into the platform
  • Recruiting tools: Recruiter Lite gives you candidate search filters, saved searches, and daily recommendations so you're not starting from scratch every time you need to fill a role

LinkedIn Premium Plans Compared

Here's how the four LinkedIn Premium plans stack up against each other at a glance.

PlanBest forMain FeaturesStarting Price
Premium Career Job seekers 5 InMails, profile viewer insights, LinkedIn Learning, applicant insights $29.99/month
Premium Business Professionals and networkers 15 InMails, unlimited profile browsing, business insights, expanded search $59.99/month
Sales Navigator Core Sales teams 50 InMails, advanced lead search, buyer intent signals, CRM integrations $99.99/month
Recruiter Lite Recruiters and hiring managers 30 InMails, 20+ candidate filters, daily recommendations, pipeline management $169.99/month

Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It?

The honest answer is: it depends on how much work you're actually putting into LinkedIn. If you're logging in once a week to scroll your feed, the free version covers casual use just fine. Where Premium starts to make sense is when LinkedIn becomes an active part of your day to day.

Here's a rough breakdown of when each plan tends to earn its keep:

  • Premium Career: active job searching, competitive applications where standing out in the applicant pool matters, and networking with people outside your immediate circle
  • Sales Navigator: outbound prospecting and lead generation, particularly for teams building a B2B sales pipeline or executing a B2B go to market strategy where reaching the right people at the right time is everything
  • Recruiter Lite: sourcing candidates regularly without relying purely on job postings, and managing a pipeline of potential hires in one place

If you're a casual LinkedIn user who isn't actively job hunting, hiring, or even selling,Premium probably isn't worth it for you right now.

How to Choose the Right LinkedIn Premium Plan

Instead of starting with the plans, start with where you are right now.

  • Choose Premium Career if you're actively applying for jobs and want more visibility with recruiters
  • Choose Premium Business if you're focused on growing your professional network and researching companies in your space
  • Choose Sales Navigator if prospecting and getting in front of decision makers is a regular part of your week
  • Choose Recruiter Lite if you're hiring regularly and want a smarter way to find candidates beyond job postings

Still not sure? Think about what you'd actually use LinkedIn for on a Tuesday afternoon. That's your plan.

LinkedIn Premium FAQs

1. How much does LinkedIn Premium cost?

LinkedIn Premium comes in four plans. Career starts at $29.99/month, Business at $59.99/month, Sales Navigator Core at $99.99/month, and Recruiter Lite at around $169.99/month. Pricing varies by billing cycle and region, so always check LinkedIn directly at checkout for the most accurate figure.

2. Is it worth it to pay for LinkedIn Premium?

It depends on how actively you use LinkedIn. If you're job hunting, prospecting, or hiring on a regular basis, Premium adds real value. If you're a casual user who logs in occasionally, the free version is probably enough.

3. Is LinkedIn Premium free with Amazon Prime?

LinkedIn and Amazon Prime Student have previously partnered to offer six months of LinkedIn Premium Career for free. Check your Prime Student account to see if the offer is currently active. Standard Amazon Prime does not include LinkedIn Premium.

4. Does LinkedIn Premium show who viewed you?

Yes, but with some nuance. Free accounts can see the last 5 viewers, while Premium accounts see the full list for up to 365 days, including filters and trends. However, even with Premium, you won't see the names of viewers who choose to browse in private mode.

5. How to get cheap LinkedIn Premium?

The most straightforward way is to go with annual billing, which works out cheaper than paying month to month. Students can also check if the Amazon Prime Student deal is currently active, and US military veterans can access a free 12-month Premium Business subscription through LinkedIn's veterans program.



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