Reviewed by Alexis Morain · Updated July 14, 2026
LinkedIn is the leading professional social network, free at its core, with paid Premium, Sales Navigator and Recruiter plans.
The essential professional network and best B2B data source, with paid plans that mainly pay off for sales and recruiting.
- Very complete free base
- Unmatched B2B data
- Expensive paid subscriptions
LinkedIn is the leading professional social network, used for networking, job searching, sales prospecting and personal branding. Free in its base version, it offers several paid subscriptions by use case: career, sales or recruiting.
What is LinkedIn used for?
The platform is used to maintain a professional network, publish content, find a job or candidates, and prospect B2B accounts. For salespeople, Sales Navigator adds advanced search filters and lead tracking; for recruiters, Recruiter opens access to profiles and InMail messaging.
LinkedIn or a dedicated prospecting tool?
LinkedIn remains the richest B2B data source, but prospecting automation runs through third-party tools like Waalaxy or lemlist, to be handled carefully to stay within the rules. Sales Navigator then serves as the targeting base.
How much does LinkedIn cost?
The base version is free. Premium subscriptions start around 29.99 € per month (Premium Career), Premium Business around 59.99 €, Sales Navigator Core around 79.99 € and Recruiter Lite higher still. Prices vary by region and annual promotions.
Pros & Cons
- Very complete free base
- Unmatched B2B data
- Powerful Sales Navigator for prospecting
- Organic content reach
- Expensive paid subscriptions
- Automation risky without compliant tools
- Intrusive sales messages
Key features of LinkedIn
Professional network
Profile, connections and content
Sales Navigator
B2B lead search and tracking
Recruiter
Candidate sourcing and management
InMail
Messaging to non-connections
LinkedIn pricing
LinkedIn is free in its base version, ample for networking and job searching. Paid plans split by use: Premium Career around 29.99 €/month, Premium Business around 59.99 €, Sales Navigator Core around 79.99 € for sales, and Recruiter for hiring. Prices vary by region, currency and annual discounts.
Free plan / trial
Full free version for networking and job searching.
Basic
Profile and network · Content publishing · Basic job search
Free
Premium Career
Who viewed your profile · InMail · LinkedIn Learning courses
29.99 € month
Sales Navigator Core
Advanced lead search · Account tracking · Extended InMail
79.99 € month
Recruiter Lite
Extended profile access · Applicant management · Recruiter InMail
Custom recruiting
Pricing verified on July 14, 2026
Try LinkedInWho is LinkedIn for?
Best for
- Professionals and personal branding
- B2B salespeople
- Recruiters
Not recommended for
- B2C prospecting
- Budgets wanting advanced features free
Want to try LinkedIn?
Head to the official site and the current offer.
Frequently asked questions about LinkedIn
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