Updated: February 2025
Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It? For Creators, Sellers, Job-Seekers
Answer in 50 words: Premium Career runs $29.99/month ($239/year), Premium Business is $59.99/month (≈$47.99/month when billed annually), and Sales Navigator Core starts at $119.99/month. Premium pays off when you actively use InMail, profile insights, and LinkedIn Learning to create measurable pipeline or faster job offers.
Need pricing for every LinkedIn product? Start with the pillar: LinkedIn Costs & ROI.
LinkedIn Premium is LinkedIn’s paid subscription layer. LinkedIn markets Premium as a way to increase visibility and gain competitive insights—claiming members are 2.6× more likely to be hired than free users. Independent reviews show that the value depends on how actively you use its features and what your professional goals are.
Jump to
- Plan Breakdown
- What You Actually Get
- When It’s Not Worth It
- Premium vs. Sales Navigator
- ROI Decision Tree
- How to Lower Costs
- FAQ
Plan Breakdown (Career, Business, Sales Navigator, Recruiter Lite)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Core Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Career | $29.99/mo | $239.88/yr | 5 InMail credits, full Who Viewed Your Profile, applicant insights, salary data, LinkedIn Learning. |
| Premium Business | $59.99/mo | ~$575.88/yr (≈$47.99/mo) | 15 InMail credits, unlimited people browsing, company insights, Learning access. |
| Sales Navigator Core | $119.99/mo | $1,079.88/yr | Advanced lead filters, TeamLink paths, 50 InMails, account alerts. |
| Recruiter Lite | $170/mo (annual) | $1,700+/yr | 30 InMail credits, pipeline tracking, candidate recommendations. |
What You Actually Get That Improves Results
InMail Credits
Premium members can message people outside their network. Premium Career provides 5 InMail credits per month, Business provides 15, and Sales Navigator adds 50. Credits are refunded when recipients reply, making personalised outreach essential.
Who Viewed Your Profile
Premium unlocks the full list of everyone who viewed your profile during the past 365 days. Free accounts only see a handful of recent viewers, while Premium lets you spot recruiters, prospects or warm leads who already showed intent.
Applicant & Job Insights
Premium shows data on how many applicants applied, their top skills and seniority, and company hiring trends. You can compare your profile against other applicants and filter jobs by salary to prioritise the right opportunities.
LinkedIn Learning
All Premium plans include unlimited access to 25K+ courses. That means you can close skill gaps in analytics, copywriting, negotiation, or creative production without paying extra.
AI Writing & Job-Search Tools
Premium’s AI assistant drafts messages, rewrites profile sections, and offers interview prep. While you can use external tools like ChatGPT, having guidance inside LinkedIn can save context switching.
When It’s Not Worth It (and Free Alternatives)
Premium is not a silver bullet. Critics point out that:
- The cost is high relative to limited InMail credits if you don’t send hyper-personalised outreach.
- Premium does not remove ads or guarantee interviews.
- Many features have free analogues: emailing recruiters directly, using Glassdoor or government databases for salary research, and leveraging AI writing tools like ChatGPT.
- Tailored resumes and ATS optimisation (through services like Huntr or Upplai) often generate better interview rates than Premium’s “Featured Applicant” badge.
Free playbook: Optimise your profile headline, feature section, and top posts. Consistently publish value-packed carousels with Postiv templates to attract inbound interest—even on the free plan.
📥 Download: 10 LinkedIn post templates that work without Premium — pair them with Postiv’s scheduler to prove ROI before upgrading.
Premium vs. Sales Navigator (Quick Comparison)
| Feature | Premium Business | Sales Navigator Core |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price (annual billing) | ~$47.99 | ~$99.99 |
| InMail credits | 15 | 50 |
| Advanced filters (seniority, company headcount) | Basic | Advanced + Account IQ |
| CRM sync | No | Yes (basic integrations) |
| Relationship insights (TeamLink, Buyer intent) | Limited | Full suite |
| Best fit | Solopreneurs, creators, job seekers | Dedicated sellers with outbound motion |
📚 Need the full pricing breakdown? Read the Sales Navigator cost guide for US/EU pricing, discount levers, and utilisation tips before upgrading.
Simple ROI Decision Tree
- Do you need to message people beyond 1st-degree connections every week?
- Yes: Premium (or Sales Navigator if you prospect daily) is worth testing.
- No: Stay on free until outreach volume increases.
- Do you have a monetisation path for new connections? (job offer, consulting, product sales)
- Yes: Track closed-won deals or job interviews attributed to InMails. Premium should pay back fast.
- No: Invest time in publishing content and building organic relationships first.
- Will LinkedIn Learning replace other paid courses?
- Yes: Annual Premium may be cheaper than buying multiple courses individually.
- No: Use your employer’s learning budget or free MOOC platforms.
- Will ads accelerate outcomes faster?
- Cross-check expected CAC and CPL using the LinkedIn Advertising Costs benchmarks before layering paid campaigns on top of Premium.
How to Lower Costs / Boost ROI
- Track every outreach touch. Log InMail replies, profile views, and meetings in your CRM to prove payback.
- Build intent with content. Share weekly carousels or documents using Postiv so leads who view your profile are already warmed up.
- Leverage Learning for deliverables. Finish a course, then immediately publish a related carousel or document—Postiv’s scheduler keeps you consistent and improves response rates.
FAQ
Does Premium increase reach?
Not automatically. Reach still depends on content quality and engagement. However, Premium analytics help you spot profile visitors so you can follow up while interest is high.
Can I pause or cancel Premium?
You can cancel anytime, and the subscription remains active until the end of the billing cycle. LinkedIn occasionally offers pause options during billing updates, but it’s safest to cancel and restart later.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, most new subscribers receive a one-month free trial. Set a reminder to evaluate ROI before the first charge.