LinkedIn Premium vs Sales Navigator: Are They Worth It?

If you’re serious about using LinkedIn for lead generation, networking, or job hunting, you’ve probably wondered: how much does LinkedIn Premium cost? Or, more importantly: Is LinkedIn Sales Navigator worth it? With countless tiers, features, and pricing plans, knowing whether you need LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator can be confusing.

In this blog, we’ll break down LinkedIn Premium pricing, look at the real cost of Sales Navigator, and help you decide which version (if any) is right for you. Whether you're a recruiter, sales representative, or founder, understanding the upfront costs of LinkedIn Premium can help you maximize your return on investment from LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Premium: Plans, Features, and Pricing

LinkedIn is always prompting you to click that little “Try Premium” button. If you've clicked it, you probably know there are several tiered plans designed for different users, from job seekers to sales professionals. In this section, we’ll break down what each LinkedIn Premium plan includes, how much it costs, and whether the features justify the price.

What Is LinkedIn Premium?

LinkedIn Premium is LinkedIn's paid subscription plan designed to improve the effectiveness of LinkedIn for specific industries and use cases. While the free version of LinkedIn provides access to all the basic networking and profile features, LinkedIn Premium unlocks more powerful tools, including InMail messaging, advanced search filters, profile view analytics, and access to LinkedIn Learning.

LinkedIn Premium Plans and Pricing

Wondering what you actually get with a LinkedIn Premium subscription? Whether you’re looking for a new job, trying to grow your business, or seeking better ways to generate leads, LinkedIn Premium offers several plans tailored to specific goals. Let’s take a closer look at the different tiers and what each one includes.

Here's a breakdown of each plan, what you get, and who it's best suited for:

• Premium Career – Starts at $39.99/month
  Best for job seekers looking to stand out. You’ll see who’s viewed your profile, how you compare to other applicants, and you get 5 InMail messages per month to contact recruiters directly – even if you’re not connected.


• Premium Business – Starts at $59.99/month
  Designed for professionals who want to grow their reach and increase their limits. Includes unlimited people browsing, 15 InMail messages per month, and access to detailed company data and business insights – helpful for networking or research.

Tip: LinkedIn premium is expensive. Annual billing can reduce the monthly cost of all plans. Prices may also vary by region or location.

Is LinkedIn Premium Career Worth It?

Deciding whether to upgrade to LinkedIn Premium depends on your goals and how you plan to use the platform. Below, we break down who each Premium plan is made for and when the free plan would suffice.

Here’s when we think LinkedIn Premium Career is worth the upgrade:

1. You are looking for a job: LinkedIn Premium Career lets you see who’s viewed your profile, which can help you spot recruiters or hiring managers interested in you.


2. You want to know how you compare to other candidates: With Premium Career, you can see how your profile stacks up against other applicants for a job.


3. You need to reach out to hiring managers directly: The 5 InMail messages you get each month allow you to message people outside your network. This can be especially useful if you’re trying to connect with decision-makers or hiring managers who haven’t accepted your connection request.


4. You’re looking to learn new skills quickly: With access to LinkedIn Learning, you can take courses to develop new skills and add certifications to your profile, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers.

Key takeaway: If you’re actively job hunting and want to stand out to recruiters, LinkedIn Premium Career can be a game-changer with its InMail credits, profile insights, and learning resources.

When Premium May Not Be Necessary

We can't recommend an expensive LinkedIn Premium subscription to everyone. Of course, the LinkedIn Premium cost is higher than that of comparable tools (like We-Connect or Clay).

Here are some scenarios where you might benefit from sticking to LinkedIn Basic:

1. You’re not actively applying for jobs or looking to expand your network. If you’re not interacting with recruiters or reaching out to new connections, the additional InMail credits and advanced profile insights may be unnecessary.


2. You don’t need in-depth company or profile insights. LinkedIn Premium Business or Career profile insight features are great for market research or tracking competitors, but might be overkill for anyone else.


3. You’re a casual user who doesn’t need advanced features. If you mainly use LinkedIn passively – meaning you're only keeping up with your network or reading posts, the free version is likely sufficient.


4. You already have access to other tools for job searching or learning. If you’re using job boards, recruitment platforms, or other professional development services, LinkedIn Premium might be repetitive.

Sales Navigator: Plans, Features, and Pricing

If you're in sales, recruiting, or outbound prospecting, LinkedIn Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s most powerful tool. But with higher pricing than Premium, it's important to know what you're getting — and whether it's actually worth it.

What is Sales Navigator?

Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s premium prospecting tool. It's built to help sellers target the right contacts. Unlike standard LinkedIn or LinkedIn Premium, Sales Navigator adds a number of powerful prospecting features, including:

• Advanced search filters (company size, seniority, job changes) to pinpoint leads


• Active lead search lists that update as new contacts match your criteria.


• Real-time alerts on prospect activity (e.g., new posts, profile updates).


• Relationship tracking to find new connections with influential voices.

While LinkedIn Premium helps you expand your network or job search, Sales Navigator focuses on sellers, entrepreneurs, and marketers. It’s ideal for teams and individuals looking to increase their LinkedIn limits and perform more actions.

In the next section, we’ll cover current LinkedIn Sales Navigator pricing and break down the differences of each tier.

Sales Navigator Plans and Pricing

LinkedIn Sales Navigator pricing is broken up into three main tiers: Core, Advanced, and Advanced Plus. Each tier offers progressively more features for LinkedIn lead generation, team collaboration, and connectivity with other tools.

Here's a breakdown of each tool, the price, and key features:

All plans include lead alerts, dynamic lead recommendations, and access to advanced search filters, which are all reasons LinkedIn Sales Navigator is most popular LinkedIn plan for sales teams.

LinkedIn adjusts Sales Navigator pricing based on region and contract length. The prices above are approximate for U.S. monthly plans.

Is Sales Navigator Worth It?

There's no question about it, LinkedIn Sales Navigator comes at a high price tag. If you’re wondering whether the LinkedIn Sales Navigator cost is justified, it comes down to how actively you sell, prospect, or manage relationships on LinkedIn.

Here's when we think Sales Navigator is a good idea:

1. You’re a sales rep building a pipeline. Sales Navigator helps you find qualified leads faster with advanced filters for company size, job title, seniority, and more.


2. You manage accounts or do outbound outreach. With dynamic lead lists, lead alerts, and CRM sync (in Advanced plans), you can track buyer activity.


3. You do high-volume, high-quality outreach. Sales Navigator gives you up to 50 InMail credits and the ability to use Smart Links to track engagement.


4. You’re working in a sales team. Advanced and Advanced Plus tiers offer tools for collaboration and integrations with other tools.

When Sales Navigator Is Not Worth the Cost

While LinkedIn Sales Navigator pricing reflects its capabilities, it’s not the right fit for everyone. At nearly $100/month, it's best used by professionals who rely heavily on LinkedIn for lead generation.

Here’s when to skip it:

1. You don’t do cold outreach on LinkedIn. If your leads come from referrals, events, or cold calls, Sales Navigator likely won’t justify its cost (or take the trial first).


2. You’re already using another outbound or data platform. If your team uses tools like Apollo, ZoomInfo, or Clay, you may already have more robust lead searching tools.


3. You’re just getting started. If you’re still figuring out your audience, the standard LinkedIn Premium Business plan may be enough.

FAQ: LinkedIn Premium vs Sales Navigator Pricing and Features

Still unsure whether LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator is the better fit? Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about each plan’s cost, features, and use cases, so you can make an informed choice.

What’s the difference between LinkedIn Premium and Sales Navigator?

LinkedIn Premium is geared toward individual users who are looking to grow their network, explore new job opportunities, or improve their personal brand. It includes basic tools like profile view insights, a limited number of InMail messages, access to LinkedIn Learning, and basic data on companies and job applicants.

Sales Navigator is built for sales reps and teams. It provides advanced lead search filters, alerts on prospect activity, dynamic lead lists, and tools for managing and tracking outreach.

How much does LinkedIn Premium cost vs Sales Navigator?

Here’s a side-by-side look at the current pricing for LinkedIn Premium and Sales Navigator plans:

Note that actual pricing may vary based on region and whether you pay monthly or annually.

Can I use both LinkedIn Premium and Sales Navigator?

Yes, you can technically subscribe to both LinkedIn Premium and Sales Navigator at the same time, but it’s relatively uncommon. Sales Navigator already includes many of the core networking and outreach features found in LinkedIn Premium. However, if you value LinkedIn Learning, you may choose to subscribe to both.

Should You Pay for LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator?

If you're actively job hunting, networking, or building a personal brand, LinkedIn Premium can be a worthwhile investment.

However, for B2B outreach and LinkedIn lead generation, Sales Navigator is the more powerful (and more expensive) option. Its advanced filters, live alerts, and lead lists are built for serious prospecting.

Not sure which to choose? Start with LinkedIn Premium’s free trial!