What Is LinkedIn API? Complete Guide On How It Works in 2025

What is the LinkedIn API?

The LinkedIn API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of tools and services provided by LinkedIn that allows authorized developers and companies to access LinkedIn data in a secure and structured way.

Instead of copying data manually, the API lets you access:

• Public profile details
• Job titles and experiences
• Company information
• User posts
• Connections
• Profile headlines and summaries

This API is useful for businesses that want to integrate LinkedIn's features into their own platforms—for example, social selling tools, marketing software, or HR systems.

However, LinkedIn limits access to this data. You must be an official LinkedIn Partner to use most of the features in the LinkedIn API.

How to Become a LinkedIn Partner

To use LinkedIn's API fully, you need to join one of their partner programs. These programs are designed for companies that fall into one of these categories:

• Talent Solutions (HR tech and recruitment tools)
• Marketing Solutions (marketing and analytics platforms)
• Sales Navigator Integrations (tools that support sales prospecting)
• LinkedIn Learning Integrations (educational platforms)

To apply:

• Go to LinkedIn's Developer Portal.
• Choose the appropriate partner program.
• Submit an application explaining how you plan to use the API.

Once accepted, you can access LinkedIn's advanced API products such as:

• Profile API
• Connections API
• Share API
• Organization API
• UGC API (User Generated Content)
• Compliance API

These tools are powerful—but they're only available to approved partners.

How Much Does LinkedIn API Cost?

LinkedIn offers various pricing plans for its API depending on how much data you want to access:

Choose a plan based on how many profiles or companies you need to analyze each month. For small use cases, the Basic plan might be enough. For large-scale prospecting or recruitment, Premium offers more flexibility.

How Does the LinkedIn API Work?

The LinkedIn API works through authorized requests made by your application. Here's a breakdown of how it operates:

1. Developer Products

LinkedIn provides different types of APIs for specific use cases:

• Consumer: Sign-in with LinkedIn, content sharing
• Marketing: Ad performance, audience engagement
• Sales: Enhance Sales Navigator features
• Talent: Recruit top talent using profile insights
• Learning: Integrate educational content
• Plugins: Add LinkedIn buttons to websites
• Regulatory: Ensure data access is compliant with laws

Each category comes with its own set of permissions and limits.

2. Authorization: OAuth 2.0

LinkedIn uses OAuth 2.0 to ensure that all API usage is secure and permission-based. There are two main types of authorization flows:

• 3-legged OAuth (Member Authorization): Requires a user to give permission for your app to access their data.
• 2-legged OAuth (Application Authorization): Used to access non-user-specific data, such as analytics or company page stats.

Your app must request only the permissions it needs, such as:

• r_liteprofile – Basic profile info
• r_emailaddress – Email address
• w_member_social – Ability to share posts
• r_organization_social – Read company content

3. API Rate Limits

LinkedIn enforces daily limits on the number of API calls an app can make. If you exceed this limit, LinkedIn will return a 429 error, indicating "Too Many Requests."

To prevent this:

• Track your API usage
• Optimize data requests
• Use batching when possible

4. Data Protection and Ethics

LinkedIn is strict about data privacy. Your app must:

• Use HTTPS for all data transmission
• Avoid spamming users
• Never store sensitive data in unsecured locations
• Follow GDPR and CCPA guidelines

This is especially important for tools that handle large volumes of user data.

How To Set Up LinkedIn API (Step-by-Step)

If you're a developer or part of a business looking to set up the LinkedIn API, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create an App

• Go to the LinkedIn Developer Portal
• Click Create App and fill in your company name, logo, website, and business email.

Step 2: Verify Your Company

• Add your company's LinkedIn page to the app
• Send the verification link to your page admin
• Once verified, you'll receive an API key and client credentials

Step 3: Set Up OAuth 2.0

• Register your app's redirect URI
• Choose the right product (e.g., Marketing API, Sales API)
• Enable required permissions based on what data you need to access

Step 4: Use the API Securely

• Store your API key and client secrets in a secure vault
• Monitor token usage and refresh expired tokens
• Never expose secrets in your front-end code

How To Analyze a Token

LinkedIn offers a token introspection tool that helps check whether your OAuth token is active.

To test a token:

curl --location --request POST 'https://www.linkedin.com/oauth/v2/introspectToken' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded' \
--data-urlencode 'client_id=<Client ID>' \
--data-urlencode 'client_secret=<Client Secret>' \
--data-urlencode 'token=<Your Token>'

You'll receive details like:

• Whether the token is active
• Expiration time
• Authorized permissions
• Type of authorization (2L, 3L, or Enterprise)

This helps ensure your integration is working correctly and securely.

Is LinkedIn Scraping Legal?

LinkedIn strictly prohibits scraping its data using bots or automated scripts. Scraping violates their Terms of Service and can result in bans or legal action.

Instead, LinkedIn encourages the use of its official API, which is regulated, authorized, and compliant with global data protection laws.

If you're not a LinkedIn Partner or don't have access to the API, using third-party tools comes with risk.

Alternatives to LinkedIn API

Getting access to the LinkedIn API is not always easy. It requires technical expertise, time, and approvals. That's why many businesses turn to LinkedIn scraping tools like:

• Evaboot: Scrapes data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• PhantomBuster: Automates LinkedIn tasks
• TexAu: Automates LinkedIn outreach

While these tools are useful, they come with limitations and potential legal risks.

How Outx.ai Helps

Outx.ai is a powerful platform that simplifies LinkedIn prospecting without requiring users to deal with complex API setups or scraping rules.

We've designed Outx.ai to help you:

• Find verified leads quickly and easily
• Enrich contact data using reliable sources
• Automate prospecting across channels
• Stay compliant with LinkedIn's terms and data regulations

Instead of spending hours building a LinkedIn integration, you can use Outx.ai to generate outreach-ready lead lists and get real results.

Whether you're in sales, marketing, or recruitment, Outx.ai gives you the edge without the tech headache.

Conclusion

The LinkedIn API is a powerful yet tightly controlled tool that can help you build smarter products, run better campaigns, and improve your outreach. But access to the API is limited, requires approval, and comes with strict compliance rules.

For businesses that need speed, flexibility, and ease of use, Outx.ai offers a better path. You can enrich data, connect with leads, and streamline outreach—all without needing to touch the LinkedIn API yourself.

If you're curious about smarter ways to tap into LinkedIn data for growth, try Outx.ai today.

Want help with LinkedIn prospecting? Reach out to our team and we'll show you how Outx.ai can work for you.