If you've ever tried to upskill online, you've probably bumped into LinkedIn Learning.
It's everywhere. It shows up in your LinkedIn feed, your Premium trial, and even in your library.
But here's the problem: the pricing isn't always obvious. Do you pay monthly? Yearly? Do you even need to pay at all?
Whether you're an SDR looking to sharpen your sales skills or a marketer wanting to track LinkedIn activity more effectively, knowing where to invest matters. This guide cuts through the noise. By the end, you'll know exactly what you should pay and when you shouldn't pay anything at all.
| Category | Plan / Option | Price / Cost | Savings / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly vs. Annual | Monthly | $29.99/month | – |
| Annual | $239.88/year ($19.99/month) | ~$120/year vs. monthly; ~$9.60/hour (assuming 25 hours of training) | |
| Individual Courses | À la carte (rare) | $30–$50/course | Subscription is standard; one-off purchases mostly unavailable |
| Regional Pricing & Taxes | U.S. | USD, pre-tax | Sales tax may apply depending on state; no VAT/GST like Europe/Australia |
| Student / Educator | Premium Student | ~$14.99/month (50% off) | Includes LinkedIn Learning; some universities offer free access |
| Library / Employer | Library / Employer Access | Free (varies) | Many public libraries and employers cover access |
| Promotions & Renewal | Annual Plan Promotions | Up to 20% off | Renewal usually returns to full price; set reminder before card is charged |
Every plan starts with a 30-day free trial. And it's the full experience:
No watered-down "trial" version. It's the same access paying users get.
Here's the quick math:
At $29.99 a month, you're paying nearly $360/year.
At $239.88 annually, you save $120.
Think about it this way: if you invest just an hour a week, the annual plan drops to less than $5 per learning hour. That's cheaper than most coffees.
Not ready for a subscription? You can buy courses individually. They usually run $30–$50 each.
This only makes sense if:
The moment you want two or more, the subscription wins on price every single time.
LinkedIn adjusts pricing by region. So:
Pro tip: your billing country determines the price, not your login.
Students have a hidden advantage.
If you're a student or recent grad, check your institution before paying retail.
Here's where most people overpay. Thousands of libraries and universities already offer LinkedIn Learning for free.
The smart move: check your existing memberships before you buy.
A sneaky but effective hack? Cancel before renewal, then resubscribe when promos hit.
Here's where it gets interesting:
On the monthly tier, Premium Career gives you far more bang for your buck—just $10 extra gets you job insights, InMail credits, and applicant data on top of the full LinkedIn Learning catalog.
Let's walk it out:
You're not buying a couple of random videos. You're getting:
Every finished course unlocks a certificate. The beauty? With one click, you can showcase it directly on your LinkedIn profile.
That's free visibility. Free credibility. And in some cases an edge when applying for jobs.
Signing up is easy. Avoiding unnecessary charges? That's where people slip.
It's not sneaky, but it's easy to forget.
Before hitting confirm:
Little details that make a big difference in budgeting.
Here's a curveball:
Switching is possible. Just cancel the current plan and re-subscribe to the other. You keep your progress and history.
No one likes digging through menus. Here's the shortcut version.
On mobile? Same thing just tucked inside the LinkedIn app under account settings.
Good news: your learning history and certificates are tied to your profile. So switching plans doesn't erase your data.
Bad news: you'll lose access to locked courses if you downgrade.
No ugly surprises here.
This is where people mess up. They assume refunds are automatic. They're not.
Currencies are auto-detected, but double-check before confirming.
Every plan auto-renews. By default.
Want to stop it? Cancel at least 24 hours before your billing date. Otherwise, you're charged.
Think of it like this:
More you learn, cheaper it gets.
Break-even happens fast if you're consistent.
Short answer: depends who you are.
LinkedIn Learning is solid. But not always the best fit.
LinkedIn Learning is great for building skills, but what about putting those skills to work on the platform itself?
If you're serious about LinkedIn—whether for sales, marketing, or personal branding—you need more than courses. You need visibility.
OutX.ai helps professionals and teams track LinkedIn mentions, engage automatically, and export leads—all from a privacy-first Chrome extension that runs locally in your browser. No passwords shared. No LinkedIn ban risk.
Think of it this way: LinkedIn Learning teaches you how to use LinkedIn. OutX.ai helps you actually use it at scale.
LinkedIn Learning is not the bargain-bin option in the online education world. Platforms like Udemy throw $9.99 flash sales every week. Skillshare costs less than half for a year.
Coursera Plus gets you Ivy League names. Pluralsight dominates tech-heavy training.
So why would someone still pick LinkedIn Learning?
Because it plays where you already live—your LinkedIn profile.
Every course, every certificate, every skill ties back into the place recruiters, clients, and hiring managers are already looking at you.
That's the unfair advantage.
It's not just learning—it's learning with built-in distribution. Each time you finish a course and add that certificate to your profile, it's free visibility. Free credibility. And often, a conversation starter with people in your network.
Here's the trade-off: if you're looking for formal accreditation, like a university-backed credential or degree credit, LinkedIn Learning might feel light. If you want deep specialization (say AWS certification, or advanced project management), a niche platform like Pluralsight or PMI will serve you better.
But if your end game is career momentum, LinkedIn Learning sits in a sweet spot. It's practical, integrated, and ridiculously easy to showcase.
And here's the kicker: even if you only use it for six months, you'll probably still extract more career ROI than you'd get from most one-off courses elsewhere.
So yes—there are cheaper options. But for professionals who breathe LinkedIn every day, the value isn't in being the cheapest. It's in being the most visible.
Okay, so you're curious. Maybe ready to try it. Here's a smarter way to do it without falling into the "forgot-to-cancel" trap:
Bottom line: Don't pay blindly. Test it, set reminders, and match the plan to your actual goals.
Yes. Students have one of the best deals in the house. Many universities provide free access as part of their institutional license. If your school uses LinkedIn Learning, all you need is your .edu (or equivalent) login.
If your university doesn't cover it, LinkedIn sometimes offers a Premium Student bundle for around $14.99/month. That includes LinkedIn Learning + Premium Career features. It's an incredible bargain compared to the $29.99 standard monthly fee. Always check your school's portal before paying full price.
Surprisingly, yes. More than 2,700 libraries across North America (and many internationally) offer LinkedIn Learning for free. If you have a library card, you may already have access.
How to check:
Or—simpler—just ask a librarian. It's their job to know.
Nope. As of 2026, LinkedIn Learning is strictly single-user. No family plans, no sharing logins. Your account is tied to your LinkedIn profile, so every certificate and history entry belongs only to you.
Yes. You can download courses for offline use on the LinkedIn Learning mobile app. Perfect if you commute, travel, or just want to learn without burning data.
The catch: once your trial or subscription ends, the offline downloads disappear. So if you're thinking of "stockpiling" content, don't bother—it won't stick.
Included. 100%. Every time you finish a course, you earn a certificate of completion.
And the real power? With one click, you can showcase that certificate on your LinkedIn profile. No paywall. No upsell. Just instant credibility that signals your skills to recruiters, managers, and peers.
LinkedIn's pricing has been remarkably stable. $29.99/month and $239.88/year have been the baseline for the individual Learning plan.
That said, there are two things to know:
The best way to lock in savings? Buy annual when promotions run. That way you secure a year of learning at a reduced cost and avoid the creeping monthly renewal.
