Is the LinkedIn API Free? What You Get vs Paid Plans

Last verified: July 6, 2026 — access tiers confirmed against the LinkedIn Developer Platform docs.

TL;DR

The LinkedIn API is partly free. Sign In with LinkedIn and basic profile data are free. Everything useful for marketing, recruiting, or creator data is partner-only and paid. There is no public price list. Approval takes weeks, with no guarantee.

Is the LinkedIn API free?

Partly. Basic features are free. Advanced data is gated.

Free access

• Sign In with LinkedIn (OpenID Connect authentication).
• Basic profile: name and profile picture.
• Email via the OpenID Connect scopes (openid, profile, email).

Paid or partner-only access

• Full profile API.
• Marketing Developer Platform.
• Recruiter API.
• Sales Navigator API.

LinkedIn API pricing

LinkedIn does not publish an API price menu. Cost depends on your partner status and use case. Most advanced data is not billed per call. It is bundled into enterprise agreements, ad-spend commitments, or partner contracts.

Free vs paid at a glance

Working code: the free tier

Here is what the free tier actually lets you do. First, exchange your OAuth code for a token. Then read the basic profile.

Exchange the auth code for a token

curl -X POST "https://www.linkedin.com/oauth/v2/accessToken" \
  -d "grant_type=authorization_code" \
  -d "code=YOUR_AUTH_CODE" \
  -d "redirect_uri=YOUR_REDIRECT_URI" \
  -d "client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID" \
  -d "client_secret=YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET"

Read the basic profile (Python)

import requests

ACCESS_TOKEN = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

# Free tier: OpenID Connect userinfo returns basic profile fields.
resp = requests.get(
    "https://api.linkedin.com/v2/userinfo",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}"},
    timeout=10,
)
resp.raise_for_status()
print(resp.json()["name"])   # free: name, picture, email — that is about it

# The wall: gated endpoints (full profile, connections, follower counts)
# return 403 unless your app has partner / Marketing access.

That is the ceiling. The userinfo call succeeds on the free tier. But follower counts, audience demographics, engagement, and profile search live on gated endpoints that return 403 without partner access. You cannot code your way past it.

Why LinkedIn restricts access

• Privacy around professional identity.
• GDPR and CCPA compliance.
• Protecting premium subscriptions and ad revenue.

The real blocker: partner approval

For most teams, the native API is a dead end. The free tier gives almost nothing. The Marketing Developer Platform needs a formal application with no approval guarantee. Partner access means enterprise contracts and multi-week timelines. That is weeks before your first useful call.

This is where Phyllo fits. Phyllo returns LinkedIn creator data without the partner queue: name, headline, follower count, bio, audience demographics, and engagement rate. The same integration covers 10+ platforms — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more. Time to first call is hours, not weeks. You don't need each creator's own LinkedIn login to pull their public data.

Get LinkedIn creator data through Phyllo

Phyllo uses HTTP Basic auth with your client_id and client_secret. Call it server-side only. account_id comes from linking the creator through Phyllo Connect.

import requests

CLIENT_ID = "YOUR_PHYLLO_CLIENT_ID"
CLIENT_SECRET = "YOUR_PHYLLO_CLIENT_SECRET"
ACCOUNT_ID = "LINKEDIN_ACCOUNT_ID"  # from the Phyllo Connect flow

resp = requests.get(
    "https://api.getphyllo.com/v1/social/creators/profiles",
    auth=(CLIENT_ID, CLIENT_SECRET),      # HTTP Basic, not Bearer
    params={"account_id": ACCOUNT_ID},
    timeout=10,
)
resp.raise_for_status()
profile = resp.json()["data"][0]
print(profile["platform_username"])
print(profile["reputation"]["follower_count"])   # partner-only on native LinkedIn

Proof point: the follower count above is partner-only on LinkedIn's native API. Through Phyllo you get it on day one, no partner approval.

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Native LinkedIn API vs Phyllo

FAQs

Is the LinkedIn API free? Yes for OpenID Connect auth and basic profile. Advanced data needs paid or partner access.

How much does it cost? No public pricing. Cost is tied to enterprise or partner contracts.

Can I use it for influencer vetting? Not on the free tier. Native vetting needs partner access and weeks of approval. A tool like Phyllo returns LinkedIn creator data without partner status or per-user OAuth.

Is the free tier permanent? Yes, but intentionally thin. Login and basic profile stay free. Follower counts, engagement, demographics, and search stay partner-only.

Related: Is the YouTube API free? · Instagram vs TikTok vs LinkedIn API · Influencer vetting for brand safety · Social listening API