If you're utilizing LinkedIn's professional data for profiles, business information, or job listings, you've undoubtedly encountered the same difficulties that many developers do. LinkedIn APIs come with hefty prices and stringent access limitations, making them a tough nut to crack.

Having worked in AI training, data processing, and content management, I've seen how these blockers can frustrate even the most data-driven organizations. LinkedIn offers APIs at several pricing points. The People Profile API costs more than $59 per month for it's pricing, while the Company Profile API costs more than $699 per month. And that's only the beginning; before you can even start, you'll need to be part of the notoriously-difficult-to-get-access-to LinkedIn Partner program.

Don’t just hear from me, see what some Redditors say too:

• Definitely a waste of time. Its almost impossible to get access to their api, unless you are a well stablished business...even then… (Working-Finish-5560)
• Agreed. We have clients, a full platform, users and funding from a venture capitalist in the UK and I can't even get a reply from their partnership team. (Ian_SalesLynk)

Here’s a quick comparison of the different APIs pricing structure:

But here’s the thing—while LinkedIn APIs can get the job done, their complex pricing and access requirements can be a real headache. That’s where Proxycurl steps in as a smarter, more affordable alternative. In this article, we’ll dive into the various LinkedIn API pricing tiers, access challenges, and how to set up.

Types of LinkedIn APIs/Tiers

Having worked on projects that require precise data handling and integration, I’ve had my fair share of navigating different APIs, including LinkedIn’s. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here—LinkedIn offers a range of APIs, each designed for specific use cases, from retrieving user profiles to insights on company data. But figuring out the right option can feel like trying to untangle a set of complex instructions. The access you get depends not just on the API you choose but also on LinkedIn’s tiered system, which impacts the depth of data, how easy it is to access, and the overall cost. Let’s dive into the details and make sense of LinkedIn’s API landscape, so you can see what best fits your needs.

1. API for LinkedIn People Profiles

If you need detailed personal data from LinkedIn users—like work history, education, skills, and other profile insights—the People Profile API is your go-to. In my experience managing data collection projects, I’ve seen how valuable this level of access can be for building precise datasets. However, LinkedIn doesn’t make it simple. To use this API, you’ll need to be part of LinkedIn’s Partner Program, and getting in means navigating a long and detailed application process. It’s not just about access—it’s about proving you’ll use their data responsibly, which makes sense, given the sensitive nature of the information.

Important information provided:

• Name and URL of the profile
• Experience at work and title currently held
• Competencies and recommendations
• History of education

If you're willing to put in the time and money to go through the stringent access process, this API is fantastic. However, many find it to be simply impractical, particularly when there are alternatives like Proxycurl offering similar data at a fraction of the cost.

2. API for LinkedIn Company Profiles

The LinkedIn Company Profile API is your go-to tool for gathering detailed information about businesses listed on the platform. From revenue figures to employee count, industry classification, and headquarters location, it provides a broad scope of data. During my time working with platforms like Andovar and LXT-AI, access to such data was essential in mapping organizational structures for various projects. However, just like the People Profile API, this one isn’t available to everyone. Only select partners get access, and the price tag is steep—potentially exceeding $7,200 per year. On top of that, there are strict limitations on how much data you can pull and how you’re allowed to use it. So, while it’s powerful, it’s not the most accessible API unless you're deeply invested in LinkedIn's ecosystem.

Important information provided:

• Name of the company and URL
• Size and Industry
• Trends in employee growth
• Headquarters location

This API is strong for corporations wishing to research companies or improve their B2B outreach, but it has a lot of fees and limitations, which make it less desirable than more flexible, affordable alternatives like Proxycurl.

3. API for LinkedIn Jobs

Another valuable resource in LinkedIn’s suite is the Jobs API, perfect for pulling job postings directly from the platform. For companies aiming to build custom job boards or analyze job market trends, this API offers incredible functionality. During my work with LXT-AI, tools like this were key in curating relevant data to streamline project workflows. However, the pricing structure for LinkedIn’s Jobs API can be tricky—rates depend heavily on your usage and integration needs, making it tough to nail down a clear cost upfront. And just like the other APIs, gaining access requires a partnership agreement with LinkedIn, which can be a challenge in itself.

Important information provided:

• Job description and title
• Employer details
• Location and kind of job
• Dates of posting and expiration

Large corporations may find LinkedIn's Jobs API useful, but smaller companies or developers may find the cost and complexity of integration to be prohibitive.

4. API for LinkedIn Marketing

For advertising campaigns, LinkedIn’s Marketing API is your go-to tool. It allows businesses to create, manage, and track the performance of their LinkedIn ads, providing insights into audience engagement. During my time working with SEO tools like Squarespace, managing digital campaigns was crucial, and APIs like this can offer real-time data that optimizes ad strategies. However, accessing LinkedIn’s Marketing API isn't as simple as signing up—you need to be a LinkedIn Marketing Partner. Pricing is dynamic, too, often requiring a significant investment to unlock advanced targeting features, especially when aiming for detailed audience segmentation.

Important information provided:

• Developing and overseeing campaigns
• Metrics measuring ad performance (clicks, impressions, etc.)
• Targeting audiences according to industry, job titles, and other factors

Although this API is necessary for major advertisers, smaller businesses may find it less desirable due to its high cost and limited access.
Individuals looking for more flexible options might face blockers here.

5. API for LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn’s Learning API is designed for those who want to integrate LinkedIn Learning into their own platforms. This is a great tool for companies or educational institutions that want to offer LinkedIn courses as part of their training programs. Having worked on various content curation projects and educational tools, I can see the value in providing seamless access to course materials and progress tracking through this API. However, just like the other LinkedIn APIs, access requires a partner agreement, and the cost can be a bit murky, often revealed only after you're deep into the application process.

Important information provided:

• Course descriptions and titles
• Status of enrollment
• Tracking completion

Although corporate learning platforms and educational institutions generally use this API, its cost and access restrictions make it a niche offering.

Details of Each LinkedIn API: Pricing, Uses, Access, and Setup

In this section, we’ll dive deeper into LinkedIn’s most popular APIs, breaking down each one by pricing, its primary use cases, how to get access, and a quick guide to setting it up with code snippets to help you get started.

1. LinkedIn People Profile API

Pricing of this LinkedIn API

The cost of the LinkedIn People Profile API is high. Companies who want access must be a part of LinkedIn's Partner Program, which has different annual fees range, depending on usage and the size of the organization. This makes it pricey for smaller firms and startups.

Applications:

This API offers comprehensive LinkedIn profile information, such as:

• Complete name
• Position names
• Work experience
• Qualifications and certifications
• Background in education

Businesses who need detailed information about experts and are concentrating on B2B services, sales prospecting, or talent acquisition should find it suitable.

How to Get Access:

Gaining access to the People Profile API is not as straightforward as signing up. You must first apply and be approved as a LinkedIn partner. This process can take several months, and LinkedIn typically selects companies based on their influence and alignment with LinkedIn’s business goals.

1. Apply to the LinkedIn Marketing Developer Program.
2. Await approval from LinkedIn.
3. Once approved, you will receive your API key.

How to Set Up:

Here’s a simple example of how you’d typically access data via LinkedIn’s People Profile API:

LinkedIn People Profile API Example (Hypothetical):

import requests

API_KEY = "your_linkedin_api_key"
person_id = "person_profile_id"

url = f"https://api.linkedin.com/v2/people/{person_id}"

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    print(data)
else:
    print(f"Failed to retrieve profile: {response.status_code}")

However, the complex approval process and the expensive pricing make it tough to access the official LinkedIn People Profile API.

2. LinkedIn Company Profile API

Pricing of this LinkedIn API

The Company Profile API is priced higher, starting from $699 per month for basic access, making it one of the most expensive LinkedIn API tiers.

Uses:

The Company Profile API allows you to pull detailed information about companies, including:

• Company name
• Industry classification
• Number of employees
• Revenue estimates
• Growth trends

This API is particularly useful for B2B marketing, sales prospecting, and competitive analysis.

How to Get Access:

Similar to the People Profile API, getting access to the Company Profile API requires an application to LinkedIn’s Partner Program. Only approved partners will receive access, and the approval process may take several months.

1. Apply to the LinkedIn Partner Program.
2. Upon approval, LinkedIn will provide your API credentials.

How to Set Up:

Below is an example of how to set up the Company Profile API to fetch company data.

LinkedIn Company Profile API Example (Hypothetical):

import requests

API_KEY = "your_linkedin_api_key"
company_id = "company_profile_id"

url = f"https://api.linkedin.com/v2/companies/{company_id}"

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

if response.status_code == 200:
    company_data = response.json()
    print(company_data)
else:
    print(f"Failed to retrieve company profile: {response.status_code}")

The high price and lengthy access process make Proxycurl’s Company Profile API a more attractive choice for many users.

3. LinkedIn Jobs API

Pricing of this LinkedIn API

LinkedIn's Jobs API pricing varies widely, depending on the number of job listings you’re pulling and whether you’re an approved LinkedIn partner. The pricing can be quite high, starting at several thousand dollars per year. Additionally, pricing depends on your level of integration and ad spend.

Uses:

This API is used to fetch job listings, which include:

• Job titles
• Company details
• Location
• Employment type (full-time, part-time, remote, etc.)
• Posted and expiration dates

This is particularly useful for companies looking to aggregate job data or build job boards.

How to Get Access:

Access to the LinkedIn Jobs API also requires becoming part of the Partner Program. This includes signing partner agreements and meeting LinkedIn’s approval criteria.

1. Apply to LinkedIn’s Partner Program for jobs data.
2. Secure approval to receive your API key.

How to Set Up:

Here’s how you’d typically set up a connection to LinkedIn’s Jobs API.

LinkedIn Jobs API Example (Hypothetical):

import requests

API_KEY = "your_linkedin_api_key"
job_id = "job_listing_id"

url = f"https://api.linkedin.com/v2/jobs/{job_id}"

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

if response.status_code == 200:
    job_data = response.json()
    print(job_data)
else:
    print(f"Failed to retrieve job listing: {response.status_code}")

Cons of using the official LinkedIn APIs

While LinkedIn's APIs offer powerful data, they also come with significant drawbacks that may make them less appealing for businesses looking for flexible, affordable, and easy-to-use solutions. Below are some key cons of using LinkedIn APIs:

1. Pricing is high

One of the most prominent downsides to using LinkedIn’s APIs is the prohibitive pricing structure. Here’s a breakdown:

• People Profile API: Starting at over $59 per month, this is approximate.
• Company Profile API: Costs upwards of $699 per month, but this is approximate.
• Jobs API: Prices are highly variable, but large enterprises can expect to pay several thousand dollars annually.

For small to mid-sized businesses, or startups with tight budgets, LinkedIn’s API costs can be a significant barrier to entry.

2. Restricted Access

Gaining access to LinkedIn’s APIs isn’t as simple as signing up. You need to:

• Apply to be a LinkedIn partner and get approved, a process that can take months.
• Meet LinkedIn's strict criteria, including alignment with their business goals.
• Partner agreements are required, which adds legal and bureaucratic hurdles.

This makes it difficult for most businesses to even gain access to LinkedIn’s data, slowing down their operations and delaying projects.

3. Limited Flexibility

LinkedIn’s APIs come with restrictions on data usage:

• Limited to certain types of data points, and even then, only on profiles or companies that have given explicit permission for their information to be accessed.
• If your business model requires a broader range of data, LinkedIn’s restrictions may limit how much value you can extract from their APIs.

4. Complicated Setup and Integration

Unlike more user-friendly APIs, LinkedIn’s APIs involve complex setups and integrations:

• Technical hurdles: Their documentation can be dense and is designed for developers who already have experience with complex API setups.
• Authorization processes: The need for OAuth authorization tokens and partner agreements makes the process even more cumbersome for non-developers or smaller teams without extensive tech resources.

For many businesses, this complexity can slow down implementation, adding unnecessary friction to projects.

5. Long Approval Times

One of the biggest pain points for companies trying to use LinkedIn’s APIs is the long approval process. Gaining access as a LinkedIn partner can take months, which could hinder your operations if you need to move quickly. This can be a significant drawback for businesses that need real-time or near-immediate access to professional data.

6. Data Availability & Permissions

LinkedIn’s API restricts access to certain user data based on the platform’s privacy policies and user settings:

• You can only retrieve data from users who have allowed API access to their profiles.
• This limits the dataset size, making LinkedIn’s data less useful for large-scale business operations requiring comprehensive data coverage.

In summary

LinkedIn's APIs may be packed with valuable data, but for many businesses, the high costs, limited access, complexity, and restrictions make them less than ideal. These drawbacks make a compelling case for using alternatives like Proxycurl, which offers a simpler, more affordable, and faster way to access professional data.

Proxycurl: the superior alternative

At this point, it’s clear that LinkedIn’s APIs are powerful, but they come at a cost—both in terms of price and access restrictions. Fortunately, there’s Proxycurl, a more accessible, budget-friendly option that offers equivalent professional data without the fuss. Let’s dive into why Proxycurl should be your go-to solution for pulling rich data about people, companies, jobs, and contacts.

Why Proxycurl stands out

Proxycurl's APIs are designed with simplicity, flexibility, and affordability in mind, making it the clear alternative for those who don’t want to deal with LinkedIn’s heavy pricing or red tape. Here’s a breakdown of some of Proxycurl’s most popular API endpoints and why they’re a superior option.

1. Person Profile API

LinkedIn’s People Profile API is notorious for its high costs and complex authorization process, starting at over $10,000 per year. Proxycurl’s Person Profile API provides the same public data at a fraction of the cost. You can easily retrieve professional information like job titles, work experience, education, and skills with just a few lines of code.

Proxycurl Person Profile API Example:

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://nubela.co/proxycurl/api/v2/linkedin",
    params={"url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/xyz"},
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer <your_api_key>"}
)

print(response.json())

With Proxycurl, you simply input the LinkedIn URL, add your API key, and you're done—no cumbersome approval processes or expensive fees.

2. Company Profile API

LinkedIn’s Company Profile API allows you to gather detailed information about organizations, but the hefty annual cost can climb up to $15,000. On the other hand, Proxycurl’s Company Profile API pulls similar company data—like industry classification, employee size, and LinkedIn presence—at a fraction of the price. This makes it a more practical solution for businesses looking to gain insights without breaking the bank.

Proxycurl Company Profile API Example:

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://nubela.co/proxycurl/api/v2/company",
    params={"domain": "company.com"},
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer <your_api_key>"}
)

print(response.json())

With just one API call, Proxycurl offers immediate access to the company data you need, without any hidden costs or complicated integrations.

3. Jobs API

LinkedIn requires partner integrations and a confusing pricing model to access job listings, which can be a headache if you just want a straightforward solution. Proxycurl’s Jobs API makes this process seamless, allowing you to access job listings quickly and at a transparent price. Whether you’re tracking job trends or scraping open positions for analysis, Proxycurl’s Jobs API provides the flexibility to meet your needs without needing a special LinkedIn partnership.

Proxycurl Jobs API Example:

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://nubela.co/proxycurl/api/v2/job_listing",
    params={"company_domain": "company.com"},
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer <your_api_key>"}
)

print(response.json())

No hidden fees, no access restrictions—just straightforward, clear job data that you can start using right away.

4. Contact API

Need to extract contact details? LinkedIn doesn’t offer this option readily, but Proxycurl’s Contact API provides an efficient way to gather publicly available contact information. This can be incredibly useful for outreach and networking, and Proxycurl’s API makes it easy to pull this data in a structured format.

Proxycurl LinkedIn API pricing

Proxycurl’s pricing is transparent, simply refer to this pricing page and you’ll see. It is transparent not just compared to LinkedIn API, but even among other alternatives.

On the pricing page, each call of the various API endpoints is laid out clearly so you’d know what to expect based on your usage. Certain premium parameters cost extra credits, those are documented in the respective endpoint sections in the API docs too.

Proxycurl vs. LinkedIn: why choose Proxycurl?

When it comes to pulling data about people, companies, jobs, or contact details, Proxycurl offers a more affordable, accessible, and user-friendly experience compared to LinkedIn’s API. Whether you’re a developer looking for a fast integration or a business in need of detailed professional data, Proxycurl delivers the same data points with far less hassle and cost.

Ready to stop overpaying and start gathering data efficiently? Try Proxycurl today!