

We all know that LinkedIn is the perfect platform for generating B2B leads. It’s an effective tool for networking as well as creating a buzz around your products/services. It’s so good in fact, that 50% of B2B buyers use LinkedIn when making purchasing decisions. But with LinkedIn offering so many different subscription options, which one should you choose to best increase your chances of LinkedIn lead generation?
While there are many different LinkedIn subscription options out there, we will be focusing on the Basic, LinkedIn Premium Business and Sales Navigator accounts as these claim to be the most effective when it comes to selling.

Contents
Basic Account
The Basic LinkedIn account doesn’t cost a penny and is the free LinkedIn membership you are given when you first sign up. It gives you all of the basic tools needed to build a professional presence online however more advanced features such as unlimited searches and advanced search filters are not available. You may be asking yourself, what’s the point in a Basic Account for Lead Generation if you cannot hone in on your ideal prospects with advanced search features? The answer is, this can easily be overcome with the implementation of Boolean search.

Boolean search allows you to refine your search results by title, company, location and even allows you to exclude terms from the search results. There are many free Boolean search generators on the web, and if you need a helping hand we’ve written a handy article so that you can target your prospects with Boolean search.
Although the lack of advanced search filters can be overcome, one thing that can’t however is the search limits put in place for Basic Account users – and to make things even harder, LinkedIn have not published the exact search limits.
Pros
It doesn’t cost a thing
Lack of advanced search filters can be easily overcome
Cons
Search limits in place can hinder results
Premium Business
The LinkedIn Premium Business subscription offers a whole host of features as well as offering unlimited search results. As with the LinkedIn Basic account, advanced search filters are also unavailable, so it’s time to brush up on those Boolean search skills!

While the key features of this profile option seem vast, it’s hard to say how many are actually useful in generating you those all-important leads. Depending on your own selling tactics, you may find the 15 InMail messages beneficial, or you may find that standard LinkedIn messaging works just fine.
This subscription type will set you back around £ 35.99 per month and is one of the cheaper options of all of the paid accounts.
The Key Features of a LinkedIn Premium Business Account
- 15 InMail messages – this gives you the ability to contact anyone, even if you’re not connected.
- Business Insights – get insights into a company’s growth
- Video Courses – receive online tutorials to help with your business, tech & creative skills.
- See Who’s Viewed Your Profile
- Unlimited Search Results
Pros
Unlimited search results
One of the cheaper options out of all the paid subscriptions
Cons
Advanced search filters are still unavailable
Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator prices start at £ 53.99 making it one of the most expensive LinkedIn subscription options. For the price you do receive a large amount of LinkedIn premium features such as 20 InMail Messages, unlimited search results and advanced search filters, however for this cost it has to be used consistently and effectively in order to recover the investment.

The Key Features of Sales Navigator Account
- 20 InMail Messages
- Sales Insights – get insights on job changes, company growth and more.
- Advanced Search Builder – zero in on decision makers
- Unlimited Search Results
Sales Navigator Pros
Unlimited search results
Advanced search filters
Sales Navigator Cons
One the most expensive LinkedIn Subscription options
Which One To Choose?
Each paid subscription option does offer a one-month free trial so it’s well-worth testing the waters and seeing which one works best for you and your business. While the key features of the paid plans can be valuable, it is still imperative to remember the two most important points when it comes to LinkedIn lead generation: a list of targeted prospects and compelling message copy. Finding your perfect list of prospects and writing provoking message copy is a recipe for LinkedIn lead generation success, no matter if you decide to stick to a free LinkedIn account, or pay for a subscription. With LinkedIn, you get out what you put in – and if you don’t nail the points above, your investment will be wasted.