LinkedIn Learning
Professional development courses that show up on your LinkedIn profile.
By Sher Min · Co-founder · Editorial & Technical SEO
LinkedIn Learning is the professional development arm of LinkedIn, Microsoft's career network. Its 22,000+ courses cover business, technology, and creative skills — and its defining advantage is the one no other platform can replicate: direct integration with your LinkedIn profile. Completed courses appear as credentials on your public profile, certificates are LinkedIn-native, and course recommendations are informed by the hiring signal data LinkedIn collects from 900M+ professionals and millions of job postings. For professionals who are actively job-seeking, building a professional brand, or upskilling in areas with visible demand signals, this integration makes LinkedIn Learning uniquely valuable. The trade-off is depth: for specific technical tool tutorials or deep-dive coding skills, Udemy's 250,000-course catalogue — with instructor-led, highly targeted content — is typically more effective. LinkedIn Learning is strongest at breadth across professional and soft skills, not at the deep technical end.
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Our Rating
8.1/10
Pricing
~$19.99/mo (annual) · ~$29.99/mo (monthly) · often included with LinkedIn Premium · check linkedin.com/learning
Best For
Professionals building career credentials, active job-seekers, and teams in business or technology upskilling
Category
Courses
Quick Verdict
The best platform for professionals who learn as part of an active career strategy and want visible proof of that development on LinkedIn. The profile integration is genuinely unique and valuable. For specific technical skills or formal credential weight, Udemy and Coursera respectively are stronger alternatives. LinkedIn Learning earns its place when career visibility and professional development breadth are the primary goals.
Key Facts
| Tool | LinkedIn Learning |
| Company | LinkedIn Corporation (subsidiary of Microsoft) |
| Best for | Professionals building career credentials, active job-seekers, and teams upskilling in business and technology |
| Starting price | ~$19.99/month (annual); often included with LinkedIn Premium |
| Main limitation | Less technical depth than Udemy; credentials carry less formal weight than Coursera/edX; no free tier |
| Last verified | May 13, 2026 |
Pros & Cons
What works
- Direct LinkedIn profile integration — completed courses and certificates appear publicly as credentials
- 22,000+ courses across business, technology, design, and professional development
- Course recommendations informed by LinkedIn's real-time hiring market data — surfaces in-demand skills
- Often included with LinkedIn Premium at no additional cost — zero incremental spend for subscribers
- Learning Paths group related courses into structured sequences for career-focused progressions
What doesn't
- Less practical depth than Udemy for specific software tools, coding, and technical skill tutorials
- Certificates carry less formal weight than Coursera's university-backed or edX MicroMasters credentials
- Full value is tied to active LinkedIn use — less compelling for users not job-seeking or professionally networking
- No free tier — requires a subscription or LinkedIn Premium to access courses
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription | ~$29.99/month | Short-term learners who need access for a defined period |
| Annual Subscription | ~$19.99/month (billed annually) | Consistent learners — saves approximately 33% over monthly billing |
| LinkedIn Premium (included) | Varies by Premium tier | LinkedIn Premium subscribers get LinkedIn Learning access — check current Premium pricing |
| LinkedIn Learning for Teams | Custom | Companies managing team upskilling, completion tracking, and skill gap reporting |
Who It's For
LinkedIn-visible certificates directly support the job search — credentials appear on the profile hiring managers are already viewing
Consistent learning activity and displayed credentials signal professional development on the most visible career platform
22,000 courses strong in leadership, project management, communication, and business skills — broad professional coverage
Content quality is reasonable but Udemy's depth and instructor specialisation are stronger for specific coding skills and tools
LinkedIn certificates are platform-native; for formally weighted credentials, Coursera's Google/IBM certs or edX MicroMasters carry more credential weight
How It Compares
| Dimension | LinkedIn Learning | Udemy | Coursera |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Integration | Native | None | None |
| Catalogue Size | 22,000+ | 250,000+ | 7,000+ (Plus) |
| Free Access | No (Premium req.) | No (purchase req.) | Free audit |
| Top Credential | LinkedIn cert (profile) | Completion cert | Google/IBM certs |
| Annual Cost | ~$240/yr | ~$10–$30/course | $399/yr (Plus) |
| Best For | Career visibility, professional skills | Specific skills, cheap | Career credentials, employer-recognised |
Our Rating
Our Verdict
LinkedIn Learning earns an 8.1 — a solid rating for a platform that has one genuinely unique feature (LinkedIn profile integration) and executes its core proposition (broad professional development) reliably. The 9.5 on LinkedIn Integration is not a stretch: no competitor can put a certificate on the same platform where hiring managers are already evaluating you. The 7.0 on Technical Depth is honest: LinkedIn Learning is not where you go to become a specialist developer or learn a cutting-edge technical tool — Udemy's depth and instructor quality win that comparison. For professionals who are actively managing their career, building a visible skills record on LinkedIn, or upskilling in business and professional areas, LinkedIn Learning is a natural and cost-effective part of that strategy — especially if LinkedIn Premium is already in the budget.
Browse LinkedIn LearningAffiliate Disclosure: ToolNav earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page. This does not affect our editorial rating or recommendation. Pricing verified May 13, 2026 — may vary by region; always confirm at LinkedIn Learning's official site before purchasing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LinkedIn Learning worth it?
Yes, with a caveat: the value depends heavily on how actively you use LinkedIn. If you're job-seeking, building a professional brand, or working in a field where LinkedIn profile signals matter (most corporate, tech, and business roles), the profile integration and career-signal-informed recommendations make it uniquely useful. If you primarily need deep technical skills or formal credential weight, Udemy or Coursera are more appropriate.
Is LinkedIn Learning included with LinkedIn Premium?
Yes — LinkedIn Premium subscribers typically receive LinkedIn Learning access at no additional cost. LinkedIn Premium pricing varies by tier (Career, Business, Sales Navigator, Recruiter), so the effective incremental cost of LinkedIn Learning depends on which Premium tier you hold. If you already pay for LinkedIn Premium, LinkedIn Learning is effectively free — log in and check your current access.
Are LinkedIn Learning certificates respected by employers?
LinkedIn Learning certificates appear directly on your LinkedIn profile and signal active professional development. They're not academically weighted like Coursera's Google certificates or edX MicroMasters, but they're visible to the recruiters and hiring managers viewing your profile. For business and professional skills where demonstrated interest matters, LinkedIn Learning certificates are more valuable than the same certificate on a platform not integrated with the hiring channel.
LinkedIn Learning vs Udemy — which should I use?
LinkedIn Learning for professional and business skills where career visibility matters. Udemy for specific technical or tool-based skills where depth and instructor specialisation matter. Concrete example: if you're learning project management to signal readiness for a PM role, LinkedIn Learning's PMP prep content displayed on your profile adds career value. If you're learning React.js to build a product, Udemy's 40-hour course from a specialist instructor is a more thorough technical investment.
How many courses does LinkedIn Learning have?
LinkedIn Learning has 22,000+ courses across business, technology, and creative topics. The library is strong for professional and soft skills — leadership, communication, productivity tools, project management, and business strategy. Technical content is present but less comprehensive than Udemy for specialised development tools and frameworks. Courses are produced by industry practitioners and updated regularly to reflect changing skill demands.
Can teams use LinkedIn Learning?
Yes — LinkedIn Learning for Teams (formerly LinkedIn Learning for Business) provides a managed subscription with team analytics, skill gap reports, completion tracking, and custom learning path assignment. It's widely used for corporate L&D, new employee onboarding, and manager development programmes. Check linkedin.com/learning/for-teams for current business pricing.
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