Let’s face it, LinkedIn is simply indispensable for recruiting! There’s not a single person reading this who hasn’t looked for a job or posted one on the platform.

That said, when it comes to recruiters, there’s always been this polarizing debate over which LinkedIn subscription to take:

LinkedIn Sales Navigator comes at a monthly fee of 99€, whereas the monthly subscription for LinkedIn Recruiter Lite stands at a staggering 154€.

The contrast is not negligible. But does the additional cost translate to added value?

In this article, we put this seamlessly endless debate to an end, we finally answer the burning question: Is LinkedIn Recruiter worth the additional price compared to Sales Navigator?

Want to take your recruiting to the next level?
You have to try this amazing combo: Sales Navigator x La Growth Machine! Master how to:
- Source new candidates,
- Engage all of them automatically without losing the human element,
- and Integrate with your other tools in a heartbeat!
Learn how to right here!

Unpacking the differences — Sales Navigator vs. Recruiter Lite:

The primary distinctions between LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Recruiter Lite can be summed up in just two key points:

  • The number of filters you can use, and their relevance to your activity.
  • The ability to network on both platforms.

Filters:

Let’s start with the most obvious one.

Both platforms offer unique features when it comes to filtering and refining your search for the ideal candidates.

That said, there are 2 specific filters on LinkedIn Recruiter that you won’t find on Sales Navigator:

  1. Year of Graduation: LinkedIn Recruiter provides a filter for the year of graduation which may hold some significance. However, when you’re a recruiter in this day and age, do you really care if your employees are graduates, let alone their graduation year?
  1. Skills Filter: Recruiter Lite introduces a skills filter that can be quite tempting for recruiters looking to identify candidates with specific skills, like an Adobe Illustrator genius. That said, these “skills” are very easily exploitable as they rely on endorsements from other people. So, you can simply get your group of friends to endorse you or even create fake LinkedIn accounts and do the same!

In contrast, Sales Navigator takes the lead with its comprehensive set of filters that can come in handy for recruiters seeking the perfect match:

  • Years in the Current Company: This filter comes in handy when you’re looking for candidates who have shown commitment and dedication to their current employer.
  • Years in the Current Role: Zero in on individuals who have excelled in their current positions for an extended period. Their expertise and accomplishments in their present roles could be precisely what your organization needs.
  • Company Type: This is useful if you’re looking for people working in non-profit or self-employed roles, for instance.
  • Groups: Looking to gain a sneak peek into your candidate’s interests? This filter lets you do just that by identifying individuals who are part of groups with the specific topics that are relevant to your offer.

Networking:

This may very well be the least talked about advantage with Sales Navigator; the ability to find, add, and engage with 3rd-level connections.

If you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s a quick refresher:

  • 1st-degree connections: These are the people you’re directly connected with on LinkedIn.
  • 2nd-degree connections: Include the people who are connected to your 1st-degree connections, but not you directly.
  • 3rd(+)-degree connections: These are users you aren’t connected with, but someone in your 2nd-degree network is connected with them.

The thing with 3rd-degree (and more) connections is that LinkedIn deems them as people you have no interest of contacting. So, with Recruiter Lite, they won’t appear in your search results.

Conversely, with Sales Navigator, you can find and contact these people which means that you don’t have to miss out on good candidates that other talent recruiters or recruitment companies will contact first.

Want to take your recruiting to the next level?
You have to try this amazing combo: Sales Navigator x La Growth Machine! Master how to:
- Source new candidates,
- Engage all of them automatically without losing the human element,
- and Integrate with your other tools in a heartbeat!
Learn how to right here!

Making your decision:

At La Growth Machine, I think it shows clearly that we believe that Sales Navigator is the superior option.

Recruiters, if you’re using LinkedIn Recruiter instead of Sales Navigator, you’re basically wasting your money on fewer features!

It’s time to revolutionize your recruitment strategy and achieve remarkable results while keeping a watchful eye on your expenses.