LinkedIn InMail vs. Message: What to Use for More Leads from LinkedIn Outreach [+ 4 pro hacks]

Quick takeaway

• InMail = LinkedIn’s premium message that reaches 2nd/3rd-degree people and strangers without a connection; a regular message is free but only reaches your 1st-degree connections.
• InMail needs Premium credits (and has a subject line); regular messages are unlimited to connections but capped by weekly invite limits to grow that network first.
• LinkedIn’s own data puts InMail reply rates at 10-25% – roughly 300% higher than identical-content cold email – and InMails under 400 characters reply 22% better.
• Open Profile members can be InMailed for free (no credit spent), which is how you can scale well past your monthly credit allotment.
• Linked Helper automates both: bulk ‘InMail to 2nd & 3rd contacts’ campaigns targeting Open Profiles, plus automated connect-then-message sequences for everyone else – so you use the right channel per prospect without burning credits.

InMails and direct messages are not interchangeable; they complement each other to enhance your sales pipeline. Sales pros use both strategies, but there is a significant yet impactful difference between them. According to LinkedIn Sales Solutions, InMails get a 10–25% response rate — roughly 300% higher than emails with the exact same content, and LinkedIn’s own outreach data shows InMails are far more likely to be accepted than a cold email or cold call. In other words, when you need to reach someone outside your network, a well-targeted InMail consistently outperforms cold email.

So, what are you supposed to start with if you want to get more leads from your LinkedIn outreach?

Let’s delve into the nitty-gritty so you can maximize your LinkedIn outreach efforts. As a bonus, you’ll also receive four pro hacks to boost your lead generation.

LinkedIn InMail vs. Regular LinkedIn message: What is the difference? Examples and use cases.

Both LinkedIn InMail and Regular LinkedIn messages allow you to initiate private communication with other users. Now, let’s understand what each means on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn InMail is a premium feature available with a Premium subscription or InMail credits. It enables users to send targeted personalized messages not only to their existing connections but also to 2nd and 3rd-degree connections.

On the other hand, regular LinkedIn messages serve as the primary communication tool within the network. While they are free, there is a limitation—they can only be sent to your 1st-degree connections.

If you want to message someone outside your connection list, LinkedIn will suggest sending a connection request first.

Once the request is accepted, you can initiate a conversation with that user.

Now, let’s break down their distinctive features:

Updated: June 2026

LinkedIn InMail: Cold outreach use cases.

How can you significantly enhance your cold outreach with LinkedIn InMail? Here are four use cases to consider.

To address an urgent need of a potential customer.

You’re scrolling your LinkedIn feed and notice your ideal customer comments or posts about problem X, but they are not in your LinkedIn connections.

Sending a connection request would be logical, but you must wait for (if) it is accepted. Conversely, InMails allow you to instantly reach out to the lead with a highly personalized outreach. Describe how your offering will solve the potential client’s pain points and invite them to engage in a more meaningful conversation.

This is a highly effective approach to grab your ICP’s attention without losing time on sending connection requests and waiting for users to accept them to initiate a private conversation.

To make warm connections with particular prospects.

Use LinkedIn InMail to cut the chase and reach out to your sought-after prospects to lay the foundation for future collaborations.

For example, you can piggyback on leads’ comments and leverage them as a starting point to make warm connections by emphasizing common interests or goals in your InMail. This will increase your chances of getting a positive response and move the lead further down your sales pipeline.

To achieve this, actively monitor the posts and comments of your target audience. Join industry-related groups, follow hashtags to engage in meaningful conversations, spot common ground, and craft a personalized InMail.In fact, personalized InMails perform about 15% better than ones sent in bulk.

To speed up job hunting.

One of the most common challenges that job seekers face is connecting with hundreds of HR professionals, recruiters, and decision-makers to send an application or gather information about job openings.

According to LinkedIn, Premium members are 2.6 times more likely to get hired on the platform. In this context, LinkedIn InMail can be a real game-changer for those who want to speed up job hunting with customized messages. Ensure to express genuine interest in the company and highlight your qualifications for the desired position.

And vice versa — recruiters constantly combat the challenges of finding and enticing professionals with job opportunities. Below is an example of a founder reaching out to a candidate using InMail.

LinkedIn Message: Lead generation use cases.

Next, let’s talk about regular LinkedIn messages and explore two practical use cases.

To reach prospects in bulk.

When you have hundreds of LinkedIn accounts at your disposal, InMails are of no use. They’re for targeted outreach campaigns.

With regular messages starting from connection requests, you can reach thousands of prospects without worrying about InMail credits.

To save time on lead generation with LinkedIn outreach automation and bypass InMail credits.

LinkedIn connection requests and messages can be easily automated, even personalized with the right tools. The cherry on top, you can triple your outreach efforts by pairing InMails with regular messages. How? Both have weekly and monthly limits.

You can send only 100-250 connection requests weekly (or 400-1000/month). Likewise, monthly InMail messages allotment ranges from 5 to 50 messages. (More information on InMail credits in the following chapters).

Paired together, InMail and regular messages allow you to reach more prospects.

However, more messages come with more work.

Linked Helper 2 allows you to automate almost everything:

• Sending out connection requests to your lead list.
• Inviting targeted 2nd and 3rd-level contacts with a personal note.
• Messaging group members and event attendees.
• Visiting profiles and liking posts before sending a connection request.

And much more.

So far, we have covered LinkedIn InMail and regular messages extensively, but the platform has much more to offer. There are sponsored InMails and message ads.

LinkedIn InMail vs. Sponsored InMail vs. Message Ads: What is the difference?

A standard InMail is a one-to-one premium message you send manually or via automation, it draws from your personal InMail credits (or is free to Open Profiles).

Sponsored InMail was a paid advertising format that LinkedIn rebranded as “Message Ad” back in December 2019. Today that history matters less than how the products are actually organized:

• LinkedIn now groups its messaging ad formats under the umbrella Sponsored Messaging, which includes two formats: Message Ads (a single sponsored message with one call-to-action) and Conversation Ads (an interactive, choose-your-path message with multiple CTAs).
• Both are created, targeted, billed and managed inside LinkedIn Campaign Manager, on a cost-per-send basis and they do not consume your personal or Sales Navigator InMail credits
• Both carry a “Sponsored” label in the recipient’s inbox and are delivered in bulk to a targeted audience, unlike a one-to-one InMail.

Here is how Message ads appear in LinkedIn Inbox:

Bottom line: use InMail (or Linked Helper automation) for personal, one-to-one outreach from your own account; use Sponsored Messaging (Message Ads / Conversation Ads) when you want to run a paid, large-scale advertising campaign through Campaign Manager.

Granted, InMails is the go-to tool for LinkedIn outreach and social selling. Then, the next question arises: how many InMails can you send out?

Know LinkedIn InMail credit renewal and limitations guidelines.

LinkedIn InMail credits are included in all LinkedIn premium plans, including Premium Career, Premium Business, Sales Navigator Core, and Recruiter Lite. Credits and limits can vary depending on your LinkedIn account type.

The number of InMail credits for LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Recruiter.

Here’s a breakdown of the monthly InMail message credits you receive based on your account type:

• Premium Career: 5 credits
• Premium Business: 15 credits
• Sales Navigator Core: 50 credits
• Recruiter Lite: 30 credits

Updated: June 2026

How to get LinkedIn credits for LinkedIn premium accounts?

To acquire LinkedIn InMail credits for LinkedIn premium accounts, follow these steps:

1. Upgrade to a LinkedIn Premium account, choosing from options like Premium Career, Premium Business, Premium Sales, or Premium Recruiter, based on your needs and goals.

2. Depending on your chosen subscription plan, you will receive a specific number of InMail credits as part of your premium features.

⚠️ Warning: Keep in mind that if you cancel your premium subscription, your credit balance will reset to zero.

How to claim back your LinkedIn InMail credits?

While LinkedIn doesn’t have a formal refund policy for InMail credits, there is still a bypass to claim them back. According to LinkedIn’s guidelines:

“Every InMail message that is accepted/declined or responded to directly within 90 days of it being sent is credited back. A pending InMail message isn’t counted as either accepted or declined. As part of the LinkedIn messaging experience, Quick Replies to InMail messages also count as a response”.

This means that even if the user clicks on the quick reply option in the chat, this will also be considered as a reply to the InMail. Thus, your InMail will get credited back.

You can accumulate a maximum of InMail message credits 60 days after a subscription starts, but you can send as many InMails as many of them are credited back.

This is the maximum number of InMail message credits you can accumulate in total:

• 15 messages with Premium Careers
• 45 messages with Premium Business
• 150 messages with Sales Navigator
• 120 messages with Recruiter

What are the limitations of InMail messages?

InMail messages can be a powerful tool to reach targeted leads, but they also have drawbacks. For instance, LinkedIn doesn’t permit sending a follow-up message if the user didn’t respond to the first message in InMail.

If the prospect doesn’t get back to you, you must send them a connection request and initiate a contact.

Access free InMails at scale through Open Profiles

Here’s the lever most people miss: LinkedIn members who have Open Profile enabled can be messaged for free, without spending an InMail credit — even if they’re outside your network. LinkedIn confirms there’s a limit on how many Open Profile messages you can send, but doesn’t publish the exact number; in practice it varies by account and plan (heavy users report up to several hundred per month, while Recruiter Lite is reported closer to ~100). Either way, it’s a way to reach far more prospects than your monthly credit allotment alone allows — if you can find Open Profiles in bulk.

There is a good decision. You don’t have to send these one by one. Linked Helper finds Open Profile prospects in bulk and runs an automated “InMail to 2nd & 3rd contacts” campaign, so you can message past your monthly credit cap without spending a single credit, then check for replies and export the results.

With Linked Helper, you can easily find users with open profiles in a click and create bulk InMail campaigns directly within the tool. Here is the step-by-step guide on how to do it:

1. First, download Linked Helper. You can create a free account for 14 days.
2. Log in to your profile and link it with your LinkedIn.
3. Create an outreach campaign.
4. Add profiles to the Queue list. (Workflow → Queue → Add).
5. You can only sort people with an Open profile status if you select ”Services” in the Advanced filters. Also, when scraping through the Navigator, you can filter such profiles directly in the Linked Helper CRM by the “Open link” filter.
6. Add the “InMail to 2nd & 3rd contacts” action.
7. Add text and personalization. Personalize messages using built-in or custom variables.

Next, add the “Check for reply” action. The tool will track all users who reply to your InMail. Once the campaign is complete, you can download the history of messages and replies in an Excel format for thorough analysis.

Linked Helper’s automation is super convenient in such cases. Give it a try now.

4 hacks to level up your LinkedIn InMail outreach strategy

To improve the efficiency of your InMail outreach, implement these four actionable tactics.

#1 Write shorter InMails to get your message across quickly.

Long intros overwhelm the readers — and you, too. Ensure your message is concise and unveils your intentions quickly.

Begin with a friendly greeting, briefly introduce yourself, and explain why you’re reaching out. If possible, keep the text under 30–400 words to increase the response rate.

LinkedIn’s study suggests that InMails under 400 characters perform 22% better than lengthy messages.

You can also draft shorter InMails with the AI message generator developed by Linked Helper. Writing sub-400-character InMails and tight subject lines at scale is tedious by hand. Linked Helper’s AI message generator turns a short prompt into up to 30 ready drafts a day, and SPINTAX variants randomize the wording per recipient so your outreach reads human instead of templated.

#2 Add a call-to-action for higher conversions.

Every InMail should have a clear goal. If the recipient doesn’t understand what’s expected of them, chances are low that you’ll ever get a reply. Whether it’s requesting feedback, scheduling a meeting, or arranging a call, state your CTA clearly.

For example, if you want a prospect to join the conversation, end your InMail with this sentence —

“[FirstName], let me know your thoughts on X?”.

This way, you’re guiding the recipient on the next steps and controlling the conversation without coming across as annoying and intrusive.

#3 Launch a warm-up sequence to increase the response rate.

LinkedIn’s own data shows you’re 78% more likely to have your InMail accepted if you view the recipient’s profile within 30 days before sending it. Linked Helper operationalizes this with warm-up automation, so it can automatically visit profiles, follow, endorse skills, like and comment ahead of your message while smart daily limits and start time randomization keep all that activity human-like and within safe thresholds.

For example, engage in their recent posts, comment, start discussions, and like posts you enjoyed. This approach engages your leads in a conversation and provides a solid foundation for lead nurturing.

Next, follow up with a value-driven message to convey your initiative.

Pro tip: Use Linked Helper to automate the warm-up process by automatically visiting, following profiles, endorsing skills, inviting to events, liking, and commenting on posts or articles.

Linked Helper allows you to choose the number of posts and articles to engage with and postpone these actions. The latter is handy for grabbing the attention of leads living in different time zones.

#4 Write compelling subject lines.

Catchy subject lines can prompt the recipient to open and read the message. Avoid using generic lines like “networking opportunity” or “mutual growth.”

Be specific and highlight the value they’ll gain from opening your message. Keep subject lines under 200 characters to avoid excessive length. Add personalization or time triggers. For this, you can use Linked Helper’s variables to generate custom strings.

Here are 3 great LinkedIn InMail subject line examples:

Example one: “A job opportunity from [Company] for Amanda.”

The subject line is clear and concise and includes the name of the recipient.

Example two: “Loved your post on AI marketing trends.”

It shows genuine interest and gives the recipient the impression that it’s crafted specifically with them in mind. Also, it sparks curiosity.

Example three: “Saw you at the webinar [Name] — let’s exchange ideas?”

The subject line has a clear CTA and swiftly establishes a mutual connection by referencing a shared experience.

Pro tip: Evaluate which email subject lines work best for your email newsletter – these may be suitable for your InMail subject lines as well.

FAQ

Q: Is InMail free on LinkedIn?

No – InMail requires a Premium plan or purchased InMail credits, except when you message LinkedIn members who have Open Profile enabled, who can be InMailed for free without spending a credit. Regular LinkedIn messages to your 1st-degree connections are always free.

Q: Can you tell if someone read your InMail?

It depends on the recipient’s privacy settings. If they keep read receipts on you can see a ‘Read’ status, but if they have disabled it the status stays hidden; LinkedIn’s analytics report instead shows send, open and response-rate metrics for your InMails.

Q: Do people actually read and reply to LinkedIn InMail?

Yes – according to LinkedIn’s own data, InMails get a 10-25% response rate, around 300% higher than cold emails with the same content, and roughly 65% of replies arrive within 24 hours. Personalized, sub-400-character InMails reply notably better.

Q: What does a ‘declined’ InMail status mean for the sender?

It means the recipient clicked ‘Decline,’ after which you can no longer message them – but LinkedIn credits that InMail back to your balance, so a decline does not cost you a credit.

Q: What is the difference between InMail, Sponsored InMail and Message Ads?

InMail is a one-to-one premium message you send manually or via automation. Sponsored InMail was rebranded to Message Ads in 2019 – it is a paid LinkedIn advertising format delivered in bulk to a targeted audience with a ‘Sponsored’ label, billed through LinkedIn Campaign Manager rather than from your InMail credits.

Q: How many InMail credits do you get per month?

It varies by plan – roughly 5 with Premium Career, 15 with Premium Business, 50 with Sales Navigator Core and 30 with Recruiter Lite (verify current figures in LinkedIn’s help center, as LinkedIn periodically updates plan names and allotments). Unused credits roll over for up to 90 days but reset to zero if you cancel Premium.

Now that you know when to spend an InMail credit and when a regular message wins, let Linked Helper run both for you: bulk free InMails to Open Profiles, plus automated connect-then-message sequences for everyone else — so every prospect gets the right channel without burning credits. Start a 14-day free trial, no card required.

Bonus: In the Linked Helper Template Builder, you have additional options for personalization. You can use not only built-in variables but also custom ones. You can write values in Excel and load them into the software to create custom variables. Additionally, auto-messages can be personalized thanks to the “IF, THEN, ELSE” functions.

Watch the video to learn more about the feature.