Kevin JohnsonLinkedIn is a global employment-oriented networking platform based in Sunnyvale, California. The company was founded in 2003 by Reid Hoffman and the founding team members of PayPal and Socialnet.com.
In 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $26.2 billion. LinkedIn is the go-to social platform for professional networking, with over 800 million users across 200 countries. In 2021, the company had around 16,000 employees and reported a 27% increase in revenue to $10 billion. [1]
LinkedIn members create profiles and build professional connections by inviting individuals in their sector, organizing events, and joining groups. The platform is accessible online via websites and mobile apps and allows members to write articles or short blogs and post jobs, photos, and videos.
In 2021, LinkedIn had 310 million monthly active users (MAUs). The Linkedin makes money by offering recruiters and headhunters access to members’ information for a fee. But LinkedIn is not immune to real-world events and market forces.
In Oct 2021, Microsoft announced plans to shut down LinkedIn in China due to increased censorship. LinkedIn also faces stiff competition from Facebook, Slack, Reddit, Meetup, Indeed.com, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter. [2]
Here is an in-depth analysis of top LinkedIn’s competitors and alternatives:
1. Facebook Groups
Year founded: 2004
Headquarter: Menlo Park, California.
Facebook is the world’s largest social media platform owned by Meta Inc., formerly Facebook Inc. Facebook Groups allows freelancers and digital marketers to connect and share their content with a global audience. At the start of 2022, Facebook had around 2.93 billion monthly active users. The company has 83,553 employees and over $118 billion in annual revenue. [3]
Both Facebook Groups and LinkedIn help businesses build online communities. But Facebook is less professional than LinkedIn, ideal for personalized marketing. Entrepreneurs can execute social media marketing campaigns on Facebook and sell products via Facebook Marketplace. Facebook is the top LinkedIn competitor and alternative across the board.
2. Slack
Year founded: 2009
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Slack is a messaging program developed by Slack Technologies for the workplace. Salesforce acquired Slack in mid-2021 to expand its HR solutions. In the second half of fiscal 2022, Slack boosted Salesforce revenue by $600 million. Salesforce’s full-year earnings for 2021 increased 25% to $26.49 billion. [4]
Slack is a centralized collaboration hub that connects professionals and provides information and tools to help them execute tasks more efficiently. It enables virtual workspaces while providing online networking opportunities for users. In fiscal 2023, Salesforce expects Slack to add $1.5 billion to its top line. Like LinkedIn, Slack is a messenger-based app that allows users to create groups and share content via public posts. Slack is one of the best alternatives to LinkedIn for building online communities.
3. Reddit
Year founded: 2005
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Reddit is a social networking platform renowned for its disruptive forums. The site attracted global attention in 2021 after its anarchic r/WallStreetBets trade-tipping forum invested in GameStop and rallied its stocks to record highs. As of Feb 2022, Reddit had raised $1.3 billion in total funding and attracted 330 million monthly active users.
Both Reddit and LinkedIn are networking platforms for professionals. Although Reddit has less than half of LinkedIn’s monthly users, it is populated by disruptive thinkers. In Dec 2021, Reddit filed its IPO paperwork with the US SEC. The company plans to go public at a valuation of $15 billion. Reddit is the fiercest competitor for LinkedIn and the best alternative for outspoken professionals. [5]
4. Indeed.com
Year founded: 2004
Headquarter: Austin, Texas
Indeed.com is the world’s largest job site that delivers 2.5 times more hires than other branded job websites combined. The site allows job seekers to search for millions of jobs in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. In 2021, Indeed generated around $1.76 billion and attracted over 250 million visitors each month. Its platform caters to over 3 million employers and holds more than 200 million résumés.
Indeed.com allows users to create a job seeker or employer profile. Job seekers can search for vacancies, post resumes, and research hiring companies. In Feb 2022, Indeed invested $10 million to launch “Essentials to Work” to help struggling job seekers in the US. Indeed.com is the best alternative to LinkedIn for job hunting. [6]
5. Glassdoor
Year founded: 2007
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Glassdoor is an American website that provides information about companies. The platform allows users to review current and former employers, submit and view salaries, and search and apply for jobs. In 2018, Recruit Holdings acquired Glassdoor for $1.2 billion.
Glassdoor provides more insider information than LinkedIn, increasing its competitive advantage. Millions of employers visit Glassdoor.com annually to learn employee retention tips and trends. Job seekers rely on Glassdoor’s annual list of the Best Places to Work to analyze employers.
It ranks companies on a five-point scale, including diversity and inclusion efforts, compensation and benefits, culture and values, and work-life balance. Glassdoor is one of the best alternatives to LinkedIn for researching potential employers. [7]
6. Xing
Year founded: 2003
Headquarter: Hamburg, Germany
XING is a career-oriented social networking site owned by New Work SE. The site caters to job seekers in the German-speaking market, but it operates in over 200 countries globally via regional platforms such as XING Spain. In 2021, XING had 17 million users in Germany, 1.6 million in Austria, and 1.4 million in Switzerland.
XING is Europe’s largest career-oriented platform. Almost all German job seekers use LinkedIn or XING for the latest business news, job search, and networking with recruiters and decision-makers.
HR personnel in German-speaking regions rely on these two online platforms for placing job posts, checking member profiles, networking, and collecting business contacts. But XING’s Member Profile allows recruiters and employers to compare potential candidates quickly and easily. XING is the top competitor for LinkedIn in Germany. [8]
7. ZipRecruiter
Year founded: 2010
Headquarter: Santa Monica, California
ZipRecruiter is a social network and an online employment marketplace for recruiters and job seekers. It offers an online job board and leverages AI technology to match candidates with hiring companies. In May 2021, ZipRecruiter went public at a valuation of $2.7 billion. Its shares surged nearly 20% on its NYSE debut, increasing its valuation to $3 billion. [9]
ZipRecruiter and LinkedIn connect people to their next top talent or employment opportunity. But ZipRecruiter allows recruiters and companies to post job listings across over 100 sites with a single submission. Since its founding, ZipRecruiter has served more than 1.8 million employers and over 110 million job seekers. Users can get a Standard plan for $16 per job post daily or the Premium option for $24 to access ZipRecruiter’s database with over 36 million resumes. ZipRecruiter is a formidable LinkedIn competitor. [10]
8. Jobcase
Year founded: 2015
Headquarter: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jobcase is a social networking platform dedicated to empowering and advocating for the world’s workers. The platform provides access to jobs, tools, resources, and a supportive community for its clients. In 2021, Jobcase had more than 130 million registered members and powered over 100 job sites and nonprofit-driven initiatives via its Jobcase network.
Both Jobcase and LinkedIn empower professionals in the 21st-century workplace. But Jobcase also collaborates with employers, nonprofits, and government agencies to connect job seekers with employment opportunities. In Mar 2022, Jobcase acquired recruitment platform Recruitology to bolster its capability to match workers to their best-suited jobs. Jobcase is a worthy alternative to LinkedIn for job seekers. [11]
9. CareerBuilder
Year founded: 1995
Headquarter: Chicago, Illinois
CareerBuilder is a global talent marketplace that helps employers find and hire qualified professionals. The platform provides talent acquisition solutions and supports job seekers’ career development in today’s evolving workplace. In 2021, CareerBuilder had around 10,000 employees and served most of the Fortune 500 companies across five specialized markets.
Both CareerBuilder and LinkedIn connect employers and job seekers. But CareerBuilder is the only company that creates an end-to-end experience by providing talent acquisition tech and top-performing candidates.
In Jan 2022, CareerBuilder partnered with UKG to offer a seamless application experience for over 80 million US job seekers annually. CareerBuilder is the best alternative to LinkedIn for job applicants and recruiters. [12]
10. Meetup
Year founded: 2002
Headquarter: New York City, New York
Meetup is a professional networking platform that allows users to build local communities. The platform connects like-minded people to help them learn new things, find support, and pursue their passions. As of Jun 2022, Meetup had 2,013 nature photography groups, 6,996 outdoor adventure groups, and 335 women programmer groups.
Meetup groups provide a unique opportunity for over 250,000 women globally to sharpen their software development skills. It also allows over 1.5 million photographers to gather and share their love of art and nature. And over 6 million adventure seekers worldwide meet through Meetup groups to exchange their experiences. Meetup is the best alternative to LinkedIn for professional gatherings. [13]
11. SimplyHired
Year founded: 2004
Headquarter: Sunnyvale, California
SimplyHired is an employment platform owned by Indeed. The platform offers a website and a mobile app for online recruitment and advertising. In 2021, Simply Hired had 80 employees and generated around $40 million in revenue.
Like Indeed.com, SimplyHired speeds up the recruiting and onboarding process. Both platforms allow employers to list jobs for free and compete against LinkedIn. But SimplyHired users pay to check candidates’ contact information.
Recruiters can access the details on submitted applications. Unlike LinkedIn, SimplyHired posts job listings across multiple platforms, including Indeed. SimplyHired is one of the best alternatives to LinkedIn for job seekers. [14]
12. Twitter
Year founded: 2006
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Twitter is a social networking site with over 185 million users. The platform connects like-minded professionals and allows them to share ideas within curated Twitter communities.
In 2022, Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed his interest to acquire Twitter for $44 billion. Twitter’s acquisition was in limbo until Musk increased his personal funding in May 2022 from $27.3 billion to $33.5 billion. Musk also secured $6.25 billion in equity financing, moving the billionaire closer to ownership.
Twitter communities provide business networking opportunities. Anyone can join these communities for free and engage with decision-makers. Unlike LinkedIn, Twitter users create and search for content using hashtags. Twitter is one of the best alternatives to LinkedIn for digital marketing. [15]
13. Robert Half
Year founded: 1948
Headquarter: Menlo Park, California
Robert Half is an HR consulting firm and the world’s largest specialized talent solutions company. Its platform connects opportunities at the leading companies with skilled job seekers. In 2021, Robert Half had around 14,600 employees and generated $6.46 billion in revenue.
Robert Half is a talent acquisition company, while LinkedIn is a professional networking platform. Both connect decision-makers and job seekers. Robert Half is also the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.
In Apr 2022, Robert Half was named to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity for the fourth consecutive year. Robert Half is one of the best alternatives to LinkedIn for specialized talent solutions. [16]
14. Bark.com
Year founded: 2014
Headquarter: London, UK
Bark.com is a freelance platform that connects service providers and consumers. The site links customers with over 800 professional services. In 2021, Bark had over 5 million users across the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa.
According to G2, Bark.com is one of the top 10% freelance platforms globally. The platform links customers to professional services based on their answers to tailored questions. First-time users go through a screening process and enter their contact information.
Then, they can review leads for free and pay a small fee to view the contact details. The site also offers robust features, including a search engine, quote generator, and instant messaging. Bark.com is one of the best alternatives to LinkedIn for professional services. [17]
15. Talent.com
Year founded: 2020
Headquarter: Montreal, Canada
Talent.com is a portal that connects job seekers and hiring companies. The company started as Neuvoo, Finnish for “advise,” and rebranded in 2019 after acquiring the Talent.com domain for $1.3 million. In Mar 2022, Talent.com raised $120 million in a Series B funding round. [18]
Talent.com aggregates job ads posted by recruiters and ads from third-party recruitment sites. The platform attracts more than 28 million monthly active visitors across 78 countries. As of Mar 2022, Talent.com listed around 30 million jobs in 29 languages from 1 million companies. Talent.com is one of the fastest-growing LinkedIn competitors.
16. Naukri
Year founded: 1997
Headquarter: Noida, India
Naukri is a recruitment platform that provides hiring-related services. The platform connects job seekers with more than 20,000 recruiters and placement agencies globally. In 2021, Naukri.com ranked India’s No.1 job site and generated $404.6 million in revenue.
LinkedIn Jobs and Naukri are the best platforms for job search. The Naukri site offers several job portals and a Recruitment Management System, allowing recruiters and companies to post their vacancies.
Candidates can browse through job requirements and apply for millions of positions. Unlike other platforms, job openings posted on Naukri are accessible to a vast pool of talents. Naukri is the best alternative to LinkedIn for premium recruitment services. [19]
17. Hirist
Year founded: 2014
Headquarter: New Delhi, India
Hirist.com is a job board app which connects geeks in India with their dream IT and technical jobs. The hirist.com app simplifies job search for specialists in PHP, Java, C, C++, Python, Ruby on Rails, and tech-related tasks. In 2021, employers and recruiters posted around 15,000 job openings per month on Hirist.
Hirist provides its clients with the tools to find and apply for their dream tech job. In Aug 2020, Hirist partnered with the edtech platform Coding Ninjas to create employment opportunities. Students qualified in ML, data science, IoT, web and mobile development, and cloud computing got a premium Hirist account. These accounts had the “Certified by Coding Ninjas” badge. Hirist is the best alternative to LinkedIn for recruiting top talent in new and emerging technologies. [20]
18. AngelList Venture
Year founded: 2010
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
AngelList is a website that connects startups to angel investors and job seekers. The company started as an online board that helps tech startups secure seed funding and evolved into a career-oriented site. In May 2022, AngelList raised $100 million in a Series B at a $4 billion valuation.
AngelList allows startups to raise money from angel investors free of charge. After its Series B, the company launched a community funding round on its platform. The fresh capital will help the firm support more startups.
According to stats, AngelList facilitated 11,300 startup investments in 2021 versus 3,800 in 2020 and increased its assets by $7 billion to $10 billion. AngelList is one of the fastest-growing LinkedIn competitors. [21]
19. Hired
Year founded: 2013
Headquarter: New York City, New York
Hired is a leading recruitment platform that automates the hiring process. Vettery acquired Hired in Nov 2020 to create a unified job search platform. In 2022, Hired was recognized in G2’s annual Best Software List, which ranks the world’s best software companies and products based on users’ reviews.
In G2’s 2022 Best Software Awards, Hired received a designation of an overall “Leader” in the Job Search Sites, Recruiting Automation, and Diversity Recruiting categories. The firm won these accolades for Winter and Spring 2022, including Easiest Setup, Best Relationship, and Most Implementable. Its platform ranks highly as a mid-market solution among enterprise and small business users. Hired is a worthy LinkedIn competitor in the recruitment sector. [22]
20. Hirect
Year founded: 2021
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Hirect is an app for startup hiring that connects candidates with recruiters. It is a chat-based hiring app, allowing job seekers to chat directly with potential employers. Recruiters can post jobs for free and hire from anywhere, anytime. As of May 2022, Hirect catered to over 10,000 companies and reached 100,000 candidates.
Hirect leverages technology to simplify hiring. In Jan 2022, the company launched the MELT (Matching Employees Laid-off in Tech) Campaign. Its MELT Board has displayed details of nearly 17,000 laid-off workers across the US.
This open-source, single-point database helps job seekers find innovative companies searching for their skillsets. Recruiters can use the MELT Board to check the latest layoffs to land top talent. Hirect is an innovative alternative to LinkedIn for startup hiring. [23]
References & more information
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- Subin, S. (2021, Oct 14). Microsoft to shut down the LinkedIn website in China as internet censorship increases in the country. CNBC
- SRD (2022, Feb 14). Facebook: number of monthly active users worldwide 2008-2021. Statista
- Whiting, R. (2022, Mar 1). Customer Digital Transformation, Slack Acquisition Fuel Salesforce Growth. CRN
- Murphy, H. (2022, Feb 8). Unruly Reddit prepares for stock market debut with ad deals. FT
- Indeed, Inc. (2022, Feb 23). Job Site Indeed Pledges $10M to Aid Job Seekers Facing Employment Barriers. Business Wire
- Peralta, P. (2022, Jan 12). Glassdoor names its top 25 places to work in 2022. Benefit News
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- Meetup (2022, Jan 1). Meetup creates possibilities. Meetup.com
- Haan, K. (2022, Mar 16). SimplyHired Vs. Indeed: Which is best for your next hire? Forbes
- Kari, P. (2022, May 25). Elon Musk has secured additional funding to acquire Twitter. The Guardian
- Robert Half (2022, Apr 27). Robert Half Named to Forbes’ List of America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2022. PRNewswire
- G2 Reviews (2022, Mar 25). com Overview. G2.com
- Lunden, I. (2022, Mar 16). com raises $120M to take on Indeed and ZipRecruiter in the mass-market job search. Tech Crunch
- Pawaskar, R. (2021, Dec 6). Top alternatives for LinkedIn Jobs and Naukri for your job search. LinkedIn
- Sil, D. (2020, Aug 6). Coding Ninjas collaborates with Hirist.com to provide Tech Jobs to Students. Entrepreneur India
- Mascarenhas, N. (2022, Mar 8). AngelList Venture takes on rare capital at a $4 billion valuation. TechCrunch
- Hired (2022, Apr 12). Hired Earns More G2 2022 Best Software Awards. Hired.com
- Hirect (2022, May 27). Hirect Launches Next Phase of MELT Campaign. Medium
- Featured image by Souvik Banerjee
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