LinkedIn is a leading professional networking platform that provides users with a comprehensive suite of tools to connect, collaborate, and advance their careers. In this article, we discuss the top LinkedIn Competitors and Alternatives.
LinkedIn, with over 700 million active users worldwide, is a transformative professional networking platform popular across diverse sectors for its user-friendly interface, robust features, and focus on professional development.
It uniquely allows users to exhibit their professional journey and achievements in detailed profiles, thus enabling employers and peers to evaluate qualifications conveniently. Additionally, LinkedIn serves as a platform to share insights and knowledge via articles, posts, and discussions, promoting personal brand building and establishing credibility.
- Product Type: Social networking platform for professionals.
- Industry: Internet, employment-oriented service.
- Founded Date: December 28, 2002.
- Founders: Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, Jean-Luc Vaillant.
- Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California, United States.
- Area Served: Worldwide.
- Current CEO: Ryan Roslansky.
Table of Contents
The top LinkedIn competitors are
1. Xing
- Product Type: Professional networking site
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: August 1, 2003
- Founders: Lars Hinrichs
- Headquarters: Hamburg, Germany
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Thomas Vollmoeller
Xing is a professional networking platform primarily centered in the European market. Like LinkedIn, Xing allows users to create profiles, share their professional experience, and network. It thrives on delivering a platform that fosters strong business relationships and enhances job mobility.
2. Indeed
- Product Type: Job search engine
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: November 2004
- Founders: Paul Forster, Rony Kahan
- Headquarters: Austin, Texas, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Chris Hyams
Indeed, it is a leading international job board. More of a job search engine, it collects jobs from various places like company websites and job listings, grouping everything into one easily searchable platform. It’s not solely focused on professional networking but is a significant competitor due to its broad job-seeking features.
3. Glassdoor
- Product Type: Job search engine and employer review site
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: June 2007
- Founders: Robert Hohman, Tim Besse, Rich Barton
- Headquarters: Mill Valley, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Christian Sutherland-Wong
Glassdoor is a unique platform that gives users an inside look at job roles and companies. The brand provides information about salaries, company reviews, and interview experiences from current and former employees. Glassdoor acts as a comprehensive resource for job seekers researching potential employers.
4. Monster
- Product Type: Job search engine
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 1994
- Founders: Jeff Taylor
- Headquarters: Weston, Massachusetts, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Scott Gutz
Monster is a global online employment solution used by job seekers and employers. It goes beyond just listing job opportunities; it provides job search services like resume writing and career advice. Its unique selling proposition is its extensive job search database and the career development services it provides the job seeker.
5. CareerBuilder
- Product Type: Job search engine
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 1995
- Founders: Robert J. McGovern
- Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Irina Novoselsky
CareerBuilder is an end-to-end human capital solutions company that connects job seekers and employers. It offers services that span the entire employee lifecycle – all hiring-related services from job listings to post-hire solutions. It’s a platform designed for job seekers looking to level up their job search and companies trying to streamline hiring.
6. Jobcase
- Product Type: Job search engine and career community
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 2009
- Founders: Fred Goff
- Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Area Served: United States
- Current CEO: Fred Goff
Jobcase is a social platform dedicated to empowering the world’s workforce. Unlike other new networking platforms or LinkedIn, which targets professionals, Jobcase caters to workers of all backgrounds and experiences. It’s a place to manage work-life, share and celebrate successes, and find community support.
7. SimplyHired
- Product Type: Job search engine
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 2003
- Founders: Gautam Godhwani, Peter Weck
- Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
SimplyHired is a job search engine designed to make finding employment easier. It aggregates job postings across job boards and company websites into a single interface, making job searching streamlined and efficient.
8. Naukri
- Product Type: Job search engine
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 1997
- Founders: Sanjeev Bikhchandani
- Headquarters: Noida, India
- Area Served: India
- Current CEO: Hitesh Oberoi
Naukri is an India-based job portal that provides a comprehensive platform for job seekers and employers. Its primary services are job listings, CV services, and recruitment solutions. With its wide range of services and robust database, Naukri is one of the leading job websites in India.
9. Viadeo
- Product Type: Social networking service
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: May 1, 2004
- Founders: Dan Serfaty, Thierry Lunati
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Renier Lemmens
Viadeo is a professional social network popular in France and French-speaking countries. It offers profiles and job postings and allows users to join groups to network and share industry news. The main thrust of Viadeo is its social networking, as it focuses on building professional connections in the Francophone world.
10. AngelList
- Product Type: Online platform for startups, angel investors, and job-seekers
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: February 2010
- Founders: Naval Ravikant, Babak Nivi
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Avlok Kohli
AngelList is a U.S. website for startups, angel investors, and job-seekers looking to work at startups. The platform is intended to democratize the investment process and to help startups with their challenges in fundraising and talent.
11. Hired
- Product Type: Online job search platform
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 2012
- Founders: Matt Mickiewicz, Allan Grant, Douglas Feirstein
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Mehul Patel
Hired is a unified job search platform and marketplace that aims to match tech talent with the right job opportunities. Besides basic job search functionality, Hired uses a unique model where candidates receive interview requests with salary and equity upfront for interested employers. It offers a tailored, transparent hiring process to both job seekers and companies.
12. ZipRecruiter
- Product Type: Online job search platform
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 2010
- Founders: Ian Siegel, Joe Edmonds, Ward Poulos
- Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Ian Siegel
ZipRecruiter is a job posting site that uses technology to connect businesses with job seekers. It actively employs innovative search and matching capabilities to streamline the hiring process. Companies can post jobs distributed to over a hundred job websites, and job seekers can apply with a click of a button.
13. Talent.com
- Product Type: Online job search platform
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 2019
- Founders: Stephane Le Viet, Jean-Benoit Andrieu
- Headquarters: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Stephane Le Viet
Talent.com is a global job search engine that operates in 80 countries and works with companies of all sizes. The brand strives to connect job seekers with the most relevant job listings. It stands out from other job search sites, crafting a user-friendly interface covering various sectors.
14. Hirist
- Product Type: Online job search platform
- Industry: Internet
- Founded Date: 2014
- Founders: Abhijeet Mukherjee, Vinit Srivastava
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Area Served: India
- Current CEO: Abhijeet Mukherjee
Hirist is a unique job portal designed explicitly for tech jobs in India. It focuses exclusively on technology and I.T. jobs, making it the go-to site for tech talent and recruiting. Hirist has robust search features and job listings, from analytics and big data to front-end development.
15. Robert Half
- Product Type: Staffing and consulting services
- Industry: Professional services
- Founded Date: 1948
- Founders: Robert Half
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: M. Keith Waddell
Robert Half is a specialized staffing agency known globally. The brand connects skilled finance, technology, and creative professionals with businesses looking for temporary or full-time staff. It’s renowned for its deep industry expertise and personalized approach to staffing solutions.
16. Robert Walters
- Product Type: Staffing and consulting services
- Industry: Professional services
- Founded Date: 1985
- Founders: Robert Walters
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Robert Walters
Robert Walters is a global recruitment agency specializing in placing professionals in various sectors. It has premium recruitment services, assists businesses in finding suitable hires, and helps candidates land roles that align with their career path. The brand takes pride in its consultative approach to recruitment.
17. Michael Page
- Product Type: Recruitment and staffing agency
- Industry: Human resources
- Founded Date: 1976
- Founders: David Page and Paul Melon
- Headquarters: London, UK
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Steve Ingham
Michael Page is one of the leading professional recruitment consultancies that has been around for more than four decades. They provide specialized recruitment services for a wide variety of sectors. Their vast network and professional expertise make them a top choice among many industries.
18. Upwork
- Product Type: Freelance marketplace
- Industry: Online staffing platform
- Founded Date: 2015 (merger of Elance and oDesk)
- Founders: Beerud Sheth, Srini Anumolu, and Stratis Karamanlakis (Elance); Odysseas Tsatalos and Gary Swart (oDesk)
- Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Hayden Brown
Upwork is a global freelancing platform where businesses can find and work with top freelance talent. It caters to various professions, from writing and graphic design to digital marketing and programming. This makes it a unique competitor against LinkedIn, given its focus on freelance and remote work.
19. Freelancer
- Product Type: Freelance marketplace
- Industry: Online staffing platform
- Founded Date: 2009
- Founders: Matt Barrie
- Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Matt Barrie
Freelancer is another popular platform for hiring freelance professionals worldwide. The brand has an easy-to-use interface where businesses can post projects and freelancers can bid on them. Unlike traditional job boards, Freelancer primarily focuses on project-based work.
20. Worksome
- Product Type: Freelance marketplace
- Industry: Online staffing platform
- Founded Date: 2017
- Founders: Morten Petersen and Mathias Linnemann
- Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Area Served: Europe
- Current CEO: Morten Petersen
Worksome is a freelance recruitment management system and marketplace tailored explicitly for businesses to hire freelancers in the technology and marketing industry. They simplify hiring remote talent, enabling companies to find, hire, and manage freelancers in one platform.
21. Toptal
- Product Type: Freelance marketplace
- Industry: Online staffing platform
- Founded Date: 2010
- Founders: Taso Du Val and Breanden Beneschott
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, USA
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Taso Du Val
Toptal is an exclusive network of the top freelance software developers, designers, finance experts, and more. It differentiates itself from networking platforms by only accepting the top 3% of freelance talent into its network. Companies can hire from this curated pool of professionals for their projects by ensuring quality and skill competence.
22. Bark
- Product Type: Online service marketplace
- Industry: Online service platform
- Founded Date: 2014
- Founders: Kai Feller, Ross Feller, and Andrew Michael
- Headquarters: London, UK
- Area Served: U.K. and US
- Current CEO: Andrew Michael
Bark is a service-based marketplace designed to connect buyers with service professionals. The platform caters to various professions, including marketing, photography, and web design. A key feature is its ability to match the users with the right professional based on their requirements.
23. Hirect
- Product Type: Online recruitment platform
- Industry: Human resources
- Founded Date: 2019
- Founders: Ankit Bansal, Hemant Kumar Sah, and Mridul Arora
- Headquarters: Gurugram, India
- Area Served: India
- Current CEO: Ankit Bansal
Hirect is a growing startup hire chat app that enables startups to hire professionals directly. It’s a mobile-first platform that combines social media and professional networking elements into an easy-to-use, chat-based interface. Differentiating itself from competitors and alternatives elsewhere, Hirect enhances recruitment by offering real-time chats.
24. Facebook
- Product Type: Social networking
- Industry: Technology
- Founded Date: February 4, 2004
- Founders: Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew McCollum, Eduardo Saverin, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Moskovitz
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook is considered a LinkedIn competitor because it’s more than just a social networking site. With its job posting capabilities and vast user base, Facebook has become a powerful tool for companies and job seekers. Businesses can post job openings on their company page, while individuals can discover, apply for, and share these job postings.
25. Meetup
- Product Type: Social networking
- Industry: Technology
- Founded Date: June 12, 2002
- Founders: Scott Heiferman and Brendan McGovern
- Headquarters: New York City, New York, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: David Siegel
Meetup is a platform that enables its users to organize and join group gatherings in person or virtually. Although not a job site, it lets professionals network by participating in Meetup groups related to their industry or area of interest, fostering professional connections and opportunities.
26. Slack
- Product Type: Business communication platform
- Industry: Technology
- Founded Date: August 2013
- Founders: Stewart Butterfield, Cal Henderson, Eric Costello, and Serguei Mourachov
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Stewart Butterfield
Slack is an instant messaging platform primarily used for team collaboration. Over time, it’s also emerged as a unique place for networking. Many industries and professions have dedicated Slack channels or communities where professionals can share knowledge, seek advice, and even find job opportunities.
27. Reddit
- Product Type: Social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website
- Industry: Technology
- Founded Date: June 23, 2005
- Founders: Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Steve Huffman
Reddit is a network of communities based on people’s interests. Among its countless communities, or ‘subred,’ there are numerous professional and industry-specific communities where job seekers and employers can post and find job listings, making it an alternate place for professional business networking opportunities and job hunting.
28. Twitter
- Product Type: Social networking
- Industry: Technology
- Founded Date: March 21, 2006
- Founders: Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Jack Dorsey
Twitter is a popular social networking site, and while it’s not built explicitly for job hunting or professional networking, many companies use it to post job openings, and many job seekers use it to tap into their professional network, making it an indirect competitor to LinkedIn.
29. Fiverr
- Product Type: Online marketplace for freelance services
- Industry: Technology
- Founded Date: February 1, 2010
- Founders: Micha Kaufman and Shai Wininger
- Headquarters: Tel Aviv, Israel
- Area Served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Micha Kaufman
Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelance services. The brand focuses on creative and digital services like graphic design, copywriting, and coding. Freelancers can create profiles and list their ‘goals; businesses or individuals can hire them for one-off tasks or long-term projects. Unlike LinkedIn, its primary demographic is freelancers in the gig economy.
These were all the competitors of LinkedIn. If you know any other competitors, please write in the comments below.
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