LinkedIn Learning Review 2024: Is It Worth It?

In this review, you will learn what are the LinkedIn Learning's main features and pros and cons, how much it costs, and determine whether it is worth your time or not. We will also discuss what types of classes are available on the platform and compare LinkedIn Learning with other popular online learning websites.

By now, most professionals have recognized the importance of upskilling. The problem is, many of us are having a hard time juggling family, work, and a million other things, and just don't have time - or money - to go to a university to take classes. Fortunately, there are quite a few online learning platforms nowadays that enable you to learn while balancing other roles in your life. Did you know that online learning actually requires 40-60% less time to learn than traditional education? Not to mention how much more affordable it is. And today I want to talk about one of the top online learning platforms called LinkedIn Learning.

LinkedIn Learning Pros And Cons In Short

What Is LinkedIn Learning?

I'm sure you know of LinkedIn, the biggest networking platform for professionals. But did you know that a few years ago the company decided to focus more on education and purchased a well-known MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) provider Lynda.com? Fast forward to today, and we see that LinkedIn Learning is now considered to be one of the best e-learning platforms with over 16,000 business, creative, and technology video courses for beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level learners.

LinkedIn Learning offers both in-depth courses and bite-size video tutorials, making it easy to learn at your own pace. The courses are tailored to individuals who want to learn new skills or expand their expertise, and organizations that are looking for a source of training for their employees.

Difference Between Lynda And LinkedIn Learning

Lynda was founded 20 years ago, and it remains one of the oldest e-learning platforms on the market. LinkedIn acquired the company back in 2015, and Lynda migrated over to LinkedIn Learning a couple of years later. All the content has been transferred to LinkedIn Learning. And although Lynda is still functioning as a separate platform, if you go to their website you will be redirected to LinkedIn Learning. So what is the difference between Lynda and LinkedIn Learning?

All the courses available on Lynda are now available on LinkedIn Learning. Since the shift to LinkedIn Learning, they have begun to focus more on businesses and now offer subscription services for companies and large organizations. This allows multiple users to access the courses and expand their knowledge. It is much cheaper for companies to upskill their employees this way rather than sending them to external training. At the moment, almost a third of LinkedIn Learning's revenue comes from the enterprise. This includes college professors who assign courses to their students and top companies who choose LinkedIn Learning courses for employee training.

Another great thing about LinkedIn Learning - and that is missing on Lynda - is that you get personalized recommendations based on your current job, your professional network, etc. And once you complete the course and learn new skills, you can easily show off those skills on your profile.

How Much Does LinkedIn Learning Cost?

LinkedIn Learning is a subscription-based service, meaning that for a flat monthly fee, you get unlimited access to all the courses in the library. LinkedIn Learning Premium subscription costs $29,99 a month which is less than what some online learning websites charge for a single course. And if you opt for an annual subscription, you will get a 17% discount and pay only $299,88 for the whole year - which means that you will get 2 months for free.

You can also purchase individual courses on LinkedIn Learning. This might be a good option for people who want to train themselves on a specific topic.

What Is Included In LinkedIn Learning Subscription?

LinkedIn Learning Premium subscription gives you access to all 16,000+ courses, which you can watch at any time on your mobile device or computer. You will also get a certificate of completion (more on that below), and offline access to the courses for anywhere learning.

The courses are taught by experts in the field and available in seven languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin, and Portuguese.

Many of the LinkedIn Learning courses have a "learn by doing" approach - which is awesome because, for me, it is a much more effective way of learning. There are quizzes within courses and exercise files that help students increase motivation, engagement, and boost learning.

There is no limit on how many courses you can watch each month, it's all up to you. There are also many new courses being added every week, so you will never find yourself short of things to learn.

As a bonus, LinkedIn Learning subscription also enables students to access LinkedIn’s Premium Career features, such as InMail which lets you contact anyone on LinkedIn directly over the platform. You also get the ability to see who viewed your LinkedIn profile and who else applied for the same jobs as you did.

Linkedin Learning Paths 

Learning Paths is an incredible feature that really makes LinkedIn Learning stand out. Basically, it is a playlist of related video courses on a topic you are interested in. If you want to move to another career field but don't know where to start, then instead of taking random courses you can just go to LinkedIn Learning, pick the subject you are interested in, and see what courses Learning Paths offer in a field of your interest. For instance, if you want to become a web designer,  you will be suggested the following courses:

You won't get a degree on LinkedIn,

But Learning Paths is certainly a great way to gain new skills, transform your current career path, and finally become what you want to be.

Before taking any course, you can check its overview that includes such information as course length, difficulty level, release date (this is especially important for tech courses), the number of people who watched the course and where they work, course description and the information about the instructor, skills covered in the course, and related courses.

LinkedIn Learning video courses include transcripts, which I find to be very helpful for people like myself, whose first language isn't English.

Q&A Feature

Q&A is another cool LinkedIn Learning feature that I want to mention. It allows learners to ask questions and get answers from the instructors, co-workers, and their network. Moreover, you can see what questions others have posted, read the answers, and tag anyone who might find this information useful.

Linkedin Learning FAQ

Can You Download LinkedIn Learning Courses For Offline Viewing?

Yes, you can download LinkedIn Learning courses and view them offline at any time. However, you can only do it through the mobile app, and your subscription needs to be active for offline viewing.

Is LinkedIn Learning Free?

No, LinkedIn Learning is not free. However, you can gain free access to LinkedIn Learning if you have a subscription to any of the following LinkedIn services:

Premium Career

Premium Business

Executive

Sales Navigator Professional

Recruiter Lite

And, as I've already mentioned, another way to access LinkedIn Learning for free is to sign up for a 1-month trial.

LinkedIn Learning Refund

LinkedIn Learning doesn't offer refunds on monthly or annual subscriptions. If you have purchased an individual course, you can get a refund within 30 days.

LinkedIn Learning Disadvantages

After reading numerous reviews, I understand that the biggest downside of the platform for most LinkedIn Learning learners is the lack of accreditation. However, if your goal is to sharpen your skills or secure a new job, and you don't care about not being able to transfer credits towards a university degree, then this won't be a problem for you.

I also want to mention that prior to taking any course I suggest you read its description - to make sure that the course is of high-quality and not outdated - and research the expertise level of the instructors. Even though there are many brilliant courses available on the LinkedIn Learning platform, there are also many that lack quality.

I would also prefer LinkedIn to have a more active learning approach. Yes, there are quizzes and a Q&A feature -  which is great, but I would love to be able to create projects and interact more with the instructors and peers. I think that would make the learning experience more immersive and enjoyable.

What Happens After You Cancel LinkedIn Learning Account?

If you decide to cancel your LinkedIn Learning subscription you will continue to have access to your completed courses to add to your profile, but you will no longer be able to access paid course content.

Is LinkedIn Learning Worth It?

Yes, LinkedIn Learning is worth it. For a low monthly fee, you gain access to thousands of high-quality online courses that you can take anytime and anywhere. After you complete a course, you will be able to showcase your new skills (and your Certificates of Completion) on your LinkedIn profile.

Overall, LinkedIn Learning is a great e-learning platform for people who want to educate themselves - especially in fields where no traditional education is available - and improve their careers.    

Just think of how LinkedIn Learning can help you land your dream job and achieve all your goals! So if you want to give LinkedIn Learning a try, you can sign up for a 1-month free trial now and decide for yourself later whether it's a good match for you or not.