How to get more from your LinkedIn InMail credits, with less waste
Get more from your LinkedIn InMail credits with smarter segmentation, sharper copy and measurable follow-up. Make every credit in your budget count for more.
Get more from your InMail spend by segmenting, personalising, and measuring what works. That is how expensive LinkedIn credits turn into more replies.
InMail credits on LinkedIn are paid messages that let you reach someone outside your network directly. You get a fixed number of them every month, depending on your LinkedIn plan. Because these credits are limited and valuable, it matters that you only spend them on contacts genuinely likely to reply. Segment smartly, keep your writing short and relevant, and follow up well, and you'll get far more out of every InMail you send.
This article shows you how to use your LinkedIn InMail credits at the right moment, for the right audience, with the right message. We look at what makes a message get replies, how teams can work in a coordinated way, and how measuring your results helps you score better with every credit you spend.
- Only use an InMail when the odds of a reply are high or speed genuinely matters.
- Work with small, tightly targeted audiences for a better fit.
- Keep messages short and personal, with one clear ask.
- Plan a maximum of two follow-ups, each one adding something new.
- Measure what works by audience and variant, and adjust your approach accordingly.
What are InMail credits, and why are they so valuable?
InMail credits are part of LinkedIn Premium, including Recruiter Lite or a Recruiter Seat. They let you message someone outside your network directly, without sending a connection request first. Recruiters use them mainly when they want to reach a well-matched candidate quickly and with precision.
How many credits you get varies by package, usually somewhere between 30 and 150 a month. Send a message and one credit gets deducted straight away. If the recipient replies within a set window, you get that credit back. That's exactly why it matters to only message people a reply is genuinely likely from.
Your LinkedIn settings show how many credits you have left, how many have been restored, and whether you can buy extra InMail credits. Keep an eye on changing rules around limits and credit refunds too, since these can shift from year to year or by package type.
When do you send an InMail, and when a connection request?
An InMail is the right call when you want to send a substantive message quickly, or when context really matters. Think of an urgent vacancy for a specialist role, or reaching out to someone with an executive profile. It gives you room to explain straight away why you're getting in touch, without needing to connect first.
A standard connection request is the smarter move when speed isn't the priority. It's free, gives you more visibility in the other person's network, and makes following up easier. You can always send a message afterwards on LinkedIn, even if there's been no reply yet.
A simple rule of thumb: if reaching someone today genuinely matters, and you suspect they won't respond to a connection request, choose an InMail. If your goal is building your network and you can afford to be patient, send an invitation first.
How to lift your InMail response rate and get more from your credits
Choose your audience carefully first: segmentation drives tone and timing
An effective InMail starts with a clear choice of audience. Segment by role, industry, region or seniority. Write differently for a lead developer than for an HR manager, for example. The more specific your segment, the more personal your message can feel.
Work in small groups of similar profiles. Send five messages to a group that shares the same context rather than fifty generic messages to a mixed crowd. This saves credits, but more importantly, it lifts relevance and, with it, your odds of a reply.
Write short, personal messages with a single call to action
Open your message with a concrete hook from their profile. For example: "I noticed you recently joined [company] as [role]." Avoid vague opening lines, and don't start with a lengthy introduction about yourself. Get straight to the reason for your message.
Aim every message at a single, clear goal, an invitation to a first chat, a substantive reply, or a short call. Frame that as a concrete question or suggestion: "Would it be useful to compare notes on this briefly?"
You'll find more examples of effective structures and calls to action in our guide to personal InMail copy.
Testing several variants? Keep it simple and comparable
Want to improve through testing? Change one element at a time. Compare, for example, two opening lines against the same core message. Or test a formal tone against a more direct style, but don't split this into countless variants without a clear purpose.
Measure your results at the group level, not across your entire population. A variant that works well with young professionals can score lower with senior profiles. Keep test groups clearly defined, and base your conclusions on what genuinely works for a specific audience.
Tip: Elvatix gets more out of every InMail credit. Higher response rates, lower cost per contact.
See how →Follow-ups make the difference, but only when they add value
Plenty of replies only come after a follow-up. Plan one or two follow-up messages accordingly. Don't literally repeat your earlier message; instead, offer a new, substantive hook. Think of an article relevant to the other person's profile, an update on your role or vacancy, or a thought on something you spotted on their profile.
Respect boundaries: if someone has explicitly said they're not interested, or hasn't responded at all, repeating yourself without a fresh reason is not the right call. On average, people reply somewhere between day five and seven after the first message. Use that window for a relevant, friendly second attempt, without putting your reputation at risk.
Our case study on personal follow-up at scale shows exactly how this plays out in practice, with concrete examples.
Consistent quality across teams: how to standardise without losing quality
In bigger teams, the style and quality of InMail messages can vary wildly. That leads to unnecessary credit use and fewer replies. Agree as a team on how you handle profile information, what tone you're going for, and which structure works best.
Make sure team members work from the same example lines or templates per audience. That way the message stays recognisable, even when written by different people. Have colleagues review each other's messages before they go live. That's how you keep quality high without a huge time investment.
See how you can safeguard quality in scalable outreach with reusable formats and team agreements.
How Elvatix helps you write better, send faster and get more replies
Our solution built into LinkedIn Recruiter supports drafting multiple messages at once, tailored to every profile in your batch. You stay fully in control: review each suggestion and decide whether to use it, edit it, or set it aside. The tone matches your own style and the audience, so every message stays personal and credible.
You work faster and spend less time thinking about copy, without any drop in quality. Messages are suggested based on role, profile content and previous replies from your own system. That lifts relevance without you having to write everything by hand.
Read here how this works within your existing LinkedIn flow.
What should you measure to get more out of your InMail credits?
Good measurement helps you make better choices by audience and variant. The following metrics matter most:
- Response rate per message group
- Average cost per reply
- Number of conversations that start within 14 days of the message
Don't just look at how many people reply, look at what they actually write too. A genuine reply is worth more than a polite decline. Make sure your tests are always tied to a specific segment and goal. That way you can attribute improvements directly to whatever you changed.
Agree within the team on who owns reporting and how insights get shared. That's the only way to work with focus and actually learn from the replies you get. Want to put this into practice quickly? Book a short walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions about InMail credits
How many InMail credits do you get per LinkedIn plan?
The number of credits varies depending on your LinkedIn Premium package. Recruiter Seat users often get between 100 and 150 credits a month. With Recruiter Lite and other Premium packages, that figure is lower, often around 30 a month. You'll find this in your subscription overview.
What happens if someone ignores my InMail?
If there's no reply within the window LinkedIn sets (usually 7 days), you lose the credit. That's why it's so important to make the message as relevant as possible. If someone does reply, you'll often get your credit refunded.
Can you buy extra InMail credits?
In some cases, yes, buying additional credits is possible, depending on your package. LinkedIn also offers bundles or upgrades that include more credits. You can check this through your settings or your account manager.
Is it smart to prioritise connection requests over InMails?
Yes, when timing allows it. Connection requests are free and help you grow your network. After that, you can send free messages. Use InMail mainly when speed matters, for executive profiles, or when you don't expect a reply to a connection request.
What determines whether a message works?
The combination of audience choice, tone, timing and clarity. Messages with a clear profile hook, a genuinely one-to-one tone and a sharp call to action perform better. Measuring results teaches you what works per segment, which improves your success rate over time.
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