A connection request is free, needs the other person to accept, and starts a first-degree relationship you can then message for nothing. An InMail costs a credit, reaches people you are not connected to, and lets you write more, but it gets lower engagement than its reputation suggests. For most sales outreach, a good connection request beats an InMail. Here is when each one is actually the right call.
The difference, side by side
| Connection request | InMail | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Uses a credit (paid plan) |
| Needs a connection? | You are asking to connect | No, reaches people outside your network |
| Message length | Up to 300 characters in the note | Longer, subject line plus body |
| After it lands | Once accepted, message freely for free | A single message; replies open a thread |
| Limit | Weekly invitation cap | Monthly InMail credits |
| Builds your network? | Yes, adds a first-degree connection | No, unless they later connect |
The InMail response-rate stats are mostly recruiter data
This is the part most comparisons get wrong. The impressive InMail response numbers that get passed around, including the well-known claim that InMails under 400 characters get a large response lift, come from LinkedIn Recruiter data. In recruiting, the person on the other end is often actively open to being contacted about a job, so they reply. Sales prospecting is the opposite: the recipient did not ask to hear from a vendor. Applying recruiter response rates to cold sales InMail is comparing two different worlds, and it is why so many teams are disappointed by InMail performance in practice.
When to send a connection request
Most of the time. It is free, it builds your network, and the moment it is accepted you have an open channel with no per-message cost. For ordinary B2B prospecting, where you are reaching second-degree people who share context with you, a relevant request with or without a short note is the efficient choice. Whether a note helps is a real, tested question, which we cover in the note guide.
When an InMail makes sense
InMail earns its cost in specific cases: the person is out of your network and unlikely to accept a cold request, they have an open profile so the InMail is free, the message is genuinely time-sensitive, or you simply have Sales Navigator credits sitting unused each month. Treat it as the tool for reaching people you cannot connect with, not as a louder version of a connection request.
The cost math
Connection requests are free but rationed by a weekly limit, so the constraint is volume, not money. See our weekly invitation limit guide for the numbers. InMails are the reverse: no weekly cap, but each one spends a credit, so the constraint is budget. A common approach is to run connection requests as the default channel and spend InMail credits only on high-value people you cannot otherwise reach.
Frequently asked questions
Is an InMail better than a connection request?
For most sales outreach, no. A connection request is free, and once it is accepted you can message the person as often as you like at no cost. An InMail costs a credit, reaches people you are not connected to, and tends to get lower engagement than the marketing suggests. InMail earns its place when you cannot connect, not as a default.
Do InMails really have a high response rate?
Be careful with the numbers you see. The often-quoted InMail response figures, including the claim that shorter InMails get a big response lift, come from LinkedIn Recruiter data, where candidates expect and welcome recruiter outreach. That is a very different dynamic from cold sales prospecting, so those response rates do not transfer.
Can you send an InMail without connecting?
Yes, that is the point of InMail: it reaches people outside your network without needing a connection. It requires a Premium, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter plan with InMail credits, and open-profile members can be InMailed for free.
How many InMails do you get?
It depends on the plan. Sales Navigator includes a monthly batch of InMail credits, Premium plans a smaller one, and unused credits roll over for a few months up to a cap. Connection requests, by contrast, are free but capped by a weekly invitation limit.