How to Scrape LinkedIn Data with an API

This guide covers LinkedIn people and company lookups via Social Fetch's /v1/linkedin/** routes, with runnable examples below. It also explains what DIY browser scraping and LinkedIn's partner APIs actually involve on this platform. For the generic build-vs-buy comparison, see Social Fetch vs DIY scraping.

The shortest path is a single request:

curl -sS \
  -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY" \
  -G "https://api.socialfetch.dev/v2/linkedin/profiles" \
  --data-urlencode "handle=williamhgates"

You'll need an API key and curl or the TypeScript SDK. New to the API? Start with the Quickstart.

DIY browser scraping on LinkedIn

A plain fetch() to linkedin.com gets blocked almost immediately — LinkedIn inspects TLS fingerprints, cookies, and session state. Public cards often sit behind auth walls or challenge pages; structured fields live in Voyager-style JSON that changes without notice.

from playwright.async_api import async_playwright
import asyncio, random

async def scrape_linkedin_profile(profile_url: str):
    async with async_playwright() as p:
        browser = await p.chromium.launch(
            headless=False,
            proxy={
                "server": "http://residential-proxy.example:9000",
                "username": "user",
                "password": "pass",
            },
        )
        context = await browser.new_context(
            user_agent=pick_real_user_agent(),
            locale="en-US",
            timezone_id="America/New_York",
        )
        # Many teams also inject a reused LinkedIn session cookie here.
        # That path breaks on auth checkpoints and ToS risk stays on you.
        page = await context.new_page()

        await page.goto(profile_url, wait_until="networkidle")
        await asyncio.sleep(random.uniform(2.0, 6.0))

        # Public cards still hide behind auth walls, challenge pages, and
        # Voyager JSON that changes without notice. HTML alone is rarely enough.
        html = await page.content()
        await browser.close()
        return html

A working DIY pipeline also needs:

• Residential or mobile proxies. Datacenter IPs are flagged within a few hits.
• Session reuse and checkpoint recovery. Cookie injection inherits auth challenges, CAPTCHA loops, and account risk. Every checkpoint sends you back to babysit a browser.
• Page-type traps. /in/…, /company/…, and school/organization URLs are different entities. A single selector that ignores page type forces your code to guess.
• Behavioral pacing. Fixed intervals read as a bot, so you add randomized delays and cap concurrency.

LinkedIn quietly reshapes cards and tightens walls. A scraper that worked Tuesday returns challenge HTML Friday.

LinkedIn official APIs

LinkedIn's developer platform fits apps inside LinkedIn's ecosystem — member login, partner features LinkedIn has approved, or Marketing Developer Platform products with matching scopes:

• Partner / member-authorized APIs expose data LinkedIn grants your app for approved use cases and members who authorize access.
• Marketing Developer Platform (MDP) covers LinkedIn-approved marketing and advertising workflows — not arbitrary public CRM enrichment without that relationship.
• Official products do not unlock "any profile on the internet." They unlock what LinkedIn authorizes for your app and members.

Check LinkedIn Developers before building — terms change often.

Using the Social Fetch API

Social Fetch exposes LinkedIn under documented /v1/linkedin/** routes — people profiles, companies, organizations/schools, posts, people search, jobs, Ad Library, and transcripts where supported. One header authenticates every call; responses share the same data + meta envelope across platforms.

Get a person profile

The same lookup in cURL, the TypeScript SDK, Python, and more — switch tabs to match your stack:

const params = new URLSearchParams({"handle":"williamhgates"});

const response = await fetch(
  `https://api.socialfetch.dev/v2/linkedin/profiles?${params.toString()}`,
  {
    headers: {
      "x-api-key": process.env.SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY,
    },
  }
);

const body = await response.json();

console.log(response.status, body);

Person profiles are 3 credits per completed lookup. Batch up to 50 /in/… URLs on GET /v2/linkedin/profiles/batch. Charge includes a verified miss — check lookupStatus. Pass a company URL into the person route and you will not get a company card; use the company or organization endpoints instead.

Get a company page

const params = new URLSearchParams({"url":"https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft"});

const response = await fetch(
  `https://api.socialfetch.dev/v1/linkedin/companies?${params.toString()}`,
  {
    headers: {
      "x-api-key": process.env.SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY,
    },
  }
);

const body = await response.json();

console.log(response.status, body);

Company page lookups are 1 credit on a completed request. Schools and mixed organization page types use GET /v2/linkedin/organizations. Full parameters: Get LinkedIn profile and Get LinkedIn company page. Every LinkedIn operation is in the LinkedIn API reference.

People search and metered lists

Some LinkedIn routes are flat credits; others are metered by returned records. Read the operation page before you wire a loop:

People search (GET /v2/linkedin/people/search) takes keyword. Empty result pages still bill when the lookup completes. Preflight reserves for the documented worst case; meta.creditsCharged is what actually billed. Details: Search LinkedIn people and Credits.

Reading the response

HTTP responses for a single person profile are { data, meta } with data.lookupStatus and data.profile. URL batches use a results[] entry per requested URL. A successful single lookup looks like this:

{
  "data": {
    "results": [
      {
        "url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamhgates",
        "lookupStatus": "found",
        "profile": {
          "displayName": "Bill Gates",
          "headline": "Chair, Gates Foundation",
          "profileUrl": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamhgates"
        },
        "metrics": {
          "connections": null,
          "followers": 35000000
        }
      }
    ],
    "summary": {
      "requestedUrls": 1,
      "found": 1,
      "notFound": 0,
      "errored": 0
    }
  },
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_01example",
    "creditsCharged": 2,
    "version": "v1"
  }
}

The TypeScript SDK's client.linkedin.getProfile({ handle }) calls the v2 single-profile route. An HTTP 200 does not guarantee lookupStatus: "found". Branch before you upsert. Every response carries meta.requestId for support tracing. See Errors.

Social Fetch only returns publicly visible data. Content gated beyond public visibility is out of scope — you get a typed status, not invented private fields.

What you can build

• CRM enrichment — resolve public /in/… and /company/… cards into structured rows before a sales or CS handoff.
• Account research — pull company pages and recent company posts for pipeline notes without running a residential browser farm.
• Go-to-market discovery — use people search when you need name-based discovery, with eyes open on metered pricing and latency.

For the same identity pattern across LinkedIn and creator networks, see Cross-platform creator profiles.

FAQ

Is scraping LinkedIn legal?

It depends on your jurisdiction, what data you collect, and how you use it. Collecting public, business-level metrics for B2B analytics is a common pattern, and courts (e.g. hiQ v. LinkedIn) have generally treated public-web data as fair game in several jurisdictions. You remain responsible for LinkedIn's terms, applicable privacy law, and your own contracts. This is a technical guide, not legal advice — talk to counsel if you're collecting at scale.

Can't I just use LinkedIn's official API?

Not for arbitrary public /in/… or /company/… enrichment. Partner and MDP products are for LinkedIn-approved, member-authorized apps. For public-page enrichment without that access, a data API is the usual fit. See LinkedIn official APIs.

How fresh is the data?

Each request fetches live from LinkedIn at call time — there's no cache returning an hour-old snapshot. If a number looks off, meta.requestId lets support trace that specific lookup.

What happens if a profile is missing or gated?

Check lookupStatus on each result. Don't treat a 200 alone as "data is present." Content beyond public visibility is out of scope. Details in Errors.

How are credits charged?

Credits charge when a lookup completes. Person profiles are 2 credits per URL requested. Company pages are 1 credit. People search and profile-post lists are metered (2 attempt fee + 2 per returned record). Validation failures and failures that never complete a lookup do not bill the same way — see Credits. Always reconcile against meta.creditsCharged.

How does this compare to other providers?

See the side-by-side comparisons: vs Apify, vs Bright Data, vs Proxycurl, the full compare hub, and Best LinkedIn data APIs in 2026.

Next steps: Quickstart · LinkedIn platform hub · LinkedIn API reference · Pricing