Introduction
LinkedIn gives you three core outreach paths: send a connection request with a note, burn an InMail credit, or message an Open Profile for free. Most teams default to whichever one their tool happens to use, and never compare the conversion math. This post lays out reply rates, cost-per-conversation, weekly limits, and when to pick which.
The Three Channels at a Glance
- Connection request: Free, ~100/wk limit, 25–35% accept rate, 300-character note, requires accept first.
- InMail: $5–12/credit, plan-capped, 10–18% reply rate, 2,000-char body + subject, no prior contact needed.
- Open Profile InMail: Free, unlimited, 18–30% reply rate, 2,000-char body + subject, no prior contact, lands in primary inbox.
Reply Rate Benchmarks (2026)
From our analysis of ~2.4M outbound messages across Quicklead customer campaigns over the past 12 months:
- Cold connection request + note: 11% median, 24% top decile
- Standard InMail: 12% median, 22% top decile
- Open Profile InMail: 23% median, 38% top decile
Open Profile InMails outperform standard InMails because: Open Profile users want to be reached; subject + 2,000-character body lets you build context; messages land in the primary inbox.
Cost-per-Conversation Math
Assume a 1,000-prospect campaign, $10/InMail credit. Connection requests: 1,000 sends, 110 replies, $0 cost. Standard InMail: 1,000 sends, 120 replies, $10,000 spend, $83/reply. Manual Open Profile (~20% of list): 200 sends, 46 replies, $0.
Now overlay Open Profile auto-detection on top of a connection-request campaign: 800 connection requests + 200 Open Profile InMails = 134 total replies. That's a 22% lift over connection requests alone, for $0.
When to Use Each Channel — Decision Tree
- Is the prospect a 1st-degree connection? → Free DM.
- Is their profile Open? → Open Profile InMail (free).
- Is the prospect Open to Work? → Free Recruiter message.
- Otherwise → Send connection request + note → InMail if rejected after 14 days.
This routing logic is what Quicklead's Open Profile InMail feature automates — every prospect is auto-routed to the cheapest valid channel.
When Is InMail Still the Right Call?
Don't write off paid InMail. Use it for high-value, hard-to-reach buyers (CRO/CFO of a $1B+ company who isn't Open and won't accept invites); time-sensitive outreach where you can't wait for an invite to accept; recruiting executives who turn off Open Profile for noise reasons.
For everyone else, Open Profile is the better default.
See the Routing Logic Live
Book a 20-minute Quicklead demo — we'll show you which channel each prospect should go through automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Open Profile InMail better than regular InMail?
For reply rate and cost, yes — Open Profile averages 23% reply vs 12% for standard InMail, at $0 vs $10/message.
Q: Should I send a connection request or an Open Profile InMail?
If Open Profile is on, send the InMail — it's free and bypasses the accept step.
Q: Can I send both a connection request and an Open Profile InMail to the same person?
Yes. Many teams use Open Profile InMail as the opener.
Q: Do Open Profile InMails count against the weekly invite cap?
No. They're a separate channel.
Q: Why is the reply rate higher on Open Profile?
Open Profile users opted in to direct messages and read their primary inbox.