Compare/Head to head

Bright Data vs LinkMCP

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Bright Data

$1.50/1K results Free tier

Web data MCP server with 32 tools for search, scraping, browser automation and LinkedIn profile, company and job data, with blocking handled for you. 5,000 free requests a month, then $1.50 per 1,000 results. Best for sourcing and research agents that need public data without a LinkedIn login.

Where Bright Data fits

  • Sourcers who need public LinkedIn profile data at volume
  • Research agents that get blocked by built-in web tools
  • Teams pulling job postings and company data

LinkMCP

$19/mo 7 day free trial

Hosted LinkedIn MCP server that lets Claude, ChatGPT or n8n research, search and message on LinkedIn through your own account. From $19/mo with a 7 day free trial and no card. Best for recruiters who already work in an AI assistant and want LinkedIn research and outreach inside the same chat.

Where LinkMCP fits

  • Recruiters who source and message candidates from Claude or ChatGPT
  • Agency recruiters researching hiring managers before outreach
  • Teams that want LinkedIn steps inside n8n workflows

At a glance

DetailBright DataLinkMCP
Starting price$1.50/1K results$19/mo
Free tier✓Yes–No
Free trialNot on record7 day free trial
MCP server✓Yes✓Yes
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underSourcing, Lead generationLinkedIn, Email finders, Sourcing

Where they pull apart

Bright Data

Stands out: It turns 1,200+ pre-built scrapers, including LinkedIn profiles, companies and jobs, into tools an agent can find and run itself, with the unblocking handled on every request.

Watch out: It reads public data only, so it cannot message people or send connection requests, and it does not return verified emails or phones. Past the free tier, usage is billed per result, so large runs need a spend cap.

Not the right fit for

  • Recruiters who want to message candidates on LinkedIn
  • Users who want one flat monthly price
  • Teams that need contact emails and phones

LinkMCP

Stands out: It turns LinkedIn into 35 tools an assistant can chain, so one prompt can find candidates, read their recent posts and draft a personal connection note, with no browser extension and nothing running on your computer.

Watch out: It works through your signed in LinkedIn session, not an official LinkedIn API, so an account restriction cannot be ruled out even with its daily limits. Connecting your own account needs a paid plan; the trial only covers lookups and enrichment.

Not the right fit for

  • Bulk LinkedIn campaigns to thousands of people
  • Teams that need a tool built on LinkedIn's official API
  • Recruiters who do not use an AI assistant

Pros and cons

Bright Data

  • 5,000 free requests a month
  • LinkedIn, job and company scrapers
  • Blocking and CAPTCHAs handled
  • Cannot message or send invitations
  • Pay-as-you-go costs can add up
  • Many products to learn

LinkMCP

  • 7 day trial, no card
  • 35 LinkedIn tools in any MCP client
  • Daily limits and pacing built in
  • Not an official LinkedIn API
  • Own account needs a paid plan
  • Not built for bulk campaigns

What each one costs

Bright Data

$1.50/1K results

The Bright Data MCP server includes 5,000 free requests a month, renewing monthly with no card needed. Beyond that it is pay as you go: $1.50 per 1,000 results for search, scraping and extraction, and $8 per GB for browser navigation, with spend caps available. Its wider products are priced separately, including Scraper APIs from $1 per 1,000 records and LinkedIn and other datasets from $250 per 100,000 records. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 21 Oct 2026

LinkMCP

$19/mo

LinkMCP has three paid plans: Starter at $19/mo, Pro at $49/mo with five times the usage and higher LinkedIn daily limits, and Max at $199/mo with fifty times the usage. Every plan includes every tool, and top up packs cost $10. The 7 day free trial needs no card and covers profile and company lookups, post data and email and phone finding; connecting your own LinkedIn account for search, messages and posting needs a paid plan. New trials get their first month of Starter for $9.50. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 21 Oct 2026

Common questions

Is Bright Data cheaper than LinkMCP?
Bright Data starts lower, at $1.50/1K results against $19/mo for LinkMCP. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Bright Data or LinkMCP for free?
Bright Data carries a free tier on our listing. LinkMCP offers a 7 day free trial.
Does Bright Data or LinkMCP have an MCP server?
Bright Data and LinkMCP ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 21 Oct 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?