Head to head

LinkedIn Recruiter vs Nova Recruiter

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

LinkedIn Recruiter

$140/mo

The default sourced candidate database, with InMail and projects. Around $140 per seat/month.

Where LinkedIn Recruiter fits

Almost every in-house talent team
Agency desks running InMail projects
Sourcers who work the graph daily
Buyers weighing Recruiter against job ads alone

Nova Recruiter

€49/mo Free tier

AI sourcing and outreach across 800M+ profiles, with MCP on paid plans. Free plan available; Starter is €49/mo. Prices are published in euros.

Where Nova Recruiter fits

Solo headhunters starting on the €49 Starter
Small agency desks of up to 3 on Growth
Recruiters who want to source from Claude via MCP
Teams that pay per contacted candidate, not per seat

At a glance

Detail	LinkedIn Recruiter	Nova Recruiter
Starting price	$140/mo	€49/mo
Free tier	–No	✓Yes
MCP server	–No	✓Yes
Public API	–No	–No
Listed under	Job boards, LinkedIn, Sourcing	ATS, Outreach, CRM, AI sourcing, Sourcing
Capterra	4.5 from 150 reviews	Not enough reviews

Where they pull apart

LinkedIn Recruiter

Stands out: It is the graph every other sourcing tool enriches from.

Watch out: It is supply, not a system of record, so you still need an ATS.

Not the right fit for

Teams that only need to post a job
Buyers unwilling to pay per seat

Nova Recruiter

Stands out: MCP is on Starter, so you can run searches and outreach from Claude or ChatGPT without a Growth bill.

Watch out: Prices are in euros, with VAT extra. One credit is one candidate contacted or exported, and Free is 2 searches a month.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need a USD price
In-house TA teams that will not manage credits

Pros and cons

LinkedIn Recruiter

The default graph for most talent teams
InMail and projects included
Connects to the major enterprise trackers

Per-seat cost across a team
Not an ATS
No API or MCP

Nova Recruiter

Free plan at €0/month
Starter €49/mo includes MCP
Credits follow contacted candidates, not seats

Prices in euros, VAT extra
Free is 2 searches and 10 credits
Starter is limited to one user

What each one costs

LinkedIn Recruiter

$140/mo

From ~$140/mo seat. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Nova Recruiter

€49/mo

Free is €0 with 2 searches and 10 credits a month. Starter is €49/mo and Growth €199/mo, billed monthly by card with VAT extra; extra credits cost €1 on Starter and €0.50 on Growth. Agency licences and Enterprise plans are quoted on annual contracts. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try LinkedIn Recruiter or Nova Recruiter for free?

Nova Recruiter carries a free tier on our listing.

Does LinkedIn Recruiter or Nova Recruiter have an MCP server?

Nova Recruiter ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All LinkedIn Recruiter alternatives All Nova Recruiter alternatives Every Job boards tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 7 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?