Prospecting is tough. Prospecting without a fancy tool like LinkedIn Sales Navigator? Even tougher—or is it? Some scrappy sales pros and founders on Reddit think otherwise. They’re using tools like LinkedFusion to get around paying for Sales Navigator. But is it smart… or risky business?
TLDR: Reddit users are buzzing about using LinkedFusion for prospecting without having to pay for LinkedIn Sales Navigator. It saves money, but it’s a bit of a gray area. Some love the automation and results. Others say it’s risky and can cause account issues on LinkedIn.
Why Skip Sales Navigator?
Sales Navigator offers amazing filters, better outreach, and premium features. But it doesn’t come cheap. At over $90 a month, many solo founders, freelancers, and bootstrapped startups look for a workaround.
That’s where LinkedFusion enters the chat. It’s a third-party automation tool that helps with LinkedIn messaging, profile visits, and even follow-ups. You connect it to your standard LinkedIn account and boom—you’re automating prospecting like a pro.
Reddit’s take? Some users are getting great results. Others warn about LinkedIn sending scary warning messages, or worse—account restrictions.
What Is LinkedFusion?
LinkedFusion is a cloud-based lead automation tool. You don’t need to keep your browser open or install funky plugins. It works 24/7, even while you sleep.
Here’s what it can do:
- Send connection requests
- Send follow-up messages
- Auto-visit profiles (great for warming up leads!)
- Schedule campaigns
- Integrates with tools like Zapier, HubSpot, and Gmail
And all of this works with your basic LinkedIn account—no Sales Nav required.
Pros According to Reddit Users
Let’s get into the good stuff first. Here’s what Reddit users say they love about LinkedFusion:
- It’s affordable — One Redditor said, “Why pay $100 for Sales Nav when this tool does 90% of the job?”
- Super easy to set up — No tech background needed. Just log in, set your filters, write your script, and go.
- Automated follow-ups — People often ignore the first message. So LinkedFusion automatically sends two or three follow-ups until someone bites.
- Saves tons of time — Write one good campaign and let it roll while you handle calls, close deals, or just take a nap.
“I got 5 meetings in one week from a campaign that took 10 minutes to set up,” wrote one Reddit user. Not bad, right?
The Risky Business: What Could Go Wrong?
Now for the not-so-fun part. LinkedIn doesn’t exactly *love* third-party automation tools. It wants users to be human, authentic, and not overly spammy.
Here’s what Redditors shared about the risks:
- Banhammer risk — Use LinkedFusion too aggressively, and LinkedIn might suspend your account.
- No Sales Nav filters — Without Sales Navigator, you can’t target prospects as precisely.
- Reliability issues — Sometimes the tool misses messages or creates duplicates. Not ideal when you want to seem professional.
- LinkedIn detection — A few users received warning notifications from LinkedIn saying, “We’ve noticed unusual activity on your account…” Yikes.
One Redditor said, “I used LinkedFusion and got a warning from LinkedIn within a week. I toned down the messaging volume and kept it safe after that.”
Reddit’s Favorite Tips for Playing It Safe
If you decide to go full rebel mode and use LinkedFusion without Sales Navigator, Reddit has your back. Here’s what they recommend for staying under the radar:
- Low message volume — Keep it below 50 connection requests per day until your profile builds credibility.
- Don’t copy-paste the same script — Personalize! Add first names, mention the person’s company or city.
- Use time gaps — Spread messages across different times of the day. Don’t blast 50 in one hour.
- Warm up your account — Manually engage with some profiles before starting your first campaign.
These small details make a big difference. Redditors say that if you’re smart with it, you can prospect quietly and effectively—even without the bells and whistles of Sales Nav.
Some Smart Workarounds
One clever idea we saw on Reddit: use LinkedIn search filters combined with Google’s site search. Like this:
site:linkedin.com/in/ AND "Marketing Manager" AND "San Francisco"
Then plug those profiles into LinkedFusion manually or with a CSV file. Not as slick as Sales Nav, but it works in a pinch.
You can also try tools like:
- Phantombuster
- Snov.io
- Scrapybird
Many users run these in tandem with LinkedFusion. It creates a lean, mean prospecting machine for under $50/month combined.
So… Is It Worth It?
It depends on your risk-tolerance and goals. If you’re a solo founder trying to book sales calls, LinkedFusion without Sales Nav can work wonders. But if your entire business depends on LinkedIn, it might be safer to pay for Sales Nav and avoid automation warnings.
Here’s a quick gut check to help you decide:
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Low budget, early-stage startup | Try LinkedFusion, just keep it light |
| Rely 100% on LinkedIn for leads | Use Sales Navigator and avoid automation |
| Need quick leads with low risk | Combine LinkedFusion with some manual outreach |
Final Thoughts from the Reddit Trenches
The Reddit community is full of helpful insights and stories. Some have scored quick wins. Others learned the hard way.
One user put it best:
“LinkedFusion is like a chainsaw. Amazing tool—if you know how to use it. Otherwise, you might cut off your own foot.”
So be smart. Start slow. Test campaigns. And always focus on real, human conversations—even from behind automation.
Happy prospecting!
