Malt
France
EU
Malt is a freelance marketplace from Paris, France. The company was registered in Paris in 2013 and brings independent specialists and the companies that hire them together: developers, designers, marketers, consultants and...
European Alternatives to LinkedIn
Welcome to the Jungle
France
EU
Welcome to the Jungle (often shortened to WTTJ) is a job and employer-branding platform from Paris, France. The company behind it, Coruscant SAS, was registered in 2014, and the platform has been...
Germany
EU
XING is a prominent professional networking platform based in Europe, designed to connect professionals and enhance career development. Established primarily for German-speaking countries, it is an essential tool for anyone looking to...
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Submit SuggestionEuropean alternatives to LinkedIn are few, and none replaces it one to one. LinkedIn is the professional network owned by Microsoft, and its strength is its global reach. The options listed here each cover a part of it: XING for networking and jobs in German-speaking countries, Malt for freelance work and Welcome to the Jungle for job search and employer profiles. All of them are also on the business networks category page.
Why people look for a LinkedIn alternative
- Data use for advertising. In October 2024 the Irish Data Protection Commission fined LinkedIn Ireland 310 million euros, because it had not validly based behavioural analysis and targeted advertising on a lawful basis under the GDPR.
- AI training. Since 3 November 2025 LinkedIn may use some data of members in the EU, EEA and Switzerland to train content-generating AI models, unless members switch the setting off.
- One US platform for everything. Profile, reach and recruiting depend on a single company outside Europe.
What each option covers
XING is the closest match in function: profiles, groups, messaging and a job market. Burda, its majority owner, reports more than 20 million members in German-speaking countries, so it is strong in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and much thinner elsewhere. Part of the useful features sit in the paid premium plan.
Malt covers the freelance side. Companies search profiles with skills and reviews and handle contract and payment on the platform. It is meant for independent contractors, not for employees looking for a job, and has no feed.
Welcome to the Jungle is a job board with rich employer profiles, mainly for France, the UK and the US. It does not offer a personal network.
Which one fits
- Network and job search in Germany, Austria or Switzerland: XING.
- Freelance projects with clients in Europe: Malt.
- Researching employers and applying in France or the UK: Welcome to the Jungle.
- International contacts and recruiting outside Europe: LinkedIn remains far larger. Many people keep a LinkedIn profile and add a European service rather than leave it.
Before closing a LinkedIn account, download the data archive from its privacy settings so that contacts and profile text are not lost.