REF · 26 approved
— Class · HF 5549 / Networks · 2026 —

Professional Networks

A reference catalog of four prominent platforms, with notes for the working professional

Drawer 04·4 cards filed·Compiled March 2026
Subject Cards · 4 of 4
HF 5549.5 .L57 2026 Card 1 of 4

LinkedIn

general professional network · electronic resource

TypeProfile-led network & job board
Founded2003 · Mountain View, USA
CustodianMicrosoft Corporation (since 2016)
MembersApproximately 1.1 billion · 200+ countries
CostFree base · Premium tiers from $39.99/mo
Languages36 supported, English dominant

The default destination for résumé hosting and recruiter outreach in 2026. Offers a public profile, content feed, jobs board, learning library and Sales Navigator. Microsoft integration is increasingly visible. The content feed has, in recent years, grown noisier and more algorithmically driven.

— Recruiting — Careers — Social media · Professional — Microsoft
filed · 11 mar 26
HF 5549.5 .I53 2026 Card 2 of 4

Indeed & Glassdoor

job aggregator with employer intelligence · electronic resource

TypeJob search · salary & review database
Founded2004 · Stamford, USA / 2007 · Mill Valley
CustodianRecruit Holdings (Japan)
Audience~350 million monthly visits · 60+ countries
CostFree for job-seekers
Languages28+ supported

A high-volume job aggregator paired with employer reviews and salary reports through Glassdoor. The combined product is well suited to active candidate research. Lacks any networking, content or identity layer; complements rather than replaces a profile-led network.

— Job search — Salary data — Employer reviews
cross-reference
HF 5549.5 .W45 2026 Card 3 of 4

Wellfound

startup-focused candidate marketplace · electronic resource

TypeCandidate / founder marketplace
Founded2010 · USA · rebranded from AngelList Talent in 2022
CustodianAngelList
Audience~10 million candidates · ~150,000 startups listed
CostFree for candidates
NotableSalary & equity ranges shown by default

A narrower marketplace tuned to early-stage technology hiring. Distinguished by transparent compensation data on every listing and by direct access to founders. Inventory thins outside venture-backed sectors.

— Startups — Equity compensation — Technology employment
specialty
HF 5549.5 .M44 2026 Card 4 of 4

Meetup & Lunchclub

in-person and 1:1 networking platforms · electronic resource

TypeIn-person events / AI-paired meetings
Founded2002 · New York / 2017 · San Francisco
CustodianBending Spoons (Meetup) / independent (Lunchclub)
Audience55M+ members · 190+ countries · ~2M events / year
CostFree to attend · organiser fees from $20/mo
NotableReal-world meetings as the primary unit

Together, these platforms occupy the in-person side of the field. Meetup organises group gatherings around shared interests; Lunchclub uses preference matching to arrange one-to-one meetings. Neither hosts a profile, posts a job, or replaces a CV — relationships are the artefact.

— Networking · in person — Communities of practice — Local groups
circulating
Cross-Reference Card
SEE ALSO · COMPARATIVE READING 2026

A Reader's Comparison

— eight features · four networks · checked against one another, March 2026 —

Feature LinkedIn Indeed & GD Wellfound Meetup & LC
Hosted profileyesnolimitedno
Job listingsbroadbroadeststartup onlyno
Salary visibilitypartialvia GDall listingsn/a
Employer reviewscompany pagesextensivelimitedn/a
Editorial / feedactivenominimalno
Real meetingsrarenonocore
AI matching, 2026profile & jobsjobslimitedLunchclub
Free to userfree / paidfreefreefree attend
Reading Notes
— Reader's Note · Slip A —

The catalog draws no conclusion. Most working professionals in 2026 use more than one of these networks: a profile-led platform for visibility, an aggregator for active search, and at least one in-person community for depth. The most useful question is not which is best, but which fits the work at hand.

Independent reference compilation · No platform sponsored this entry
Figures from publicly available data, 2025–2026 · For informational purposes only
Trademarks belong to their respective owners