What each tool is built for
When comparing LinkedRefs vs AuthoredUp, you're looking at two tools built for LinkedIn™ — but with fundamentally different purposes. Both help professionals grow on LinkedIn™. Both track analytics. But the way they approach it, the problems they solve, and who they're actually built for are quite different.
This comparison breaks down what each tool does, where they differ, and which one makes more sense depending on your situation.
LinkedRefs is a LinkedIn™ analytics and content platform. It lets you track any public LinkedIn™ profile, analyze post performance, monitor follower growth, see who engages most with your content, and compare profiles side by side. And now — beyond analytics — LinkedRefs lets you create content directly in the platform: generate posts, build custom templates, and define your content style so every post stays consistent with your voice. No LinkedIn™ login required, no browser extension, no OAuth.
AuthoredUp is a LinkedIn™ content creation and analytics tool built as a Chrome extension and web platform. It focuses on helping you write and format better posts — with an editor, draft management, hooks templates, readability grades, and scheduling. Analytics are part of the package, but content creation is the core workflow.
In the LinkedRefs vs AuthoredUp comparison, the core difference is clear: LinkedRefs is built around tracking and analytics, including profiles you don't own. AuthoredUp is built around creating and publishing content, with analytics as a supporting feature.
LinkedIn™ Analytics
LinkedRefs goes deep on analytics. You get post-level engagement data, follower growth timelines, reaction type breakdowns (not just a total count), comment analysis, and a unique engager leaderboard that ranks who interacts most with any profile. Data is available for any public profile — not just your own.
AuthoredUp has solid analytics for your own profile: impressions, engagement rate, growth timeline, post breakdown by type, and best times to post. The data is accurate and presented clearly. But it's limited to profiles you've connected — you can't track competitors or other creators.
Winner: LinkedRefs for analytics depth and the ability to track any profile without connecting your account.
Tracking profiles you don't own
This is one of LinkedRefs' most distinct features. You can add any public LinkedIn™ profile — a competitor, a thought leader, a team member — and track their follower growth, posting frequency, and engagement over time. No login from that person required.
AuthoredUp only works with profiles you've connected through the extension. Tracking other people's profiles isn't part of the product.
Winner: LinkedRefs. There's no equivalent in AuthoredUp.
Engager leaderboard
LinkedRefs automatically ranks everyone who engages with a profile — by comments (5 pts each) and reactions (1 pt each), with a 1.5x multiplier for high-value profiles like CEOs, Founders, and Directors. You instantly see your top fans, most active commenters, and which decision-makers are paying attention to your content.
AuthoredUp doesn't have an engager leaderboard.
Winner: LinkedRefs. This feature is unique in the LinkedIn™ tools market.
Content creation and post editor
AuthoredUp has a full-featured editor with text formatting (bold, italic, bullet points), emoji support, readability grade, hook templates, snippets, post preview, and draft management. Writing and formatting LinkedIn™ posts is the core of the product — and it's genuinely good at it.
LinkedRefs now includes a built-in content creation feature directly in the platform. Beyond analytics, you can generate LinkedIn™ posts, set up custom templates, and define your own content style — so every post stays consistent with your voice and positioning. The key advantage: your content creation sits alongside your analytics data, which means you can see what works and create more of it without switching tools.
Winner: Tie. AuthoredUp is stronger on formatting and scheduling. LinkedRefs is stronger on combining analytics with content creation in one place.
Content scheduling and calendar
AuthoredUp has a calendar view where you can schedule posts and plan content weeks in advance. It's a proper scheduling tool built into the platform.
LinkedRefs focuses on analytics and tracking. Scheduling is not a current feature.
Winner: AuthoredUp for content planning and scheduling.
Privacy and access setup
LinkedRefs requires no LinkedIn™ login, no OAuth connection, and no browser extension. You can start tracking profiles in seconds by pasting a URL. This is a significant difference — it means no risk of account flags, no dependency on LinkedIn™'s API access, and no friction getting started.
AuthoredUp requires a Chrome extension and a LinkedIn™ profile connection. The setup takes a few minutes and connects to your LinkedIn™ account.
Winner: LinkedRefs for ease of access and account safety. The no-login approach is a key architectural decision — and one that kept LinkedRefs running after Shield Analytics shut down precisely because LinkedIn™ blocked their OAuth-dependent approach.
CSV export
AuthoredUp exports your post history and analytics data. LinkedRefs does not support CSV export to prevent unauthorized data extraction and protect profile privacy.
Winner: AuthoredUp.
Saved posts and inspiration
AuthoredUp has a dedicated Saved Posts feature that collects and organizes every post you've saved on LinkedIn™ — even those saved before you installed the extension. You can filter by keywords or authors and analyze them.
LinkedRefs doesn't have a saved posts feature.
Winner: AuthoredUp for content inspiration and swipe file management.
LinkedRefs vs AuthoredUp: Pricing
LinkedRefs uses a credit-based model with a generous free tier:
- 7-Day Free Trial on all plans (Creator, Pro, Business)
- Creator — 500 credits/mo ($18/mo)
- Pro — 1000 credits/mo ($35/mo)
- Business — 2000 credits/mo ($69/mo)
Credits are used for tracking and refreshing profiles. They don't expire. For most individual creators and small teams, the free tier is enough to get started and see real value before committing.
AuthoredUp uses a subscription model:
- Individual — $19.95/month (1 profile, monthly) or $16.63/month (billed annually)
- Business — $14.95/profile/month (3+ profiles, monthly) or $12.46/profile/month (annually)
No credit card required for the free trial, but you need a subscription to access full features. For a single user, it's roughly $20/month ongoing.
Winner: LinkedRefs on pricing flexibility — especially for individuals and those who want to try before committing to a monthly subscription.
LinkedRefs vs AuthoredUp: Who each tool is for
LinkedRefs makes sense if:
- You want to track your LinkedIn™ analytics without connecting your account or installing an extension
- You care about who's engaging with your profile — not just aggregate numbers
- You want to monitor competitor or industry profiles alongside your own
- You're a founder, sales professional, or marketer who uses LinkedIn™ data for outreach or competitive research
- You want analytics + post creation in one place, without paying for a full content suite
- Pricing matters — start free, pay only for what you use
AuthoredUp makes sense if:
- Writing and formatting posts is your main workflow and you want the best editor for it
- You schedule content in advance and need a calendar view
- You save posts for inspiration regularly and want them organized
- You manage multiple LinkedIn™ profiles for clients or a team
- You want hooks, snippets, and readability tools built into your writing process
LinkedRefs vs AuthoredUp: The bottom line
Both tools serve LinkedIn™ professionals — but they solve different problems.
AuthoredUp is the right choice if your priority is creating content faster and better. The editor, hooks, drafts, and scheduling tools are genuinely strong, and the analytics give you enough data to iterate on what's working.
LinkedRefs is the right choice if your priority is understanding what's actually happening on LinkedIn™ — for your profile and others. The engager leaderboard, reaction breakdowns, and ability to track any profile without logging in are things AuthoredUp doesn't offer. And with a built-in post creation feature now in the platform, LinkedRefs is increasingly a place where you can both analyze and create.
For most individuals building a personal brand, the combination of no-login access, a free starting tier, deep analytics, and a growing content creation feature makes LinkedRefs the more versatile starting point.
Try LinkedRefs free — no credit card, no LinkedIn™ login required → linkedrefs.com
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