China's LinkedIn: Maimai, Boss Zhipin & Liepin vs LinkedIn — The 2025 Comparison
LinkedIn, the world's largest professional networking platform with over 1 billion members globally, closed its China operations in August 2021, replacing the local version with a job board called 'InCareer' that itself shut down in 2023. China's professional networking and recruitment market is now served by three major platforms: Maimai (the closest equivalent to LinkedIn's social networking), Boss Zhipin (the dominant job search platform), and Liepin (specialized in mid-to-senior level recruitment). Together they serve over 300 million registered users.
TL;DR
LinkedIn exited China in 2021 and fully shut down 'InCareer' in 2023. China's professional market is now served by Maimai (120M+ users, closest to LinkedIn's social networking), Boss Zhipin (160M+ MAU, dominant job search), and Liepin (80M+ users, mid-senior recruitment). Boss Zhipin's chat-first model lets job seekers message hiring managers directly. Maimai's anonymous workplace discussion forums have no LinkedIn equivalent.
Key Insights
Maimai: China's Professional Social Network
Maimai is China's closest equivalent to LinkedIn's social networking features with over 120 million registered users. It offers professional profiles, workplace connections, job postings, and — most distinctively — anonymous workplace discussion forums where users share salary information, company reviews, and industry gossip. Maimai's anonymous forums have made it a must-check app for Chinese professionals evaluating job opportunities. Maimai reported over 1 billion yuan in revenue in 2024.
Boss Zhipin: The Chat-First Job Platform
Boss Zhipin (listed on HKEX: 2076, formerly NASDAQ: BZ) is China's largest online recruitment platform with over 160 million monthly active users. Its innovation is the chat-first model: instead of submitting resumes and waiting, job seekers directly message hiring managers and bosses. This dramatically speeds up the recruitment process. Boss Zhipin reported 5.9 billion yuan in revenue for 2024. The platform serves all job levels from entry-level to executive positions across all industries.
LinkedIn: The Global Professional Standard
LinkedIn has over 1 billion members worldwide and is the dominant professional networking platform in most markets. LinkedIn reported $16.6 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2024 (Microsoft does not break out LinkedIn's exact figures). LinkedIn's acquisition by Microsoft in 2016 for $26.2 billion has deepened its integration with enterprise tools. LinkedIn's strength lies in its global reach, premium content (LinkedIn Learning, articles), and recruitment solutions for enterprises. LinkedIn has no meaningful presence in China.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Maimai / Boss Zhipin / Liepin | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Users (Combined) | 360M+ (all three) | 1B+ (global) |
| China Availability | Yes (market leaders) | No (exited 2021) |
| Anonymous Workplace Forums | Yes (Maimai) | No |
| Direct Chat with Bosses | Yes (Boss Zhipin core feature) | Limited (InMail) |
| Free Job Search | Yes | Limited (premium required) |
| Learning/Courses | Limited | LinkedIn Learning (strong) |
| Content Publishing | Moderate (Maimai) | Strong (articles, posts) |
| Executive Recruitment | Liepin specializes | LinkedIn Recruiter |
| Revenue (2024) | Boss: 5.9B yuan | $16.6B (Microsoft segment) |
| Parent Company | Independent / Listed | Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) |
Frequently Asked Questions
LinkedIn announced the closure of its China version in August 2021, citing a 'challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements.' The local version was replaced by 'InCareer,' a simplified job board without social networking features. InCareer was shut down in August 2023 due to fierce competition and macroeconomic headwinds. LinkedIn's exit reflected the difficulty Western platforms face operating under China's content regulations, data localization requirements, and intense local competition.
Maimai's anonymous workplace forum allows verified professionals to discuss workplace topics without revealing their identity. Users share real salary information, company culture reviews, layoff news, industry trends, and career advice. The anonymity feature has made Maimai the go-to platform for Chinese professionals researching companies before job interviews. Employers cannot identify who posted specific comments, though Maimai verifies professional credentials. This feature has no direct equivalent on LinkedIn.
Boss Zhipin's core innovation is the chat-first recruitment model. Instead of the traditional 'apply and wait' process, job seekers can directly message hiring managers, HR, or even the boss of the company. This creates a real-time conversation similar to messaging apps. Employers actively browse candidate profiles and initiate conversations. The process significantly reduces time-to-hire. Boss Zhipin's name literally means 'Direct Hire by the Boss,' emphasizing the direct connection between candidates and decision-makers.
LinkedIn's global website can be accessed in China through VPN, but it has limited relevance for the Chinese job market. There is no Chinese-language LinkedIn service, and Chinese employers rarely use LinkedIn for recruitment. Chinese professionals targeting international opportunities may maintain LinkedIn profiles, but for domestic career development, Maimai, Boss Zhipin, and Liepin are far more useful. Some multinational companies in China use LinkedIn for hiring expatriates and senior international roles.
For most job seekers in China, Boss Zhipin is the primary platform due to its massive user base and chat-first model that speeds up the hiring process. Maimai is essential for researching companies and salary benchmarking through its anonymous forums. Liepin is best for mid-to-senior professionals and executives. Many Chinese job seekers use all three platforms simultaneously. For fresh graduates, campus recruitment channels and platforms like Shixiseng are also important.