The Periodic Network — A 2026 Reference

01 1.1B Li

Class · Networking

— stable, abundant, found across nearly all professional contexts

The most populous platform in the table. Combines hosted profile, content feed, job listings, recruiter messaging, and a learning library on a single base.

Owned by Microsoft since 2016. In 2026, the feed contains a measurable amount of machine-written content; organic reach for business pages is in gradual decline.

— Properties —

Members: ≈ 1.1 billion
Reach: 200+ countries
Founded: 2003
Owner: Microsoft (2016–)
Revenue: ≈ $17B annual
Cost: Free · Premium $39.99/mo
Best for: Long-running professional identity

02 350M In

Indeed & Glassdoor

Class · Aggregator

— bonded compound; common in active job-search reactions

Indeed aggregates job listings at the largest scale on this table. Glassdoor adds a parallel layer of employer reviews, salary ranges, and interview accounts. Both share the same parent.

No hosted profile, no networking, no editorial feed. The behaviour is search-and-apply, supported by reputation data.

— Properties —

Visits: ≈ 350M monthly
Reach: 60+ countries
Founded: Indeed 2004 · GD 2007
Owner: Recruit Holdings
Pricing: Employer-paid
Cost: Free for seekers
Best for: Active search with employer due diligence

04 10M Wf

Wellfound

Class · Venture

— rarer; concentrated in technology and venture corridors

Specialist platform for startup roles, formerly AngelList Talent until the 2022 rebrand. Smaller candidate pool, narrower employer set.

Distinctive property: every listing displays salary range and equity figure. Founders may message candidates directly. Inventory thins outside technology and venture roles.

— Properties —

Candidates: ≈ 10 million
Startups: ≈ 150,000
Founded: 2010 (rebranded 2022)
Owner: AngelList
Inventory: Mostly startup roles
Cost: Free for candidates
Best for: Startup roles with comp transparency

06 55M Mt

Meetup & Lunchclub

Class · Assembly

— pairs in person; stable across geographies and topics

Meetup convenes interest groups and in-person events across 190+ countries. Lunchclub pairs members one-to-one through machine matching for short scheduled conversations.

No profile, no feed, no job board. The output is a calendar entry, not a post. Quality of pairings varies by city density.

— Properties —

Members: ≈ 55 million
Reach: 190+ countries
Annual events: ≈ 2 million
Founded: Meetup 2002 · LC 2017
Owner: Bending Spoons / indep.
Cost: Free · Organiser $20+/mo
Best for: In-person groups and 1:1 meetings

Property	Li · LinkedIn	In · Indeed/GD	Wf · Wellfound	Mt · Meetup/LC
Hosted profile	yes	no	light	no
Job listings	broad	broadest	startup only	—
Salary visibility	partial	via Glassdoor	always	—
Direct messaging	recruiters	—	founders	—
Editorial feed	yes	—	—	—
In-person events	limited	—	—	core
AI matching (2026)	profile	jobs	light	1:1 pairings
Cost	free / $39.99+	free	free	free / $20+

A property comparison across the four primary elements