LinkedIn search supports Boolean operators. Most users don't know this. Master them and you replicate 80% of what Sales Navigator's advanced filters do, on a free LinkedIn account.

The 5 operators

1. AND (or just space)

Both terms must appear. founder AND saas returns profiles with both words.

2. OR

Either term must appear. "head of sales" OR "VP sales" returns profiles with either title.

3. NOT

Excludes results. founder NOT crypto excludes crypto founders.

4. Quotes ""

Exact match. "head of sales" matches the exact phrase, not just the words separately.

5. Parentheses ()

Group conditions. ("head of sales" OR "VP sales") AND saas groups the OR before the AND.

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Order of operations: Quotes > parens > NOT > AND > OR. When in doubt, use parens to be explicit.

Pre-built queries by ICP

For SDRs targeting B2B SaaS heads of sales

("head of sales" OR "VP sales" OR "sales director") AND ("saas" OR "software") NOT recruiter

For agencies targeting growth marketers

("head of growth" OR "growth marketer" OR "growth lead") AND ("series A" OR "series B" OR "Series C")

For recruiters targeting senior engineers

("senior engineer" OR "staff engineer" OR "principal engineer") AND ("python" OR "rust" OR "go") NOT recruiter

For founder-led B2B sales

("founder" OR "co-founder" OR "CEO") AND ("B2B" OR "SaaS") AND ("seed" OR "Series A")

For consultants targeting agency owners

("agency owner" OR "founder" OR "CEO") AND ("agency" OR "consultancy") NOT student

Combining Boolean + Lead4Linked extraction

  1. Run the Boolean query on free LinkedIn search
  2. Click the Lead4Linked extension while on results page
  3. Paginate through up to 1,000 results (LinkedIn's free-tier search limit)
  4. Filter the export further (location, company size) before outreach

This combination is the cheapest possible Sales-Navigator-equivalent stack. Free LinkedIn + Lead4Linked Starter ($14/mo) replaces $99/mo Sales Navigator + $9-$139/mo Evaboot.

Boolean tips that 90% of users miss

  • Use plural forms in OR. ("founder" OR "founders" OR "co-founder")
  • Stack synonyms. ("VP" OR "Vice President" OR "V.P.")
  • Exclude noise. Always end with NOT recruiter NOT consultant NOT advisor if you want operators only.
  • Test broad first, narrow second. Start with 5,000 results, then add NOT clauses to filter down to 200.

Stop paying $99/mo for filtering.

Boolean search + Lead4Linked = Sales Nav alternative for free. 100 leads on signup.

Start free

FAQ

Does Sales Navigator do anything Boolean doesn't?

Yes: company-level filters (revenue, headcount growth), tenure-in-role filters, "lead recommendations". For most person-level prospecting, Boolean covers 80%.

What's the search result limit?

Free LinkedIn caps at 1,000 results per query. Premium higher. To go beyond, segment your query (split by location or seniority).