Free LinkedIn auto apply tools: open source vs extensions
Auto apply tools come in a few kinds, and the differences matter more than the brand names. Here is how they compare on cost, where your data goes, setup effort and limits, including where a free open-source tool is the weaker choice.
The three kinds of tool
Search for a LinkedIn auto apply tool and you will find hundreds of names. Underneath, they fall into three groups, and the group tells you more about cost, privacy and effort than the brand does.
- Subscription services. Web apps that find and apply to jobs for you, often on the provider’s servers, usually with a monthly fee.
- Browser extensions. Add-ons that work inside your logged-in browser. Many are free to start and charge for more applications.
- Free open-source programs. Code you run on your own computer, such as Magic Apply - Jobs. You can read exactly what it does.
How they compare
These are typical differences, not a rule for every product. Check the details of any tool you consider.
| Subscription services | Browser extensions | Free open-source programs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Monthly fee, often with a limited free tier | Often free to start; a monthly cap or paid plan for more | Free, with no cap of its own (LinkedIn’s limits still apply) |
| Where it runs | Often on the provider’s servers | Inside your browser | On your own computer |
| Access to your LinkedIn | Some need your credentials so their servers can act for you | Works in the session you are logged into | Works in a Chrome window you can watch |
| Where your data goes | To the provider | Often to the provider’s cloud | Stays on your computer (except optional AI questions, if you turn them on) |
| Setup effort | Sign up and configure | Install and create an account | Download and run; a few minutes, needs Chrome |
| Company websites | Varies by product | Varies; many autofill, so check whether they submit for you | Many cover Easy Apply only; this project also handles company sites, with limits |
| Support | From the provider | From the provider | Community, through GitHub issues |
| Risk to your LinkedIn account | The same for all three: LinkedIn’s rules prohibit automation of its site, whatever the tool. See the safety guide. | ||
Where Magic Apply - Jobs fits
- Free and open source (MIT). No account, subscription or paid tier. You can read, change and share the code.
- Private by design. Everything is erased when you close it, and a backup file is the only way to keep your details. See the FAQ for what leaves your computer, which is only the applications, plus the AI questions if you enable them.
- Handles company websites. It fills in and submits forms on employers’ own sites, signs in with Google when asked, and hands over CAPTCHAs. Here is exactly how.
- Careful defaults. A daily cap of 40 and a pause to review before submitting are on by default.
When a free open-source tool is the weaker choice
- You want a polished hosted service with support. Here, help comes from the community on GitHub.
- You do not want to run anything on your computer. This tool needs Chrome and works while your computer is on.
- You need guaranteed compatibility. It is a beta, tested against realistic mock sites, not every employer.
- You want a different resume written for every job. This tool does not rewrite your resume per job. It can answer screening questions with optional AI, and it can build an ATS-friendly resume from details you enter.
How to choose
- Decide how much you mind your resume and answers being stored by a third party.
- Check what a free tier really allows per month, and what it costs once you go past it.
- Ask whether the tool submits applications or only fills them in for you to send.
- Read how it handles company websites, since that is where most jobs on LinkedIn end up.
- Accept that the LinkedIn risk is the same for all of them, and start with a low daily cap.
If a free, local tool sounds right, the step-by-step guide takes about ten minutes.
Try the free, open-source option. One portable file on Windows, no account.
Download the toolFrequently asked questions
Is Magic Apply - Jobs really free?
Yes. It is free and open source under the MIT License, with no account, subscription or paid tier. You can read, change and share the code.
Is it a Chrome extension?
No. It is a program that runs on your computer and controls a Chrome window, with a control panel that opens in your browser. Nothing is installed into Chrome, and there is no cloud service or account.
Does it store or upload my personal data?
No. It runs on your own computer, keeps your details in a private folder only while it is open, and erases them when you close it. If you turn on the optional AI answers, the question, the job description and the about-me text you wrote are sent to the AI provider you choose. Otherwise nothing leaves your computer except the applications themselves.
Does it work on Mac and Linux?
There are launchers for both (start.command and start.sh) and the code is cross-platform, but the maintainers test on Windows, so the macOS and Linux launchers are less tested. The portable .exe is Windows only.