If you’ve ever tried to export a list of leads from LinkedIn Sales Navigator into Excel, you know it’s not as easy as it should be. Sales and operations teams everywhere rely on Sales Navigator for high-quality B2B lead generation, but when it comes time to actually use those leads—whether for reporting, CRM import, or campaign planning—getting them out of LinkedIn and into a spreadsheet is a real headache. I’ve seen teams spend hours copy-pasting, only to end up with messy, incomplete data. In a world where , that’s a productivity killer.
So, what’s the secret to exporting Sales Navigator leads to Excel quickly, accurately, and without a PhD in data wrangling? In this guide, I’ll break down the problem, show you why structured lead data is so valuable, and walk you through the easiest solution—using , our AI-powered web scraper that turns the whole process into a two-click affair. Whether you’re a sales pro, a marketing ops lead, or just someone tired of copy-paste marathons, this is for you.
Why Sales Navigator Is a Must-Have for Sales and Marketing Teams
Let’s start with the basics: why is Sales Navigator such a staple for B2B sales and marketing teams? In short, it’s all about targeting and efficiency. Sales Navigator gives you access to LinkedIn’s massive database of professionals, but with advanced filters, real-time insights, and AI-driven recommendations that help you zero in on your ideal prospects.
Here’s what makes Sales Navigator so valuable:
- Advanced Search Filters: Drill down by industry, company size, seniority, geography, and more.
- Real-Time Insights: See who’s changed jobs, posted recently, or engaged with your content.
- Tailored Lead Recommendations: Get AI-powered suggestions based on your target criteria.
- Lead List Building: Save and organize prospects for campaigns or outreach.
- Pipeline Management: Regularly refresh your lists to keep your pipeline full and up to date.
Typical use cases look like this:
| Use Case | How Sales Navigator Helps |
|---|---|
| Lead List Building | Filter and save targeted prospects for outreach and campaigns |
| CRM Data Enrichment | Export updated LinkedIn info to refresh CRM records |
| Personalized Outreach | Segment leads by criteria for tailored emails or calls |
| Pipeline Management | Regularly export new leads to keep your sales funnel fresh |
In other words, Sales Navigator is the engine that powers modern B2B prospecting. But as anyone who’s tried to get those leads out of LinkedIn knows, the export process is where things grind to a halt.
The Challenge: How to Export Sales Navigator Leads to Excel
Here’s the rub: LinkedIn Sales Navigator does not offer a direct, bulk “Export to Excel” feature for your leads. You can save leads, organize them, and view them in beautiful lists—but when it’s time to actually download that data for further analysis, CRM import, or reporting, you’re stuck.
Why does this matter? Because structured lead data is the lifeblood of sales productivity. Companies that use clean, organized CRM data see , and every $1 spent on CRM yields about . But if your lead data is locked inside LinkedIn, or worse, scattered across a dozen spreadsheets, you’re losing time and money.
That’s why so many people search for “how to export sales navigator leads to excel” or “download sales navigator leads excel”—and end up frustrated by the lack of a simple solution.
Limitations of Sales Navigator’s Built-In Export Options
Let’s get specific about what’s missing. Here’s what you get (and don’t get) with Sales Navigator’s native export capabilities:
- No CSV/Excel Export Button: There’s no “Download All Leads” option. You can only view or save leads within LinkedIn.
- CRM Sync (Advanced Plus Only): If you’re on the highest-tier plan (about $135+/user/month), you can sync leads to Salesforce or HubSpot—but not to Excel or CSV. And even then, you only get basic profile info, not emails or phone numbers.
- Manual Copy-Paste: Your only other option is to open each profile, copy the info, and paste it into Excel. This is slow, error-prone, and incomplete—especially for large lists.
- Data Caps: Sales Navigator caps search results at around 2,500 profiles per search, and you only get the fields visible on the screen.
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Method | Speed | Data Completeness | Ease of Use | Cost/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Copy-Paste | Very slow | Only visible fields | Tedious, error-prone | Free, but not scalable |
| CRM Sync (Adv. Plus) | Fast (once set up) | Basic info only | Moderate | Expensive, limited to CRMs |
| Third-Party Scrapers | Fast | Often includes more fields | Moderate | Paid, LinkedIn usage risks |
Manual export is fine for five leads. For 500? Forget it. And even the CRM sync doesn’t give you a spreadsheet you can actually work with.
Exploring All Solutions: Manual, CRM Integration, and Third-Party Tools
So what are your options if you want to download Sales Navigator leads to Excel?
- Manual Copy-Paste: Open each lead, copy the info, paste into Excel. Works for tiny lists, but is a nightmare for anything larger.
- CRM Integration: If you’re on the Advanced Plus plan, you can sync leads to Salesforce or HubSpot. But you don’t get a CSV, and you’re limited to certain fields.
- Third-Party Tools: There are LinkedIn-specific scrapers that can bulk-export leads, but many are technical, risky, or limited to LinkedIn only.
Here’s how they stack up:
| Solution | Speed | Accuracy | Scalability | Ease of Use | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Copy-Paste | Slow | Low | Low | Easy | Free |
| CRM Integration | Fast | Medium | Medium | Moderate | Expensive |
| Third-Party Tools | Fast | High | High | Varies | Paid |
| Thunderbit | Very Fast | Very High | Very High | Very Easy | Free/Paid |
For non-technical users who just want to get their leads into Excel, is the clear winner.
How to Export Sales Navigator Leads to Excel with Thunderbit
Now for the fun part. Here’s how you can use Thunderbit to export your Sales Navigator leads to Excel in just a few clicks—no coding, no templates, no headaches.
Step 1: Install and Set Up Thunderbit
First, and log in (the free tier lets you try it right away). Make sure you’re logged into LinkedIn and have your Sales Navigator lead list or search results open in your browser.
Step 2: Define Your Lead Data Needs
Click the Thunderbit icon in your Chrome toolbar. On the Sales Navigator page, create a new scraper template. Now, here’s where Thunderbit’s AI shines: just click “AI Suggest Fields”. Thunderbit will scan the page and recommend columns like “Name,” “Title,” “Company,” “Email,” and “Phone.” You can rename, add, or remove columns as needed—just type in natural language, and Thunderbit understands.
This is a huge time-saver, especially for non-technical users. No need to fiddle with selectors or scripts—the AI does the heavy lifting.
Step 3: Scrape and Export Leads to Excel
Click “Scrape” and let Thunderbit do its thing. It will automatically handle pagination (clicking “Next” through your results), and if you want, it can even visit each LinkedIn profile to pull extra details (like job history or company websites) and append them to your table.
Once the scrape is done, Thunderbit shows your results in a neat table. Preview, filter, or sort as needed. Then, with a single click, export your leads to Excel, CSV, Google Sheets, Airtable, or Notion. The data is fully structured, cleaned, and ready for use—no more messy copy-paste or missing fields.
Thunderbit vs. Traditional Export Methods: A Quick Comparison
Let’s put it all together:
| Method | Speed | Data Richness | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Copy-Paste | Very slow | Low | Tedious |
| CRM Sync (Adv. Plus) | Fast | Medium | Moderate |
| Thunderbit | Very fast | Very high | Extremely easy |
Thunderbit is built for business users who want results, not roadblocks.
Thunderbit’s Simple Interface: No Technical Skills Required
One of the things I love most about Thunderbit is how accessible it is. You don’t need to be a developer or a data analyst. With natural language input and a two-click workflow (“Suggest Fields” → “Scrape”), anyone can use it. I’ve seen sales reps, marketing ops leads, and even real estate agents pick it up in minutes.
Users often tell us Thunderbit is “like having a supercharged intern who never asks for a coffee break.” No templates, no coding, no maintenance—just results.
Automate Quarterly and Annual Lead Reports with Thunderbit
But what if you want to export leads on a regular basis—say, every month or quarter? Thunderbit’s Scheduled Scraper feature has you covered. Just describe your schedule (“Export my saved leads every Friday”), and Thunderbit will automatically run the export and deliver a fresh report.
This is a game-changer for sales teams who need up-to-date reports for pipeline reviews, trend analysis, or campaign planning. Set it and forget it—Thunderbit keeps your data fresh without any manual effort.
Best Practices for Managing Exported Sales Navigator Leads in Excel
Once you’ve got your leads in Excel, here are a few tips to get the most out of your data:
- Clean and De-duplicate: Use Excel’s “Remove Duplicates” tool and standardize formats (names, phone numbers) for consistency.
- Validate and Enrich: Double-check emails and phone numbers. Use validation tools to reduce bounce rates.
- CRM Integration: Map your Excel columns to your CRM fields before importing. Test with a small batch first.
- Segmentation: Use filters or pivot tables to categorize leads by region, industry, or other criteria.
- Data Privacy: Always respect privacy laws like GDPR. Don’t email scraped contacts without proper opt-in, and store data securely.
- Regular Updates: Sales data decays quickly—plan to refresh your lists regularly. Thunderbit’s scheduling makes this easy.
For more tips, check out .
Conclusion: Unlocking the Full Value of Sales Navigator with Thunderbit
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a powerhouse for B2B lead generation, but exporting those leads to Excel shouldn’t be a bottleneck. With , you can turn a tedious, manual process into a fast, accurate, and accessible workflow—no technical skills required. Whether you need a one-time export or automated quarterly reports, Thunderbit makes it easy to get your leads where you need them.
Ready to see for yourself? and try exporting your next Sales Navigator list. Your sales team (and your sanity) will thank you.
Want more sales automation tips? Check out the for tutorials, best practices, and the latest in AI-powered lead management.
FAQs
1. Why doesn’t LinkedIn Sales Navigator let me export leads directly to Excel?
LinkedIn restricts direct exports to encourage CRM integration and protect user data. There’s no built-in “Export to Excel” button, and even the CRM sync (Advanced Plus plan) only works with certain platforms and omits key fields like emails and phone numbers.
2. How does Thunderbit extract leads from Sales Navigator?
Thunderbit uses AI to read the Sales Navigator page, structure the data (names, titles, companies, etc.), and export it to Excel or CSV in just two clicks. It handles pagination, subpages, and even enriches data if needed.
3. Is Thunderbit safe and compliant to use for exporting leads?
Thunderbit only extracts data visible in your browser session and never stores your credentials. However, always respect privacy laws (like GDPR) when using exported data—don’t email scraped contacts without proper consent.
4. Can I automate recurring lead exports with Thunderbit?
Yes! Thunderbit’s Scheduled Scraper lets you set up daily, weekly, or monthly exports from Sales Navigator, so your reports are always up to date.
5. What’s the cost to use Thunderbit for exporting Sales Navigator leads?
Thunderbit offers a free tier (up to 6 pages/month, or 10 with a trial boost), and paid plans start at $15/month for heavier users. All exports to Excel, CSV, Google Sheets, Airtable, and Notion are included.
Ready to take your lead exports to the next level? and see how easy it can be to export Sales Navigator leads to Excel.
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