Last updated: 2026-09-30
“XING” means the comprehensive service operated by XING SE & Co. KG (hereinafter “XING KG”) as described in detail below.
The XING service is rendered via websites (e.g. xing.com, xing.de, onlyfy.io, lebenslauf.com, bewerbung.com), a number of different sub-domains and domain aliases, and via mobile applications (“apps”), background applications, web services and third-party-site integrations (e.g. iFrame). All websites, sub-domains, aliases, mobile applications, background applications, web services and third-party-site integrations provided by XING KG and where the XING service is available are hereinafter referred to as “XING Websites”.
The XING service applications include, in particular, the Jobs network of the same name (hereinafter referred to as “Jobs network”) for which the user can obtain membership and which serves in particular to display professional profiles and support interaction between users and companies, as well as applications for companies, personnel service providers and recruiters, such as “XING Jobs Ads”, “XING TalentManager” or the “talent acquisition platform” onlyfy Bewerbungsmanager, through which job advertisements can be published, candidates can be identified, candidates can be contacted and
applications can be managed. Some of the XING applications may appear under other brand names (e.g. onlyfy) or by using other XING Websites.
The XING service enables users, in particular, to create and maintain a professional profile, to be found and contacted by potential employers, recruiters and other market participants, to contact companies and other users themselves, and to receive suitable job offers and career opportunities. The XING service is therefore used with the expectation that the data provided will be processed to improve discoverability and facilitate career opportunities.
These General Terms and Conditions for the use of the XING service govern the contractual relationship between the user and XING KG, irrespective of which XING Websites the user visits to use the XING service.
Additional terms also apply to the use of individual applications in addition to these General Terms and Conditions for using the XING service, in particular:
In the event of an objection, the additional terms and conditions for the use of the respective application shall take precedence over these General Terms and Conditions for the use of the XING service, provided such precedence is not excluded in the additional terms for the use of the respective application.
The General Terms and Conditions for the use of the XING service and any additional terms for the use of individual applications are hereinafter referred to as “GTC”.
The contract is concluded with XING SE & Co. KG, Baumwall 7, 20459 Hamburg, Germany. Further contact details, commercial register details as well as the name of a person authorised to represent XING SE & Co. KG can be found in the About this site section.
General
1.1 XING is a service that pursues the aim of improving and simplifying the user’s working life by providing a variety of different applications. XING is primarily a platform for facilitating professional contacts and initiating employment
relationships between users and companies. For this purpose, users create a profile with the aim of being found and contacted by potential employers, recruiters or other market participants, or, where the user is a personnel service
provider or recruiter, to find and contact candidates.
1.2 Working and private lives are converging all the time. In light of this, XING focuses both on professional and, where applicable, private domains.
1.3 XING would also like to provide the user with new opportunities (mainly within a professional context, but also, where applicable, within a private context), make it easier for the user to form horizontal networks, democratise information, foster the exchange of information, and promote lifelong learning. In order to meet these aims, XING collects personal data in order to provide the user with certain information, offers, recommendations and services, and to promote interaction within and outside of the user’s network. This takes place in line with the user’s privacy settings and declarations of consent. XING uses automated systems to generate suggestions, prioritise profiles and display work-related information. These systems process, in particular, profile data (e.g. job title, skills, location), interaction data (e.g. profile views, search activities) and voluntary information on career-related topics. The systems use statistical models to determine probabilities of relevance. Information is displayed to users based on their preferences, context or in chronological order. No automated decision producing legal effects within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR is made. Users may adjust their personal preferences in their personal privacy settings. Information about the systems which suggest or prioritise certain information to the user, and information about the parameters used in these systems are available here for the Jobs network.
1.4 The profile page created by the user on the Jobs network (hereinafter referred to as “user profile”) represents the identity of the user within the XING service, on XING Websites, and in the service’s applications. In order to use XING, the user requires a user profile that is visible on and outside of the Jobs network. Only individual applications of the XING service can be used where the user profile is not visible on the Jobs network. Also, there are individual applications of the XING service where the user does not appear and is not displayed with their user profile. Registration with the XING service is, however, always required.
1.5 The quality and completeness of the user profile have a direct impact on the user’s discoverability and job placement opportunities; the data contained in it are processed to improve the user’s own discoverability and to facilitate employment opportunities.
1.6 When users apply for jobs via XING Websites, XING KG processes application data, profile data and interaction data for the provision and administration of the application process, the transmission of applications to employers selected by the
user, the creation of aggregated, non-personal statistics for employers, and the improvement of recruiting functions. Personal data are only disclosed to other applications or third parties if this is necessary for the use of the respective function or if the user has given prior consent.
Jobs network
1.7 The Jobs network provides the user with various options to present themselves with a personal user profile and to present its activities on XING Websites and, where applicable, outside of the XING Websites, and to interact with other users and, where applicable, with third parties in real time. The full effect of the Jobs network can only be achieved if the user’s profile can be accessed by non-users and found by search engines. For this reason, user profile default settings enable non-users and search engines to find and access user profiles.
1.8 A user who registers with the Jobs network initially becomes a free member of the Jobs network (hereinafter referred to as “free membership”).
1.9 The user has the option of switching its free membership to a paid membership on the Jobs network (paid membership on the Jobs network is hereinafter referred to as “Premium membership”). In contrast to free membership, Premium membership provides a number of additional and advanced features. Special paid memberships for specific target groups, e.g. ProJobs for active jobseekers, are also covered by the term “Premium membership”. Free membership and Premium membership will hereinafter be collectively referred to as “XING membership”. Add-ons may be offered which the user can book in addition to Premium membership.
1.10 If XING KG offers the user the option to book one or more free or paid third-party supplementary services, the user shall enter into separate agreements with the respective third party that have no legal connection to the user's XING membership. The amendment, discontinuation, other termination or exchange of such third-party services or any default of performance thereof in relations between the user and third party does not have any impact on the contractual relationship between XING KG and the user in terms of the user's XING membership. The terms and conditions and privacy policies of the respective third parties, who are also the contractual and contact partners of the user, apply to all third-party supplementary services.
Talent acquisition platform
1.11 The talent acquisition platform is part of the comprehensive XING service. It is an online platform where and via which talent and companies can interact with each other. Among other things, companies can post job ads, identify interesting talent (possibly also on the Jobs network), receive and manage job applications, and interact with talent and job applicants on and via the talent acquisition platform. The comprehensive XING service supports this interaction between talent and companies on and via the talent acquisition platform, such as by recommending talent and by generating and delivering recruitment-related information and analyses based on data processed within the talent acquisition platform and possibly in other XING applications or beyond.
XING Job Ads
1.12 XING Job Ads enable companies, personnel service providers and recruiters to place job ads on XING Websites and other relevant job platforms and social media channels. The XING service automatically provides recommendations from the Jobs network, which companies, personnel service providers and recruiters may contact. XING Job Ads may also be used to manage talent and applicants. For this purpose, XING KG processes the user’s profile data unless the individual privacy settings preclude the processing purposes.
XING TalentManager
1.13 XING TalentManager enables companies, personnel service providers and recruiters to search for candidates in the Jobs network. Unless individual user settings preclude the intended use, separate XING TalentManager profiles are created from the user’s profile data within the meaning of Section 1.5; companies, personnel service providers and recruiters can collect, arrange, manage and contact these profiles in preference lists.
General
2.1 If the user uses a XING service application which can also be used by users without a user profile that is visible on the Jobs network, a user account will be created for said user if they do not already have one. Thereby, the agreement to use XING is entered into by the user and XING KG. A user account is a user profile that is not initially visible on the Jobs network. To start with, the user can only use its user account with XING service applications that can also be used without a user profile that is visible on the Jobs network. If the user would like to use XING service applications that require a user profile that is visible on the Jobs network, the user must first allow its user profile to be visible on the Jobs network.
2.2 The option to use applications offered on the XING Websites does not constitute an offer, but merely an invitation to issue an offer. By completing the respective booking or registration process, the user consents to enter into the agreement to use the corresponding XING application. XING KG in turn accepts the user’s consent by rendering the corresponding services. The agreement takes effect upon the aforementioned acceptance by XING KG. XING KG is not obliged to enter into the agreement. By using paid services, the user accepts the related payment obligation by clicking on the confirmation button which is displayed in such cases.
2.3 The user warrants and represents that all of the data they provide is accurate and complete. The user is obliged to ensure that the data for all of the applications they use is accurate and complete for the entire duration of the agreement. In the event that the XING KG customer service team makes any manual changes to the user’s data on the user’s behalf, XING KG reserves the right to bill the user for any costs they incur in connection with said changes, insofar as the user is responsible for the event that triggers these costs.
2.4 The user warrants that they are aged 16 or over. In the event that the user acts on behalf of a legal person for certain applications, the user warrants that they are of legal age and authorised to act in the name of the legal person. Upon request, the user shall submit proof thereof.
2.5 It is technically impossible for XING KG to determine with certainty whether any user registered on the XING Websites is in fact the person they claim to be. Therefore, XING KG assumes no liability for the actual identity of a user.
Jobs network
2.6 In order to acquire XING membership, the user must register on the platform and select a password.
2.7 The user is obliged to keep this password secret. XING KG will not disclose the password to any third party, shall only use it during the login process, and shall not ask for the user's password at any time other than during the login process. For security reasons and to prevent misuse, the user is recommended to change its password at regular intervals. The user is solely responsible for safeguarding and storing its XING member account login details (particularly its password).
2.8 Each user may only create one user profile. The user is not permitted to allow third parties to use its user profile.
Instructions on withdrawal and model withdrawal form
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason. The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the date of contract conclusion.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, you must inform us
XING SE & Co. KG
Baumwall 7
20459 Hamburg
Germany
Phone: +49 40 419 131 0
E-mail: withdraw@xing.com
of your decision to withdraw from this contract by an unequivocal statement (e.g. a letter sent by post, e-mail or via the contact form available on each of our webpages). You may use this model withdrawal form, but it is not obligatory.
You can also use the online withdrawal button for withdrawal.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we shall reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (with the exception of the supplementary costs resulting from your choice of a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us), without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract. We will carry out such reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
If you requested to begin the performance of services during the withdrawal period, you shall pay us an amount which is in proportion to what has been provided until you have communicated us your withdrawal from this contract, in comparison with the full coverage of the contract.
You may download and use the model withdrawal form available here as a PDF file.
Exclusion of right of cancellation:
The right of cancellation does not exist if, when entering into a legal transaction, you predominantly act in exercise of your trade, business or profession and are therefore deemed to be an entrepreneur (Section 14 BGB).
The right of cancellation vis-à-vis XING SE & Co. KG does not apply to agreements you enter into with third parties, i.e. where XING SE & Co. KG is not legally involved. Any such rights of cancellation may only be brought against the respective third party.
Other additional information:
You expressly agree that we will start to render the service before the end of the cancellation period.
4.1 The user is obliged
4.2 The user is prohibited from the following:
4.3 XING KG is not obliged to serve data provided by the user and/or information to other users if said data and/or information is not in line with Sections 4.1 and 4.2. XING KG is entitled to remove from the XING Websites any data and/or information that is prohibited according to Sections 4.1 and 4.2, without notifying the user in advance.
Changes to services
5.1 XING KG reserves the right to modify the services offered on the XING Websites or to offer services different from those offered at the time of the user’s registration at any time unless this is unreasonable for the user.
5.2 XING KG furthermore reserves the right to modify the services offered on the XING Websites or to offer services different from those offered at the time of the user’s registration at any time
5.3 Modifications that only have a minor impact on XING’s functionality do not represent changes to the services described in this section. This applies in particular to changes of a purely graphical nature and to a change of layout and/or placement of features.
Changes to GTC
5.4 XING KG reserves the right to amend these GTC at any time, without giving reasons, unless an amendment is unreasonable to the user. XING KG will give due notice to the user regarding amendments to these GTC. If the user does not object to the validity of the revised GTC within six (6) weeks of receipt of said notice, the amended GTC shall be deemed accepted by the user. In its notice, XING KG will inform the user about the user’s right to object and the importance of the objection deadline.
5.5 XING KG also reserves the right to modify the GTC
XING KG will notify users of such changes to its GTC, e.g. via the XING Websites.
5.6 Products that are booked separately and not offered within the scope of a continuing obligation (e.g. booking ads) are subject to a separate agreement for which additional terms and conditions will be explicitly displayed prior to booking. The corresponding contractual terms and services can be modified for future bookings irrespective of the service modification requirements stipulated here.
5.7 The user’s right to cancellation pursuant to Section 7 remains unaffected in the event of modifications to services or GTC governed by this provision.
General
6.1 The user can settle invoices using the payment methods offered by XING KG. If XING KG is unable to collect any fees from an account designated by the user due to lack of funds, the user will bear all costs XING KG incurs as a result thereof, including bank charges related to any debit entries or similar charges, insofar as the user is responsible for the event that triggers these costs.
6.2 XING KG is permitted to only send invoices and payment reminders electronically.
6.3 Provided the user does not object, XING KG reserves the right to switch invoices from euros to the user’s respective local currency at any time.
Premium membership
6.4 Premium membership fees for the entire duration or respective billing period are due immediately in advance.
6.5 XING KG reserves the right to reasonably increases the fee with effect from the start of a new billing period. Prices may only be increased once per calendar year. In such cases, XING KG will inform the user at least six (6) weeks prior to expiry of a billing period to which the fee increase applies. A user may object to the fee increase within three (3) weeks of notification via the contact form, letter, or e-mail. The user’s submission of an objection is tantamount to cancelling Premium membership, meaning that said membership will expire at the end of the existing minimum usage period or current billing period.
Please note:
The previous term continues to apply to contracts concluded before 1 March 2022:
6.5 XING reserves the right to reasonably increase the fees charged for Premium membership with effect from the start of a new renewal period, either after the initial term or the respective current renewal period. Prices may only be increased once per calendar year. In such cases, XING shall inform the user at least six (6) weeks prior to expiry of the initial term or respective current renewal period. Should the user not agree to this increase, they may object to the validity of the increase within three (3) weeks of notification via the contact form, letter, or e-mail. The user’s submission of an objection is tantamount to cancelling its Premium membership, meaning that said membership will expire at the end of the initial term or respective current renewal period.
Section 6.5 does not apply to existing customers who registered with XING before 17 March 2014, except in the following cases:
This price modification provision (Section 6.5) shall apply without limitation to new customers and new contracts.
Special provision regarding credit card as a payment method
6.6 If new customers choose to pay by credit card, XING KG will perform a test transaction involving a very small amount. This serves to verify the user's credit card in preparation for charging a due invoice amount to that particular credit card once an invoice has been issued. The test transaction amount will generally be returned within 24 hours.
General
7.1 Unless specifically precluded by separate terms and conditions regarding the term and termination of individual applications or XING memberships, the contractual relationship may be terminated by either party at any time.
Unpaid membership
7.2 XING KG and the user may terminate free membership at any time without cause. In order to protect the user from unauthorised deletion of their user profile by third parties, XING KG may perform an identity check upon termination, e.g. by requesting the username and an e-mail address registered on the XING Websites.
Premium membership
7.3 Premium membership shall run for the initial term selected by the user during the upgrade process. After this term, the Premium membership will renew automatically for an unlimited period (with monthly billing periods) unless terminated in due time by the user or XING KG. The user and XING KG may each terminate Premium membership without cause at any time to the end of the minimum usage period or current billing period. Terminations can be submitted by letter or e-mail. The user may also use the contact form or online cancellation process. If Premium membership has been terminated, the user is entitled to retain free membership until this membership is terminated, meaning that the additional and advanced Premium membership features will no longer be available.
Please note: The previous term continues to apply to contracts concluded before 1 March 2022:
Premium membership shall run for the initial term selected by the user during the upgrade process. After this term, the Premium membership will be renewed by a term of the same length as the initial term, unless terminated in due time by the user or XING. The user and XING may each terminate Premium membership without cause to the end of the initial term selected by the user during the registration process, or to the end of any renewal period after said minimum term expires, by serving notice of three (3) weeks.
Cancellation and suspension for good cause
7.4 Even if separate terms and conditions regarding term and cancellation are in place, both parties are entitled to immediate extraordinary termination for good cause at any time. Extraordinary termination for good cause is defined as an event which makes it unacceptable for the terminating party to continue the agreement until the end of the termination period, taking into account all circumstances of the individual case and weighing up the interests of both parties. A good cause for XING KG includes any of the following events:
7.5 In the event of a good cause in accordance with Section 7.4 and notwithstanding XING KG’s right to terminate the contract in accordance with Section 7.4, XING KG is entitled to
7.6 The user's right to claim reimbursement of any advance payments upon termination shall be excluded unless the user has terminated the agreement for good cause attributable to XING KG. In the following cases, the user shall not be entitled to claim reimbursement of any advance payments:
8.1 XING KG does not accept any responsibility for any content, data and/or information provided or made available by users of the XING Websites on any external websites linked to them. In particular, XING KG does not warrant that said data and/or information is true or accurate, nor that it fulfils or serves any particular purpose.
8.2 The user may report any activities of any other user which violate applicable laws and/or any of these contractual terms (including the use of pseudonyms or false identities). This reporting option is also available to third parties. XING KG will send its reasoned decision without undue delay to both the complainant and to the user whose content was reported.
8.3 XING KG is not obliged to prohibit third parties from saving data or content that is or was publicly available pursuant to the GTC, XING Privacy Policy or user settings.
8.4 XING KG merely provides the user with a platform and is not involved in the content of communication between users. This does not apply if XING KG moderates said communication. If users enter into agreements with one another via XING Websites, XING KG will not be a contracting party to said agreements. Users are solely responsible for the execution and/or fulfilment of agreements they enter into with one another. XING KG will not be liable for breaches of duty in relation to agreements entered into between users.
8.5 The user acknowledges and agrees that it is technically impossible to achieve 100% availability of the XING Websites. XING KG will nonetheless endeavour to keep XING Websites available without interruption. Events related to maintenance, security or capacity requirements, and/or events beyond XING KG’s control (e.g. disruptions to public communications networks, power failures, etc.), may result in malfunctions of or temporary interruptions to the service provided on XING Websites.
8.6 XING KG sometimes uses automated technology to ensure the security of its services and users, and to detect and remove fake profiles.
8.7 When XING KG decides whether or not a piece of content is illegal or violates these Terms and Conditions, possibly resulting in actions such as deletion, blocking of the content, or blocking of the user’s access to the service, the affected user and the reporter can object to this decision for up to 6 months afterwards (internal complaint-handling system). XING KG tasks qualified personnel with handling complaints submitted via the internal complaint-handling system in a timely, non-discriminatory, diligent and non-arbitrary manner. Where a complaint contains sufficient grounds to consider that the decision not to take any action following a report is unfounded or that the content to which the complaint relates is not illegal and does not violate these Terms and Conditions, then XING KG will reverse its decision without undue delay. XING KG will inform the complainant without undue delay of its reasoned decision via the internal complaint-handling system.
8.8 XING KG will suspend, for a reasonable period of time and after having issued a prior warning, the provision of its services to users who frequently provide manifestly illegal content. Section 7.6 applies mutatis mutandis. XING KG will also suspend, for a reasonable period of time and after having issued a prior warning, the processing of notices (reports) and complaints submitted through the notice and action mechanisms and internal complaint-handling systems by individuals or entities or by complainants that frequently submit notices or complaints that are manifestly unfounded. When deciding on suspension, XING KG will assess, on a case-by-case basis and in a timely, diligent and objective manner, whether the user, the individual, the entity or the complainant engages in the misuse referred to in this section, taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances apparent from the information available to XING KG. Those circumstances will include at least the following:
9.1 XING KG will be liable without limitation for damages resulting from injury to life, limb or health which occur due to a breach of duty by XING KG or one of its legal representatives or vicarious agents. XING KG will also be liable without limitation for damages owing to a lack of a characteristic warranted by XING KG or due to malicious conduct by XING KG. In addition, XING KG will be liable without limitation for damages due to intent or gross negligence by XING KG or one of its legal representatives or vicarious agents.
9.2 Apart from the cases set out in sections 9.1 and 9.3, XING KG’s liability will be limited to typical foreseeable contractual damages in the event of a breach of any of its cardinal contractual duties due to slight negligence. Cardinal contractual duties are an abstract description of those obligations whose fulfilment is indispensable for the proper implementation of an agreement and on whose fulfilment the contracting parties can usually rely. Any other liability on the part of XING KG is excluded.
9.3 Liability pursuant to the German Product Liability Act shall remain unaffected.
10.1 Unless otherwise provided in these GTC, the following shall apply in addition:
Personal data is only collected, processed and/or used if the user grants consent to do so or if permitted by law. XING KG uses personal data to the extent permitted by law, in particular to fulfil its contractual obligations vis-à-vis users or on the basis of legitimate interests. XING provides the user with a range of customised features, i.e. XING KG serves the user certain information, offers, recommendations and services, and promotes interaction within the user’s network based on collected data. In order to render these services, XING KG needs to process and use the user’s personal data.
10.2 XING KG provides users with the option of sending their personal data, in whole or in part, to other users, or to prevent other users from viewing their data. Such data is sent at the user’s own risk.
10.3 Irrespective of the selected Premium membership and/or selected add-on, additional personal data may be collected, processed and used to render the services and features in connection with the selected Premium membership and/or selected add-on. In the event of ceasing to use the selected Premium membership and/or selected add-on, this data will continue to be stored for the duration of the XING membership unless the user deletes said data beforehand. Above all, this serves to enable the user to continue using the data provided in the event of using Premium membership and/or add-ons in the future. This does not affect the user's right to exercise its rights as a data subject as provided for in Article 12 et seq. of the EU GDPR.
10.4 To perform the user agreement, the data provided by the user and generated in the course of use are processed, in particular, for the purposes of providing and making the user profile visible to potential employers, enabling contact by recruiters and companies, and conducting search, filtering and matching processes between users and job offers. This applies to all XING applications, including XING TalentManager, XING Job Ads and the talent acquisition platform.
10.5 The processing purposes, categories of data processed, recipients, retention periods and user rights are set out in the privacy notices, which are clearly referenced during registration.
10.6 Certain functions are provided with the involvement of external service providers. Depending on the respective processing situation, XING KG acts either as controller, joint controller within the meaning of Article 26 GDPR, or by engaging a processor pursuant to Article 28 GDPR. The applicable data protection responsibility and the categories of providers involved are set out in the privacy notices. In the case of jointly controlled processing, the essential contents of the arrangement pursuant to Article 26 GDPR are made available in an intelligible form.
11.1 XING KG is permitted to commission sub-contractors, but remains responsible for fulfilling its duties.
11.2 XING KG is permitted to transfer rights and duties to third parties, in whole or in part.
11.3 Unless otherwise governed by these GTC, XING KG may send notices to the user by e-mail, or letter. XING KG may also send declarations to the user’s XING inbox which forms an integral part of the user’s XING membership.
11.4 We do not participate in dispute settlement procedures handled by dispute resolution bodies. Out-of-court dispute settlement as per Article 21 of the Digital Services Act is not affected by this.
11.5 The place of performance under these GTC shall be XING KG's main place of business.
11.6 Place of jurisdiction for merchants within the scope of the German Commercial Code (HGB) shall be the main place of business of XING KG.
11.7 These GTC and the contractual relationship shall be governed by German law, excluding international private law and the provisions of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods that have been adopted by German law. This does not affect obligatory consumer protection law of the European Member State in which a user has its regular place of residence.
11.8 These GTC are available in English, German, French and Spanish. In the event of any contradiction between the different language versions of these GTC, the German version shall take precedence.