Instant Expert vs Minnect
Minnect lets you pay experts who joined it for answers by text, video or call, and charges only if they respond within 7 days. Instant Expert pays the same way but isn't limited to members: it reaches the specific person you choose, finds their work email, and you pay only if they book or answer.
Searching is free. You pay only if they book or answer.
Facts about Minnect last checked October 15, 2026, on their own public pages.
The main difference
Minnect and Instant Expert agree on the payment model: you aren't charged unless the person responds. The difference is who you can reach. Minnect is a marketplace, so you can only ask people who signed up as experts and set their price.
Instant Expert starts from the person. Paste a LinkedIn URL or email, or describe the role, and we find their work email and send your note with a paid offer for a call or a written answer. They don't need an account or a profile anywhere.
Side by side
| Question | Instant Expert | Minnect |
|---|---|---|
| Who you can reach | Anyone you name or describe whose work email we can find, whether or not they've signed up for anything. | People who signed up as experts. Minnect's FAQ says any user can sign up as one. |
| How pricing works | You set the offer per person (minimum $5) and a cap on total spend. The offer is what the person receives, and our fee is added on top: a $100 offer costs you $125. Our fee is 20% of what you pay. No subscription. | Each expert sets their price. Minnect takes 20% of each transaction from the expert's side; its FAQ says experts keep 80%. Prices weren't shown on its public pages. |
| When you pay | Only when someone books a call or sends a written answer. Declines and invitations nobody accepts within 7 days cost $0. | Your card is held for 7 days and charged only if the expert accepts the call or answers. If they don't answer in time, you aren't charged. |
| Speed | The invitation goes out when you approve the send. People have 7 days to book or answer, with up to two reminders. There's no guarantee a given person says yes. | Experts have 7 days to respond. Minnect says 94% of questions get answered by a real expert, and doesn't publish typical response times. |
| Best for | Getting a call or an answer from a particular person who isn't on any marketplace. | Asking an expert who already answers paid questions on Minnect. |
Last checked October 15, 2026. Sources: Minnect homepage, Minnect FAQ. Prices change; check their sites before you decide.
Where Minnect falls short
Minnect gets the payment model right. For reaching a particular person, it has one big limit and a few smaller ones:
- You can only ask people who signed up as Minnect experts. The operator, buyer or executive you need has usually never made a profile there.
- The expert sets the price. On Instant Expert you set the offer, from $5, and can raise it for a senior person.
- You browse whoever is listed. On Instant Expert you choose the exact person by name, LinkedIn URL or a precise description of their role, including past roles.
If the expert you want already answers questions on Minnect, asking them there is direct.
Searching is free. You pay only if they book or answer.
Questions
How does Minnect pricing work?
Each expert sets their own price, and Minnect keeps 20% of each transaction from the expert's side. Your card is held for 7 days and charged only if the expert responds. On Instant Expert you set the offer, from $5. The offer is what the person receives, and our fee is added on top: a $100 offer costs you $125.
Can I reach someone who isn't on Minnect?
On Instant Expert, yes. Paste their LinkedIn URL or email, or describe the kind of person you need. We find their work email and send your note with a paid offer, and they can book or answer without creating an account.
What if the person doesn't respond?
You pay nothing on either service. On Instant Expert the person has 7 days to book or answer, with up to two reminders, and the hold on your card is released if nobody accepts.
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