- Pricing
- Free plan, paid from $25/mo
- Free options
- Free trial · Free version
- Deployment
- Android, Cloud / SaaS, iOS
- Popular with
- Nonprofit, Retail and ecommerce
About Help Scout
Help Scout is a help desk designed to feel like email rather than a ticket queue. Teams share inboxes, add internal notes, assign conversations and build a searchable knowledge base called Docs, while customers receive replies that look like normal messages.
That simplicity is the point. Plans start at $25 per user per month, a free plan covers up to five users and 100 contacts a month, and AI answers are priced at $0.75 per resolution. It is a good fit for small teams that value quality of conversation over heavy workflow tooling.
Help Scout works best when a team values clear, personal replies over elaborate routing. If you need strict SLAs, complex escalation paths or built-in phone support, test those requirements early, because they are not its focus. For teams of a handful of agents, the free plan is a low-risk way to see whether the inbox style suits you.
At a glance, Help Scout offers Shared inbox, Docs knowledge base, Beacon messaging widget, Workflows, Saved replies and more. It is best suited to small teams that want a human-feeling shared inbox, and a weaker fit for large operations needing complex routing, SLAs and phone support. Published plans are summarised in the pricing section below, and prices should be confirmed on the vendor site before purchase.
Popular with: NonprofitRetail and ecommerceSoftware and IT
Features
- AI assistant
- Canned responses
- Collision detection
- Contact management
- Knowledge base
- Live chat
- Reporting and analytics
- Shared inbox
- Workflow automation
Integrations
Pricing
Free
Up to 5 users and 100 contacts a month
Standard
AI Answers priced at $0.75 per resolution
Prices change often. Check the vendor for current pricing. How we evaluate software.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Clean email-like interface that agents pick up quickly
- Free plan for up to 5 users
- Built-in knowledge base and Beacon widget
- Transparent pricing
Cons
- Less suited to complex routing and SLAs
- Limited phone and enterprise features
- Higher tiers needed for advanced reporting
Frequently asked questions
Does Help Scout have a free plan?
Yes. Our guide lists a free plan for up to 5 users and 100 contacts per month.
How much is Help Scout?
The Standard plan starts at $25 per user per month.
How much do Help Scout AI answers cost?
$0.75 per resolution, according to our pricing guide.
Is Help Scout a ticketing system?
It is a shared inbox that behaves like email while tracking conversations as tickets behind the scenes.
What are the best alternatives to Help Scout?
Popular alternatives covered on PreferWise include Zendesk, Freshdesk and Zoho Desk. Which fits best depends on team size, channels and budget, so compare them side by side before you decide.
Who should not use Help Scout?
Large operations needing complex routing, SLAs and phone support. If that describes you, compare Help Scout with alternatives before committing.