The best Help Scout alternatives for small support teams (2026)
Eight Help Scout alternatives compared on cost for three people, free plans, AI pricing and multiple products, from vendor pricing pages.
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The best Help Scout alternatives in 2026 are Front for teams that want deeper collaboration in shared email, Freshdesk and Zoho Desk for cheaper per-agent ticketing with SLA policies, Zendesk for structured ticketing and voice, Crisp for flat-priced chat with WhatsApp and Instagram, Intercom for in-app messaging and an AI agent, Chatwoot for an open-source option, and Convot for small software teams that run more than one app. Help Scout itself is free for up to 5 users and $30 per user a month on Standard billed monthly, $25 annually; its entry price is low, so teams that compare options usually do so for features or the shape of the bill.
This guide covers why teams look beyond Help Scout, what each alternative costs for three people, and where each beats Help Scout and where it does not. Prices come from each vendor’s own pricing page, checked between 30 September and 3 October 2026.
Disclosure: Convot publishes this list and is one of the eight tools. Its entry follows the same rules: list price, billing period stated, and where others beat it.
In this Help Scout alternatives guide
- Why teams look beyond Help Scout
- Help Scout alternatives compared
- 1. Front
- 2. Freshdesk
- 3. Zoho Desk
- 4. Zendesk
- 5. Crisp
- 6. Intercom
- 7. Chatwoot
- 8. Convot, for teams running more than one app
- When to stay on Help Scout
- Common questions about Help Scout alternatives
Why teams look beyond Help Scout
Help Scout prices per user: Standard is $30, Plus $54 and Pro $90 per user a month billed monthly, or $25, $45 and $75 billed annually, as listed on Help Scout’s pricing page on 3 October 2026. Four parts of that page push some teams to compare options.
Help Scout pricing page on annual billing, captured 3 October 2026. Monthly prices are $30, $54 and $90.
- The free plan caps contacts. It covers up to 5 users but only 100 contacts a month, with 1 inbox and 1 Docs site.
- More products cost more inboxes. Standard includes 2 inboxes and 2 Docs sites; each extra inbox is $12 a month billed monthly and each extra Docs site $24.
- AI Answers is $0.75 per resolution, counted when a conversation is resolved without human help, after a 3-month free trial.
- No changelog, roadmap or status page. Help Scout’s pricing page lists none, so teams that publish product updates run another tool.
Help Scout alternatives compared
| Tool | Best for | Pricing unit | Cost for 3 people a month | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Help Scout (baseline) | Email-first support | User | $90 billed monthly, $75 annually | Yes, 5 users, 100 contacts a month |
| Front | Collaboration in shared email | Seat | $75 Starter billed annually (one channel type), $195 Professional | No, 14-day trial |
| Freshdesk | SLA policies, low per-agent price | Agent | $57 Growth, billed annually | No, 14-day trial |
| Zoho Desk | Lowest per-agent ticketing | Agent | $42 Standard, billed annually | Yes, 3 users, email ticketing |
| Zendesk | Structured ticketing and voice | Agent | $57 Support Team, $165 Suite Team, billed annually | No, 14-day trial |
| Crisp | Chat and messaging apps on a flat bill | Workspace | $45 Mini (4 seats), $95 Essentials (10 seats) | Yes, 2 seats |
| Intercom | In-app messaging and AI | Seat | $87 Essential, billed annually | No, 14-day trial |
| Chatwoot | Open source, self-hosting | Agent | $57 Startups, billing period not stated | Yes, Hacker, 2 agents |
| Convot | Several apps, one inbox | App, seats included | $49 Starter, 1 app, billed monthly | Yes, under $1,000 MRR (no AI) |
AI units differ across these tools: Help Scout’s AI Answers is $0.75 per resolution, Intercom’s Fin from $0.99 per outcome, Zendesk about $2.00 per automated resolution on pay as you go (reported by third parties), Front’s Autopilot from $0.05 per conversation, Crisp bundles AI credits into its plans, and Convot’s Cove AI is $0.20 per resolved conversation in which it replied, on paid plans. The help desk pricing index lists the AI unit for 24 tools.
1. Front
Front is the Help Scout alternative for teams that live in shared email and want deeper collaboration, such as internal comments, shared drafts and assignment. Front Starter is $25 per seat a month billed annually, $75 for three, but supports one channel type; email plus chat, or several workspaces, need Front Professional at $65 per seat. Front’s Autopilot AI agent starts at $0.05 per conversation.
Front pricing page, captured 3 October 2026.
Where Front beats Help Scout: collaboration inside email threads, workspaces for separate teams, and a low per-conversation AI price.
Where it falls short: no free plan, and chat plus email costs $195 a month for three seats on Professional billed annually. See Convot vs Front and the Front alternatives guide.
2. Freshdesk
Freshdesk is the Help Scout alternative for teams that want SLA policies and automation at a lower per-agent price. Freshdesk Growth is $19 per agent a month billed annually, $57 for three, Pro $55 and Enterprise $89; multiple SLA policies start on Pro. Its Freddy AI Agent includes 500 sessions, then costs $49 per 100 sessions.
Freshdesk pricing page, captured 3 October 2026 (US pricing).
Where Freshdesk beats Help Scout: a lower price per agent on annual billing, and SLA policies.
Where it falls short: no free plan, and Freshdesk’s pricing page lists no chat widget, which Help Scout includes on every plan. The Freshdesk alternatives guide covers its trade-offs.
3. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is the lowest-priced per-agent alternative in this list. Zoho’s US pricing page lists Zoho Desk Express at $7, Standard at $14, Professional at $23 and Enterprise at $40 per user a month billed annually. Zoho’s own page lists a free edition for 3 users with email ticketing, a 15-day trial and a 5-user cap on Standard.
Zoho Desk pricing page, captured 3 October 2026 (US pricing).
Where Zoho Desk beats Help Scout: price per agent, and a free edition for 3 users.
Where it falls short: prices are localised by region and the edition each feature sits on is easy to misread, so check Zoho’s comparison table for your region.
4. Zendesk
Zendesk is the Help Scout alternative for teams that need structured ticketing, voice and room to scale. Zendesk Support Team is $19 per agent a month billed annually, and Suite Team, which adds messaging and a help center, is $55, or $165 for three agents. Zendesk’s AI agents are reported at about $2.00 per automated resolution on pay as you go.
Zendesk pricing page, captured 3 October 2026.
Where Zendesk beats Help Scout: voice from Suite Team, skills-based routing and IVR on Professional, and a large marketplace.
Where it falls short: Suite Team costs more than Help Scout Standard for three agents, and its AI is the most expensive per resolution here. The Zendesk pricing guide breaks down every plan.
5. Crisp
Crisp is the Help Scout alternative for chat-first teams that want messaging apps on a flat bill. Crisp charges per workspace: Mini is $45 a month with 4 seats, Essentials $95 with 10 seats and Plus $295 with 20 or more, with unlimited conversations and bundled AI credits.
Crisp pricing page, captured 3 October 2026.
Where Crisp beats Help Scout: 10 seats for $95 on a flat bill, and AI credits included. Help Scout also lists SMS, WhatsApp and Instagram, so channels are not the difference.
Where it falls short: the knowledge base starts on Essentials, and each website usually needs its own workspace. The Crisp pricing guide has the full plan table.
6. Intercom
Intercom is the Help Scout alternative for product-led teams that want in-app messaging and an AI agent first. Intercom Essential is $29 per seat a month billed annually, $87 for three, with Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome on top.
Intercom pricing page, captured 3 October 2026.
Where Intercom beats Help Scout: in-app messaging, the Messenger and the Fin AI agent.
Where it falls short: three seats cost $87 a month billed annually before any Fin outcomes at $0.99, against $75 on Help Scout Standard, both billed annually, and Intercom has run a $19 Essential promotion on and off, so confirm the price at checkout. The Intercom pricing guide covers seats, Fin and add-ons.
7. Chatwoot
Chatwoot is the open-source Help Scout alternative. Chatwoot Startups is $19 per agent a month, Business $39 and Enterprise $99, and the Hacker plan is free for 2 agents and 500 conversations a month with live chat only. The open-source edition is free to self-host.
Chatwoot pricing page, captured 3 October 2026.
Where Chatwoot beats Help Scout: self-hosting, and a $19 per agent price with a help center included from Startups.
Where it falls short: self-hosting means you maintain it, and its Captain AI uses credits whose cost per reply is not published. See Convot vs Chatwoot.
8. Convot, for teams running more than one app
Convot is the Help Scout alternative for small software teams that run more than one app. Convot Starter is $49 a month for 1 app and 3 seats, billed monthly, and each extra app is $20 and each extra seat $10. Every app gets its own live chat widget, help center, changelog, roadmap with voting and status page, and all conversations land in one inbox. Cove AI costs $0.20 per resolved conversation in which it replied, on paid plans. Convot is free under $1,000 MRR for 1 app and 3 seats, without AI.
The Convot inbox, with conversations from every app in one place.
Where Convot beats Help Scout: several apps without paying for extra inboxes and Docs sites, AI at $0.20 per resolved conversation in which Cove replied, against $0.75 per conversation Help Scout’s AI Answers resolves without human help (the definitions differ), and a changelog, roadmap and status page built in. For three apps and three people, Convot is $89 a month against $126 on Help Scout Standard billed monthly.
Where it falls short: Help Scout’s free plan covers 5 users against Convot’s 3, Help Scout lists SMS, WhatsApp and HIPAA support that Convot does not offer, and Convot has no Help Scout importer. See Convot vs Help Scout.
When to stay on Help Scout
- Up to 5 people on one product: Help Scout’s free plan costs nothing, up to 100 contacts a month.
- Email-first support: Help Scout’s shared inbox and Docs are simple and polished.
- HIPAA, or SMS and WhatsApp on a simple plan: Help Scout lists them. Convot does not offer them, and Freshdesk’s pricing page lists no messaging.
For more options across team sizes, see the best help desk software for small teams and small businesses.
Common questions about Help Scout alternatives
What is the best Help Scout alternative?
The best Help Scout alternative depends on why you are leaving. Front suits teams that want deeper collaboration in shared email, Freshdesk and Zoho Desk suit teams that want a lower per-agent price and SLA policies, Crisp suits chat-first teams on a flat bill, and Convot suits small software teams that run more than one app.
What is cheaper than Help Scout?
For three people, Zoho Desk Standard is about $42 a month billed annually, Crisp Mini $45 with 4 seats, Convot Starter $49 for 1 app and 3 seats, and Freshdesk Growth $57 billed annually, against $90 on Help Scout Standard billed monthly or $75 annually. Help Scout’s free plan is cheapest of all for up to 5 users on one product.
Is there a free alternative to Help Scout?
Zoho Desk’s free edition covers 3 users with email ticketing, Crisp is free for 2 seats, Chatwoot’s Hacker plan is free for 2 agents, and Convot is free for teams under $1,000 MRR. Help Scout’s own free plan covers up to 5 users with 100 contacts a month.
How much does Help Scout cost?
Help Scout Standard is $30 per user a month billed monthly, Plus $54 and Pro $90, or $25, $45 and $75 billed annually, as checked on 3 October 2026. Its free plan covers up to 5 users, and AI Answers is $0.75 per resolution. Standard includes 2 inboxes and 2 Docs sites; extra inboxes are $12 a month and extra Docs sites $24, billed monthly.
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