10 Best Help Scout Alternatives (Including Features and Price) in 2024

Help Scout has long been a trusted and reliable tool that countless businesses have used for exceptional support. However, as customer needs continue to grow in complexity, the quest for a suitable alternative has become increasingly critical. 

In this comprehensive guide, we explore the best Help Scout alternatives available, meticulously highlighting their superior features and enhanced capabilities for delivering top-notch customer service in a warm, friendly, and approachable manner.

Why You Should Look at Alternatives to Help Scout?

Despite simplifying customer service, Help Scout may not be the ideal solution for every business. 

Many businesses turn to Help Scout alternatives for various reasons.

• Limited customization: It is simple to use, however additional customization options are needed for various teams and users. Some people feel that the knowledge platform’s layout and appearance may use some work.
• Messaging feature overpriced: Help Scout charges too much for its messaging service. When comparing its applications to those of the other possibilities, it becomes clear that some are more cost-effective or even free. There is a chat limit on the free usage of the messaging service.
• Integration Challenges: The software platform provides a wide array of integrations, spanning various functions and applications. However, it falls short in terms of including crucial project management tools necessary for comprehensive project oversight and coordination.

Top 10 Help Scout Alternatives

Our Top Picks	Best for	Free Trial	Pricing	Ratings
ThriveDesk	SaaS, eCommerce, healthcare & SMB.	Yes	$9/month	4.7
Freshdesk	Enterprise-level organizations	Yes	$15/month	4.6
HubSpot	Customer-based industries	Yes	$45/month	4.4
LiveAgent	Small and Mid-sized businesses	Yes	$9/month
Jira Service Management	Medium to large businesses	Yes	$17.65/month	4.5
Zendesk	All sizes businesses	Yes	€69/month	4.4
Groove	Small business	Yes	$15/month	4.5
TeamSupport	Medium to large B2B organizations	Yes	$29/month	4.6
Crisp	Low-mid market	Yes	$25/month	4.5
Zoho Desk	Small businesses or startups	Yes	$7/month	4.5

1. ThriveDesk – Drop in replacement Help Scout alternatives

Improve and expedite customer service with ThriveDesk. Manage all customer interactions in one inbox. Use ThriveDesk’s Live Chat tool to boost conversions, reduce cart abandonment, and help clients as needed. The best Help Scout alternatives available in the market.

Provide a database of articles to help customers solve their problems. This will reduce the number of support tickets, prevent duplicate incident logs, allow customers to help themselves on the portal, and speed up problem resolution.

ThriveDesk’s reporting tool makes it easier to make data-driven decisions to better serve customers. It now supports five languages and easily integrates with hundreds of apps to streamline your team’s workflow.

Features common to Thrivedesk and Help Scout

• Live Chat
• Shared Inbox
• Customer Database
• Knowledge Base
• Community
• Reporting
• Email Alias

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Manage multiple organizations
• Functional dashboard
• Multilingual
• EU hosted

What are the differences between ThriveDesk and Help Scout?

• Multiple organizations: You can participate in many organizations with ThriveDesk under a single account, and you can quickly switch between organizations. You cannot have multiple organizations associated with your Help Scout account.
• Simple and SEO friendly Knowledge base: You may organize your content using ThriveDesk by creating nested categories, and the URLs are readable for search engines. Category nesting is not feasible with Help Scout, and URLs are essentially meaningless.
• Affordable: You may expand your customer support staff using ThriveDesk without going over budget. As your team grows, you will need to switch to a higher plan and pay more with Help Scout.

ThriveDesk integrates seamlessly with various tools, enhancing customer support and streamlining workflows includes higher rated features popular integrations:

• WordPress ticketing system plugin
• Shopify
• WooCommerce help desk plugin
• Google Tag Manager
• Squarespace
• Webflow
• Magento
• Envato
• Freemius
• Zapier
• Pabbly Connect
• Slack
• Fluent CRM

Pros	Cons
Cost-effective	Limited mobile functionality
Chatbot support	Limited API documentation
Powerful integrations
Easy to setup
Extensive integrations with WooCommerce
Emoji support

ThriveDesk pricing

ThriveDesk offers a free 14-day trial and Two pricing tiers:

• Basic: $9 per month for 2 users
• Standard: $49 per month for 5 users
• Plus: $99 per month for unlimited users

Customer review

I really like the Thrivedesk system. It has a very easy to use interface and clean dashboard. The customer support is great as well, they are always there for you and help you solve any issues or questions that may arise. I moved from Help Scout and I believe this is the best Help Scout alternatives available in the market.

2. Freshdesk – OG HelpDesk Software

A strong substitute for Help Scout is Freshworks’ Freshdesk, a dynamic cloud-based customer support platform. With its many third-party program integrations, such as Slack, Mailchimp, Shopify, and Zoom, Freshdesk facilitates a streamlined and adaptable workflow. Utilize Freshworks Customer Service Suite to provide outstanding customer service. You can increase productivity and surpass expectations with the Suite’s AI-powered chats, no-code bots, and effective ticket management.

Features common to Freshdesk and Help Scout

• Automated Routing
• Real-Time Chat
• Customer Database
• Self Service Portal
• Prioritization
• Reporting

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Social Media Integration 
• Alerts/Escalation
• Remote Access/Control
• Activity Tracking

Differences between Freshdesk and Help Scout – True Help Scout alternative?

• Support and knowledge base: After comparing Help Scout and Freshdesk, it was found that Freshdesk offers more tools and services for users who like to help themselves or receive assistance from a genuine agent.
• Pricing: Help Scout’s most expensive pricing tier is less expensive than Freshdesk’s, and its most premium pricing tier offers a wider selection. Furthermore, Help Scout’s most expensive package does not allow for monthly payments.
• Free versions:It is simple to compare Help Scout and Freshdesk’s software using a free version; Help Scout lacks one, which is concerning for their customer satisfaction rate. Freshdesk has one. 

A range of integrations are available from Freshdesk to improve your customer service experience. Here are a few noteworthy ones:

• Slack
• Shopify
• Salesforce
• Microsoft Teams
• Mailchimp
• Whatsapp

Pros	Cons
Easy and simple customer service	Reporting
Deliver personalized support fast
Deflect FAQs and optimize agent workload
Optimize operations with AI-powered automations and workflows
Leverage proactive AI-driven insights to optimize support

Freshdesk pricing

Freshdesk offers a free 21-day trial and Four pricing tiers:

• Free
• Growth: $15 per user/month
• Pro: $49 per user/month
• Enterprise: $79 per user/month

3. Hubspot Service Hub – Popular choice for agencies

A cloud-based help desk program called HubSpot Service Hub centralizes customer assistance, streamlines workflows, and offers thorough analytics. All sizes of businesses can use it, but those looking for an integrated customer relationship management (CRM) system should especially consider it.

Features common to HubSpot and Help Scout

• Knowledge Base Management
• Live Chat
• Multi-Channel Communication
• Self Service Portal
• Support Ticket Management
• Notifications

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Alerts/Escalation
• Account Management
• Activity Dashboard
• Account Alerts

What are the differences between HubSpot and Help Scout?

• Customization: With more customization options available, HubSpot Service Hub enables teams to adapt the platform to their own requirements. Help Scout prioritizes simplicity over complexity, which may limit personalization.
• Feedback Tools: Help Scout offers fewer options when it comes to gathering and evaluating client feedback than does HubSpot Service Hub.
• Extensive Integration: HubSpot Service Hub is the best option because of its extensive integration with the larger HubSpot CRM platform. Help Scout’s cross-functional integration is not to the same extent.

Numerous integrations are available from HubSpot to improve your company. The following are some salient points:

• Slack
• Mailchimp
• Google Analytics
• Trello
• SurveyMonkey
• Eventbrite
• Zendesk

Pros	Cons
Easy to keep track of issues, create surveys, automations	Learning curve
Easy to use
Leverage 360-Degree Insights
Drive Retention
Scale Support

HubSpot pricing

HubSpot offers four pricing tiers:

• Free
• Starter Plan: $45 per month
• Professional Plan: $450 per month
• Enterprise Plan: $1200 per month

4. LiveAgent – Live chat focused help desk

LiveAgent help desk system is the easiest and fastest to implement. In just a few minutes, establish your multi-channel help desk to stay ahead of the competition. Customers have chosen LiveAgent as the best live chat software, the fastest to implement software, and an industry leader on well-known review platforms.

Features common to LiveAgent and Help Scout

• Automated Routing
• Prioritization
• Real-Time Chat
• Customer Database
• Self Service Portal
• Knowledge Base Management

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Call Center Management
• Social Media Integration
• Activity Dashboard
• Remote Access/Control

What are the differences between LiveAgent and Help Scout?

• Feature updates: LiveAgent’s feature updates and roadmaps were favored by customers above Help Scout’s offerings.
• Social media integration:  Businesses can handle help directly from social media channels thanks to LiveAgent’s integration with more social media networks than Help Scout.
• Service Level Agreement Management: While Help Scout does not have SLA management, LiveAgent does, guaranteeing that support engagements satisfy service levels.

Numerous integrations are available from LiveAgent to improve your support desk software. Here are a few noteworthy ones:

• Slack
• API
• Zapier
• Email Marketing
• Billing Management
• CRM Systems

Pros	Cons
Increase your revenue with live chat	Admin interface
Spend less with a ticketing system
Fastest setup
Agent collision detection
Audit log

LiveAgent pricing

LiveAgent offers a free 30-day trial and four pricing tiers:

• Small: $9 per month
• Medium: $29 per month
• Large: $49 per month
• Enterprise: $69 per month

5. Jira Service Management – Not a good Help Scout alternative

As a fantastic substitute for Help Scout, Jira Service Management is as impressive. It impresses with capabilities that Help Scout does not have, like a configurable dashboard, superior problem management, and convenient calendar management. Jira works especially well for service desks and IT teams. It has an advantage because to its flexible interface, scheduling features, and easy tracking and management of difficulties.

Features common to Jira Service Management and Help Scout

• Prioritization
• Workflow Configuration
• Ticket Management
• Reporting/Analytics
• Email Management
• Customizable Branding

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
• Social Media Integration
• Alerts/Escalation
• Remote Access/Control

What are the differences between Jira Service Management and Help Scout?

• Integration: Technical teams will find Jira Service Management excellent as it provides seamless connectivity with many DevOps tools and other Atlassian products. Help Scout is better suited for customer support operations because it interfaces with numerous CRM, eCommerce, and marketing platforms.
• Flexibility: Jira Service Management provides more customization options for workflows. Additionally, Help Scout offers simpler methods to improve customer service operations.
• Audience prefernce: Help Scout focuses on customer service teams searching for email-based customer support software.  But Jira Service Management, which focuses on technical assistance, is primarily made for DevOps and IT teams. 

Jira Service Management ensures a smooth workflow with integrations such as:

• Opsgenie
• Slack
• Bitbucket
• Confluence

Pros	Cons
Effortless Collaboration	Higher cost for advanced features and larger teams.
Task Management
SLA management
Easy to use bug tracking system
Full of tools

Jira Service Management pricing

• Free plan 
• Standard plan:$17.65 per agent/month
• Premium plan: $44.27 per agent/month
• Enterprise plan: custom pricing.

6. Zendesk – OG of Help Scout alternative

Zendesk is the top choice in three distinguished categories for customer support software: Best Software Product, Best Customer support Product, and Product for Mid-Market. When comparing side-by-side, it is vital to remember that Help Scout has less than 400 reviews on G2, whereas Zendesk has over 5,600.

Features common to Zendesk and Help Scout

• Real-Time Notifications
• Multi-Channel Communication
• Macros/Templated Responses
• Support Ticket Management
• Prioritization
• Reporting/Analytics

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
• Social Media Integration
• Activity Tracking
• Activity Dashboard

Differences between Zendesk and Help Scout? Is it true Help Scout alternatives?

• Knowledge base: Regarding the Zendesk knowledge base builder, it has an SEO-friendly WYSIWYG dashboard. Publications of articles can also be scheduled in advance. Creating knowledge-based articles with embedded words, links, images, and even videos is made simple with Help Scout.
  
• Workflows and automation: Workflows and further automation features are deeply integrated within the Zendesk platform. Help Scout provides basic tools for workflow automation.

• ChatBots:  Indeed, Zendesk is adept at handling bots. Standard bots that function with email, messaging, live chat, and ticket forms are included with any Zendesk plan. Consequently, they do not think bots are all that useful for providing the best possible customer experience.

Numerous integrations are available from Zendesk to improve your customer service experience. Here are a few well-known ones:

• Klaus
• Stylo
• Geckoboard
• Zapier
• Thank You GPT

Pros	Cons
Unified reporting	No Remote Access/Control
Pre-built dashboards
Sharing and collaboration
Maximize team performance
Proactive messaging

Zendesk pricing

• Free plan 
• Suite Team: 69 € per month
• Suite Growth: 115 € per month
• Suite Professional: 149 € per month
• Suite Enterprise: custom pricing.

7. Groove – True Help Scout alternatives

Groove offers an easy-to-use platform for managing customer support inquiries, freeing you time to concentrate on expanding your business. Provide top-notch client service with greater assurance and reduced anxiety. This platform gives small businesses, whether they are startup or existing, the support system they require to thrive, enabling them to provide outstanding customer service and spur growth.

Features common to Groove and Help Scout

• Queue Management
• Customer History
• Customer Database
• Email Management
• Reporting & Statistics
• Workflow Management

Feature not available in Help Scout

• Call Center Management
• Alerts/Escalation
• CRM
• Call Center Management

Differences between Groove and Help Scout?

• Knowledge Base: With the help of GrooveHQ’s extensive knowledge base management tool, companies can easily establish and manage a centralized library of client resources and help articles. Although it might not be as complete as GrooveHQ’s solution, Help Scout also provides knowledge base features.
  
• Pricing: GrooveHQ provides startups and smaller enterprises with more reasonably priced pricing choices. Help Scout’s price plans, however, might be more appropriate for larger businesses that require more sophisticated support.
  
• User Interface: When compared to Help Scout, GrooveHQ’s user interface is sleeker and more eye-catching. Users will find it easier to explore and locate the tools they need more quickly thanks to the clear design and simple structure.

Groove offers strong integrations with a range of applications to improve your support process. These noteworthy integrations include:

• Slack
• Stripe
• Shopify
• MailChimp
• Salesforce
• Instagram

Pros	Cons
Easy to manage	lacks of significant amount of features
Human-centered ticketing system
GDPR compliant
99.9% uptime
Two-factor auth

Groove pricing

• Standard plan:$20 per user per month (limit 25)
• Plus plan: $45 per user per month
• Pro plan: $70 per user per month

8. TeamSupport – Old school help desk software

A powerful customer support tool called TeamSupport was created to increase agent productivity, streamline processes, and enhance customer happiness. Teams of all sizes may work together with other departments, streamline channels, reduce response times, and obtain insightful customer data all from inside an easy-to-use dashboard. 

Features common to TeamSupport and Help Scout

• Automated Routing
• Real-Time Chat
• Customer Database
• Self Service Portal
• Email Management
• Customizable Branding

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Alerts/Escalation
• Activity Tracking
• Activity Dashboard
• Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management

Differences between TeamSupport and Help Scout?

• Reporting & Analytics: TeamSupport offers more comprehensive, AI-driven reporting with customizable dashboards and drill-down capabilities for in-depth comprehension.
• Customization: With capabilities like agent collision detection and custom routing rules, TeamSupport thrives in complex workflows and streamlines cooperation for larger teams.
• Collaboration: TeamSupport allows for more customization of the self-service portal, potentially creating a more branded and user-friendly experience for your customers.

Here are some of the integrations you can connect to TeamSupport:

• Microsoft Teams
• Jira
• Salesforce
• RingCentral
• MailChimp

Pros	Cons
Professional Ticketing Tool	Insufficient Automation
Messaging and Live Chat
Powerful Integrations
Self-Service Support
Powered by AI and Machine Learning

TeamSupport pricing

• Free plan 
• Chat Support:$29 per agent/month
• Essential Support: $35 per agent/month
• Professional Support: $49 per agent/month
• Enterprise Support: custom price

9. Crisp – Only good for live chat

Many times, people mistake a collaborative inbox for an email inbox. Crisp is much better! Its shared inbox centralizes all of your messages from other channels and provides an amazing business messaging inbox. Manage social inboxes, cooperate, and keep them organized. If you are tossing between Intercom and Crisp then checkout our comprehensive Intercom vs crisp comparison.

Features common to Crisp and Help Scout

• Mobile Access
• Customizable Branding
• Support Ticket Management
• Autoresponders
• Multi-Channel Communication
• Real-Time Notifications

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Proactive Chat
• Screen Sharing
• Offline Form
• Geotargeting

What are the differences between Crisp and Help Scout?

• Targeted audience: Crisp provides businesses with an all-in-one customer messaging platform to help them humanize their client relationships. Crisp has the low-mid market in mind. The mid-upper market is the focus of HelpScout.

• Price: Helpscout does not have a free plan like Crisp offers. The pricing is determined by the quantity of operators in your group. However, if you want to dive further, pricing can be nearly equal at Intercom because they bill by operator and climb quite quickly.
• Features: Crisp is capable of helping the user while they navigate your website. additionally, to automatically translate messages based on the language of the customer.

Crisp offers a multitude of integrations to improve your customer experience. Here are a few well-known ones:

• Zapier
• Shopify
• Salesforce
• Mailchimp
• Pipedrive

Pros	Cons
Automate time-consuming workflows	App notifications
Ticketing system
Status page
Ease of use
Value for money

Crisp pricing

• Free plan 
• Pro plan:$25 per workspace/month
• Unlimited plan: $95 per workspace/month

10. Zoho Desk

A strong software suite that is both distinctive and can change the way you operate. created by a company that respects your privacy and is suited for companies of all varieties. With our unified cloud software, which is meant to assist you in dismantling departmental silos and boosting organizational effectiveness, you can run your whole company on Zoho. Zoho Desk is not a good Help Scout alternatives available in market.

Features common to Zoho Desk and Help Scout

• Real-Time Chat
• Customer Database
• Self Service Portal
• Real-Time Notifications
• Multi-Channel Communication
• Macros/Templated Responses

Feature not available in Help Scout:

• Call Center Management
• Social Media Integration
• Activity Dashboard
• Alerts/Escalation

What are the differences between Zoho Desk and Help Scout?

• Multi Department: You can add numerous departments to Zoho Desk, so it reflects your organizational structure. Manage customer service for various brands from within the same help desk. In the comparison of help desk software, Zoho Desk comes out on top due to its ease of use.
  
• Reports and Insights: Reports can be created with Zoho Desk or integrated with it using the necessary metrics. Using simple dashboards, keep an eye on important data and real-time traffic. Examine help desk options according to how well they position you for your future objectives.
  
• Automation: When comparing customer support options, Blueprint from Zoho Desk elevates the game. Define an actual procedure inside the help desk and have it automatically carried out, making sure all relevant parties are informed at all times.

Zoho Desk provides integrations with various apps to streamline your business workflows.

• Zoho CRM
• Salesforce
• Slack
• JIRA by Atlassian
• Zoho Cliq
• G Suite

Pros	Cons
Long-term commitment	Complexity for beginners
Focus on research & development
Customer-first philosophy
Workflow Configuration
Third-Party Integrations

Zoho Desk pricing

• Free plan 
• Express plan:$7 per user/month
• Standard plan: $14 per user/month
• Professional plan: $23 per user/month

How to Identify the Best Help Scout Alternative for Your Business

Finding the ideal Help Scout alternatives for your company should not be difficult. Consider what features you actually need first. Are you seeking more thorough reporting, straightforward team collaboration, or improved customer support tools? Enumerate your highest priorities. 

Next, look into various options that meet those requirements. Examine reviews, sample movies, and perhaps even take advantage of a couple of free trials. This will give you a decent understanding of each tool’s functionality and ease of use.

It is crucial to take your team size and budget into account. Certain substitutes may have all the characteristics you need, but they may be too costly for your company. Seek solutions that can expand your business and provide good value for your money. Consult with colleagues or other companies using these products to get their feedback. 

Ultimately, pick the option that fulfills your requirements and feelings without exceeding the budget. Always bear in mind that the ideal tool is the one that makes your job easier and ensures your clients are satisfied.