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Last updated: October 29, 2026

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5 Best Help Scout Alternatives (2027): Prices, Free Plans and Who Each Is For

The best Help Scout alternative for most growing teams is Freshdesk: Growth costs $19 per agent per month on annual billing, $6 less than Help Scout Standard ($25), with structured ticketing and automation. Choose Zendesk for omnichannel suites and a large app marketplace ($19 to $115 per agent), Crisp for flat-priced live chat ($45 a month for 4 seats), Gorgias for Shopify stores ($10 for 50 tickets) and Intercom for AI-first, in-app support ($19 per seat plus $0.99 per AI outcome). Help Scout itself is free for up to 5 users.

Why people look for a Help Scout alternative

1. Paid seats cost more: Help Scout Standard is $25 per user, against $19 for Freshdesk Growth and Zendesk Support Team.
2. Ticketing structure: some teams want queues, SLAs and detailed workflows.
3. Channels: teams that live in chat, messaging or in-app support want tools built for them.
4. Ecommerce: stores want order data and actions inside every ticket.

Help Scout alternatives compared

What each alternative costs a 10-agent team

1. Freshdesk: best overall Help Scout alternative

Freshdesk turns requests into tickets with statuses, groups, automation rules and a knowledge base. Growth costs $19 per agent on annual billing, Pro $55 and Enterprise $89, with a 14-day trial. At mid and upper tiers it costs more than Help Scout Plus ($45) and Pro ($75), so it's most attractive at entry level.

Choose it if: you want structured ticketing at the lowest paid entry price. See Freshdesk vs Help Scout.

2. Zendesk: best omnichannel suite

Zendesk Support Team costs $19 per agent on annual billing ($25 monthly), Suite Team $55 and Suite Professional $115. Suites bundle email, chat, messaging, voice and a help center, with a large app marketplace.

Choose it if: you're building a large, multichannel support team. See Help Scout vs Zendesk.

3. Crisp: best flat pricing

Crisp is free for 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; Mini costs $45 a month for 4 seats, Essentials $95 for 10 and Plus $295 for 20+. It's built around website chat with a shared inbox.

Choose it if: several people answer chats part-time. See Crisp pricing.

4. Gorgias: best for Shopify stores

Gorgias prices by tickets: Starter $10 a month for 50 tickets, Basic $50 (annual) for 300 and Pro $300 (annual) for 2,000. Agents see orders and can refund or edit them inside each ticket.

Choose it if: you run an online store. See Gorgias pricing.

5. Intercom: best AI-first, in-app support

Intercom's Messenger works inside your app and website, and its Fin AI agent resolves questions for $0.99 per outcome. Essential costs $19 per seat on annual billing, Advanced $85 and Expert $132.

Choose it if: you're a SaaS company with in-app support. Note that Help Scout's own AI costs less ($0.75 per resolution). See Help Scout vs Intercom.

Start Freshdesk's 14-day trial → Structured ticketing from $19 per agent · Affiliate link

Three real-world scenarios

A 4-person team on Help Scout's free plan

Stay on Help Scout: none of these alternatives is free for 4 people with email support (Crisp's free plan covers 2 seats).

A 10-agent team wanting queues and SLAs

Freshdesk Growth ($190 a month) or Pro ($550) adds structured ticketing; Help Scout Standard would cost $250.

A Shopify store with 6 part-time helpers

Gorgias Basic at $50 a month (annual) for 300 tickets covers everyone, with order actions in each ticket.

How to choose a Help Scout alternative

1. Name what's missing: price per seat, structure, channels or ecommerce.
2. Count agents and tickets.
3. Match the pricing model (per agent, per ticket, per workspace) to your team.
4. Trial two tools with real conversations.
5. Measure first-reply time and agent satisfaction.

Migrating from Help Scout

Help Scout exports conversations and customers, and Freshdesk, Zendesk, Gorgias and Intercom offer import tools or migration services. Move your saved replies and docs articles first, then forward your support address to the new tool and run both in parallel for a week.

Terms explained

• Ticket: a tracked customer request.
• Inbox: a shared email address.
• Workspace pricing: a flat fee for a group of seats (Crisp).
• AI outcome or resolution: a conversation resolved by AI.
• SLA: a reply or resolution time target.

What to look for in a Help Scout alternative

Help Scout's strengths are its email-like simplicity, free plan for 5 users, docs site and cheap AI ($0.75 per resolution). Before switching, decide which of these you're willing to lose and what you need instead: structured ticketing (Freshdesk), omnichannel suites (Zendesk), flat-priced chat (Crisp), store data (Gorgias) or in-app messaging (Intercom). Price the tier you'll need in a year, not just the entry plan, because Help Scout is cheaper than Freshdesk and Zendesk at mid and upper tiers.

Mistakes to avoid when switching

1. Switching mid-project: move between projects or campaigns, not in the middle of one.
2. Migrating everything: archive old data and move only what's active.
3. Skipping a trial with real work: demo data hides the problems you'll actually meet.
4. Ignoring seat or contact counts: price the plan for your real team or list in a year.
5. Forgetting integrations: list every connected app before you cancel your current tool.

Our verdict

Freshdesk is the best Help Scout alternative for teams that want structured ticketing at $19 per agent. Zendesk suits large multichannel teams, Crisp chat-first teams with part-time helpers, Gorgias online stores and Intercom SaaS companies with in-app support. If you're 5 people or fewer, Help Scout's free plan is hard to beat.

How we compiled this page

Prices and limits come from each vendor's official pricing page, checked October 29, 2026. See also Help Scout pricing and best help desk software.

FAQ

What is the best alternative to Help Scout?

Freshdesk for most growing teams; Zendesk for large omnichannel teams; Crisp for live chat.

Is Freshdesk cheaper than Help Scout?

At entry level, yes ($19 vs $25 per seat). At mid and upper tiers, Help Scout is cheaper.

Is there a free Help Scout alternative?

Crisp is free for 2 seats. For email support with up to 5 users, Help Scout's own free plan is the most generous.

Which alternative is best for ecommerce?

Gorgias, priced by tickets with order actions inside each ticket.

Which has the cheapest AI?

Help Scout itself ($0.75 per resolution) is cheaper than Intercom's Fin ($0.99 per outcome).

Can I migrate from Help Scout to Zendesk?

Yes. Zendesk offers import tools and partner migration services.

Is there a Help Scout alternative with a free plan for more users?

Not for email ticketing at the same level: Help Scout's free plan for 5 users is the most generous. Crisp is free for 2 seats.

Sources

helpscout.com/pricing, freshworks.com/freshdesk/pricing, zendesk.com/pricing, crisp.chat/en/pricing, gorgias.com/pricing and intercom.com/pricing, checked October 29, 2026.

Related

• Freshdesk vs Help Scout (2027): Prices & Which Help Desk Wins
• Help Scout vs Intercom (2027): Prices, AI Costs & Which to Pick
• Help Scout vs Zendesk (2027): Prices, Free Plan & Which Fits
• Help Scout Pricing 2027: Free for 5 Users, Then $25+