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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Help Scout Pricing 2027: Free Plan, Standard, Plus and Pro Explained
Help Scout is free for up to 5 users with 1 inbox and 1 docs site. Paid plans cost $25 per user per month on Standard, $45 on Plus and $75 on Pro, and its AI add-on costs $0.75 per resolution. Standard and Plus come with a 15-day free trial and no credit card. For a small team that supports customers mainly by email, Help Scout's free plan is the most generous among the major help desks.
- Free: up to 5 users, 1 inbox, 1 docs site.
- Standard: $25/user/month.
- Plus: $45/user/month.
- Pro: $75/user/month.
- AI: $0.75 per AI resolution.
- Trial: 15 days, no credit card (Standard and Plus).
Help Scout plans compared
| Plan | Price per user/month | 5 users/month | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Small teams with one shared inbox |
| Standard | $25 | $125 | Teams that need more inboxes and features |
| Plus | $45 | $225 | Growing teams with advanced needs |
| Pro | $75 | $375 | Larger teams with compliance and admin needs |
What the free plan includes
Help Scout's free plan covers up to 5 users, 1 shared inbox and 1 docs (knowledge base) site. That's enough for a small business or startup handling support from one email address, such as support@yourcompany.com. Most competing help desks, including Zendesk and Freshdesk, don't list a free plan at all.
The free plan's main limit is structure: one inbox and one docs site. Teams that need separate inboxes for sales, support and billing, or more than 5 people answering, move to a paid plan.
What a real support team pays
| Users | Standard | Plus | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $75/month | $135/month | $225/month |
| 5 | $125/month | $225/month | $375/month |
| 10 | $250/month | $450/month | $750/month |
| 20 | $500/month | $900/month | $1,500/month |
| 10, per year | $3,000 | $5,400 | $9,000 |
The AI cost: $0.75 per resolution
Help Scout's AI add-on is billed per resolution: you pay $0.75 each time AI resolves a customer conversation. That's lower than Intercom's Fin at $0.99 per outcome.
| AI resolutions per month | Added cost on Help Scout | Same volume on Intercom Fin |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $75 | $99 |
| 500 | $375 | $495 |
| 1,000 | $750 | $990 |
Turn AI on only if each resolution costs less than an agent's time to answer the same question.
Help Scout vs other help desks on price
| Help desk | Free plan | Entry paid price | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help Scout | Yes, 5 users | $25/user (Standard) | Per user |
| Freshdesk | Not listed | $19/agent (Growth, annual) | Per agent |
| Zendesk | No | $19/agent (Support Team, annual) | Per agent |
| Gorgias | No | $10/month for 50 tickets | Per ticket |
| Crisp | Yes, 2 seats | $45/month for 4 seats | Per workspace |
| Intercom | No | $19/seat (Essential, annual) + $0.99 per AI outcome | Per seat + outcome |
Help Scout's paid seats cost more than Freshdesk and Zendesk entry plans ($25 vs $19), but its free plan for 5 users is unmatched. For teams of 5 or fewer that fit in one inbox, Help Scout costs nothing.
3-year cost for a growing team
A support team that grows from 3 to 6 to 10 users:
| Year (users) | Help Scout | Freshdesk Growth (annual) | Zendesk Support Team (annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (3) | $0 (Free) | $684 | $684 |
| Year 2 (6) | $1,800 (Standard) | $1,368 | $1,368 |
| Year 3 (10) | $3,000 (Standard) | $2,280 | $2,280 |
| Total | $4,800 | $4,332 | $4,332 |
Over three years, the costs are close: Help Scout saves money in year one with its free plan, while Freshdesk and Zendesk cost less per seat once you pay. The deciding factor is which tool your team prefers to work in.
Three real-world scenarios
A 4-person startup answering support emails
One shared inbox and a help center: Help Scout's free plan covers it. Cost: $0. Upgrade when you need a second inbox or more than 5 people answering.
A 10-person SaaS support team
Several inboxes, workflows and reporting: Standard costs $250 a month. If AI could resolve 300 common questions a month, add $225, and compare that with the agent time saved.
A 20-person team with compliance requirements
Pro at $75 per user costs $1,500 a month. Compare it with Zendesk Suite Professional ($115 per agent) and Freshdesk Enterprise ($89 per agent) on the specific controls you need.
Start Help Scout free → Free for 5 users, no credit card · Affiliate link
Hidden costs to watch
- AI resolutions: $0.75 each, on top of seats.
- Inbox limit on Free: 1 inbox and 1 docs site.
- Per-user pricing: every person who answers needs a seat.
- Plan jumps: Standard to Plus adds $20 per user; Plus to Pro adds $30.
How to pay less for Help Scout
- Stay on the free plan while one inbox and 5 users are enough.
- Build your docs site early so customers find answers before writing.
- Turn on AI only for topics it resolves reliably.
- Remove seats for people who no longer answer customers.
Why teams choose Help Scout
Help Scout is designed to feel like a shared email inbox rather than a ticketing system. Customers receive normal-looking emails instead of ticket numbers, and agents see conversations, notes and customer details in one place. That makes it easy to adopt for teams moving from Gmail or Outlook. Its docs sites give customers self-service answers, and Beacon, its help widget, puts help articles and contact options on your website.
Setting up Help Scout in your first day
- Forward your support email address to your Help Scout inbox.
- Invite your teammates (up to 5 on Free).
- Create saved replies for your ten most common questions.
- Publish those answers as articles on your docs site.
- Add the help widget to your website.
- Review response times after one week.
Help Scout terms explained
- Inbox (mailbox): a shared email address your team answers from.
- Docs site: Help Scout's knowledge base for customers.
- Saved reply: a reusable answer template.
- AI resolution: a conversation resolved by Help Scout's AI, billed at $0.75.
- Beacon: Help Scout's website widget for help articles and contact.
Our verdict
Help Scout is the best help desk for small teams that support customers by email: free for up to 5 users, simple to adopt, and priced fairly from $25 per user. Its AI at $0.75 per resolution is cheaper than Intercom's. Choose Freshdesk or Zendesk if you'd rather pay $19 per agent for traditional ticketing, and Gorgias if you run a Shopify store with low ticket volume.
How we compiled this page
Prices and plan limits come from Help Scout's official pricing page, checked October 29, 2026. Competitor prices come from their official pricing pages on the same date. See also best help desk software, Help Scout vs Zendesk and Freshdesk vs Help Scout.
FAQ
How much does Help Scout cost?
Help Scout is free for up to 5 users. Paid plans cost $25 (Standard), $45 (Plus) and $75 (Pro) per user per month.
Is Help Scout free?
Yes, for up to 5 users, with 1 inbox and 1 docs site.
How much does Help Scout AI cost?
$0.75 per AI resolution.
Does Help Scout have a free trial?
Yes, a 15-day free trial with no credit card on Standard and Plus.
Is Help Scout cheaper than Zendesk?
On the free plan, yes: Zendesk has no free plan. On paid plans, Zendesk Support Team ($19 per agent, annual) costs less per seat than Help Scout Standard ($25).
Is Help Scout good for ecommerce?
It works well for email support. Stores with high ticket volume and deep Shopify needs often compare Gorgias.
Can I pay Help Scout annually?
Check the pricing page for current billing options. Whatever the billing period, review your seat count before each renewal and remove people who no longer answer customers.
How many inboxes do I get?
The free plan includes 1 inbox and 1 docs site. Paid plans add more inboxes for separate teams such as sales, support and billing; check the plan comparison for the exact numbers.
Sources
helpscout.com/pricing, zendesk.com/pricing, freshworks.com/freshdesk/pricing, gorgias.com/pricing, crisp.chat/en/pricing and intercom.com/pricing, checked October 29, 2026.
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