Help Scout alternatives
Help Scout is customer support platform with shared inbox and AI answers. If it is not the right fit on price, features or setup, these 10 tools do a similar job. We rank them by how closely they match Help Scout, and every listing is checked against its official site.
Compare Help Scout and its alternatives
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Starts at | MCP server |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Help Scoutcurrent | Small and mid-sized support teams | Paid | See site | Not checked |
| Crisp | Startups and small businesses that want chat and inbox in one tool | Free plan | Free plan, paid from $45/month per workspace (as of October 2026) | Not checked |
| Front | Support and account teams working from shared inboxes | Paid | $25/seat/month (Starter, billed annually) | Official |
| Zendesk | Support teams from small to enterprise | Paid | $19/agent/month billed annually | Not checked |
| Featurebase | Software teams combining support and product feedback | Free plan | Free plan, paid from $29/seat/month billed yearly (as of October 2026) | Not checked |
| Hiver | Support teams that work inside Gmail and want AI help | Paid | Paid from $25/user/month billed annually, $35 monthly; 7-day free trial (as of October 2026) | Not checked |
| Intercom | Support teams that want AI to resolve a large share of tickets | Paid | $29/seat/month, Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome | Official |
| Freshdesk | Small to mid-size support teams | Paid | $19/agent/month billed annually | Not checked |
| Gorgias | Online stores handling high ticket volume | Paid | See site | Not checked |
| Zoho Desk | Small and mid-size support teams | Free plan | Free for 3 agents, paid plans per user | Official |
| Aissist | Support teams wanting low per-resolution pricing on their current helpdesk | Free plan | $0.20 per resolution | Not checked |
The alternatives
1. Crisp
Customer messaging platform with shared inbox, live chat and AI chatbot.
Pricing: Free plan, from Free plan, paid from $45/month per workspace (as of October 2026) · Best for: startups and small businesses that want chat and inbox in one tool · Also covers: shared inbox, helpdesk
2. Front
Shared inbox for customer-facing teams with AI drafting, summaries and auto-resolution.
Pricing: Paid, from $25/seat/month (Starter, billed annually) · Best for: support and account teams working from shared inboxes · Also covers: shared inbox
3. Zendesk
Customer service suite with ticketing, AI agents and resolution-based AI billing.
Pricing: Paid, from $19/agent/month billed annually · Best for: support teams from small to enterprise · Also covers: knowledge base
4. Featurebase
Helpdesk and customer feedback platform with an AI support agent.
Pricing: Free plan, from Free plan, paid from $29/seat/month billed yearly (as of October 2026) · Best for: software teams combining support and product feedback · Also covers: helpdesk
5. Hiver
Agentic omnichannel customer service platform built for complex support.
Pricing: Paid, from Paid from $25/user/month billed annually, $35 monthly; 7-day free trial (as of October 2026) · Best for: support teams that work inside Gmail and want AI help · Also covers: helpdesk
6. Intercom
Customer service platform built around Fin, an AI agent priced per outcome.
Pricing: Paid, from $29/seat/month, Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome · Best for: support teams that want AI to resolve a large share of tickets · Also covers: helpdesk
7. Freshdesk
Help desk and ticketing software with Freddy AI agent and copilot.
Pricing: Paid, from $19/agent/month billed annually · Best for: small to mid-size support teams · Also covers: knowledge base
8. Gorgias
Ecommerce helpdesk with AI agent for Shopify stores.
Pricing: Paid · Best for: online stores handling high ticket volume · Also covers: helpdesk
9. Zoho Desk
Help desk software with AI assistance and a free edition for three users.
Pricing: Free plan, from Free for 3 agents, paid plans per user · Best for: small and mid-size support teams · Also covers: knowledge base
10. Aissist
AI customer service agents that work inside your helpdesk, priced per resolution.
Pricing: Free plan, from $0.20 per resolution · Best for: support teams wanting low per-resolution pricing on their current helpdesk
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Help Scout?+
Crisp, Front and Zendesk are the closest matches in our directory. Crisp: Customer messaging platform with shared inbox, live chat and AI chatbot.
Is there a free alternative to Help Scout?+
Crisp, Featurebase, Zoho Desk and Aissist have a free plan or are open source. Free plans usually cap usage or features.
What is Help Scout?+
Customer support platform with shared inbox and AI answers.
More alternatives