Help Scout pricing & cost
Lean, email-first SMB support teams that want simple, conversational (non-enterprise) help desk.
Entry price
Free (≤5 users); paid from $25/user/mo
AI usage rate
$0.75 per AI Answers resolution
Free tier
Yes — Free up to 5 users + 3 months free AI Answers
Billing model
per-seat + per-resolution
Our verdict
The best-value per-resolution rate for a small, email-first team — and the AI is only billed when it actually answers.
Strengths
- Lowest published per-resolution among full help desks ($0.75)
- One charge per conversation max
- Free tier + 3 months free AI
Watch-outs
- Pro tier requires a demo
- Less enterprise depth than Zendesk
Who it's for
Lean, email-first SMB support teams that want simple, conversational (non-enterprise) help desk. Typically a fit for solo, small, mid teams.
Sources
Help Scout alternatives
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ChatbaseFree; Hobby $40/mo
Great for a quick, embeddable site bot — just remember model choice is the real cost lever, not the headline plan price.
Chatfuel$69/mo single plan
A tidy flat price for Meta-channel commerce — just budget the separate WhatsApp conversation fees Meta charges on top.
CrispFree (2 seats); Mini $45/mo (4 seats)
The cheapest flat entry for a small team — predictable until heavy automation burns through the included AI credits.