7 Best Help Scout Alternatives & Competitors

Is your support team frustrated with Help Scout’s limitations, like the poor ticketing system? Here are the 7 best Help Scout alternatives we’ve handpicked after thorough research and testing.

We found that Freshdesk offers an all-rounded help desk, making it the best Help Scout alternative.

However, the others give it a run for its money.

1. Freshdesk

Best for: Small to medium service teams that need a help desk with AI capabilities for ticketing.

Pricing: Free – $95/agent/mo

Freshdesk is a Freshworks product that is a customer service solution offering ticketing, self-service, and reporting features.

Features

• Workflow automation – The help desk uses AI to scan and prioritize customer inquiries by assigning a ticket to the ideal agent. It also leverages Freddy AI to recommend answers based on prior tickets.
• Mobile app – Using an Android or iOS app, agents can close, delete, or swipe tickets on the go. The app also supports sharing tickets, tracking visitors, and sending push notifications.
• Reporting and analytics – The software provides detailed reporting on the workflows, displaying ticket processing and team efficiency. Agents can also measure customer satisfaction and understand ticket trends.
• Freddy AI – It is a suite of smart assistant features that service agents can use to build chatbots for ticket and email responses.

Freshdesk vs. Help Scout

Criteria	Freshdesk	Help Scout
Best For	Customer service teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	Self-service portal	Shared inbox
Pricing	Free – $95/agent/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Freshdesk suits service teams looking for a help desk that uses generative AI. Its workflow automation and Freddy AI are its unique points.

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2. Zoho Desk

Best for: Small service teams looking to simplify customer service and improve agent productivity.

Pricing: Free – $95/agent/mo

Zoho Desk is a top-rated customer service helpdesk that helps teams track tickets and deliver support through live chat.

Features

• Ticket management – Service teams will find an omnichannel ticketing system on Zoho Desk. The system collects tickets from all channels and organizes them on a central dashboard for quick response.
• Zia AI – It is a chatbot that uses AI to respond to text and voice queries on a mobile app or website. One notable aspect is that agents can train the chatbot to execute tasks such as order management.
• Automation – The help desk on Zoho Desk uses SLA and contract management to define ticket times and a support plan commitment. Agents can also create rules that help speed ticket resolution times when there are delays.
• Self-service – Zoho Desk allows service teams to embed self-service and a knowledge base to their mobile app and site for easy access to help.

Zoho Desk vs. Help Scout

Criteria	Zoho Desk	Help Scout
Best For	Customer support, sales, and marketing teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	Sentiment analysis	Shared inbox
Pricing	€20/user/mo — €50/user/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Zoho Desk fits small service teams looking for a helpdesk with essential support features to automate customer service. Zia AI, self-service, and ticket management are its selling points.

Start your free trial of Zoho Desk today

Try Zoho Desk for free

3. HubSpot Live Chat

Best for: Small businesses looking to use a live chat on their site for lead gen and inbound marketing.

Pricing: Free – $90/user/mo

HubSpot Live Chat is a live chat software that allows users to engage with customers on their website in real-time.

Features

• Live chat – Service teams can use the live chat to route customer queries to the right agent and pass lead gen traffic to the sales team. The platform also allows customization of the widget to match your brand.
• Automation – Agents can use the readily available chatbot builder to build bots to deliver personalized responses to queries. Agents can also build bots to help automate lead gen and schedule appointments.
• Shared inbox – The software uses the CRM to store all chat conversations in a universal inbox. It allows the team to understand the context of inquiries, respond to them, make calls, and create support tickets.
• Integrations – The software integrates with third-party tools like Slack that help in seamless communication even on the go.

HubSpot Live Chat vs. Help Scout

Criteria	HubSpot Live Chat	Help Scout
Best For	Small service teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	CRM	Shared inbox
Pricing	Free – $90/user/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Small service teams will find Hubspot Live ideal because it offers a live chat with exceptional support.

Its integration with Hubspot CRM and customizable chatbots are its selling points.

Try HubSpot Live Chat today!

Try HubSpot Live Chat for free

4. Zendesk

Best for: Large service teams looking for a multichannel ticket management solution and a custom agent.

Pricing: $25/user/mo – $149/user/mo

Zendesk is a customer service platform that offers an all-inclusive solution that includes a live chat, CRM, and help desk.

Features

• Collaboration tools – An agent can use the “Side Conversation” function in the Agent workspace to communicate internally or externally with the team. Not only that, there’s also the option to add a “Light Agent” license to give key team members limited access to tickets.
• Zendesk guide – It packs a smart knowledge base with answers to most customers’ FAQs. You can use the “Team Publishing” feature to assign team members tasks like writing, updating, and editing the content.
• Mobile app – If you’re on the go, the Zendesk mobile app (iOS & Android) can allow you to access the pipelines and monitor the tickets. The app also supports generating in-depth reports and displaying the analytics on the dashboard.
• Zendesk talk – It is an integrated voice software that you can sync with support channels. The feature lets agents handle SMS, calls, and voicemails from the Agent workspace.

Zendesk vs. Help Scout

Criteria	Zendesk	Help Scout
Best For	Large customer service teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	Agent workspace	Shared inbox
Pricing	$25/user/mo – $149/user/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Zendesk excels since it is all-rounded, offering an omnichannel ticket management solution. Its Agent workspace and integrated voice software are its selling points.

5. Intercom

Best for: Small service teams looking for a help desk that links inbox, help center, and tickets in a central workspace.

Pricing: $39/user/mo – $139/user/mo

Intercom is a customer service solution that combines a help desk and AI chatbot for proactive support.

Features

• Chatbots – Intercom supports the creation of custom bots that automate responses to common queries by referring to the knowledge base. The chatbot routes tickets to an agent for help if the customer query is complex.
• Push messages and notifications – Intercom allows agents to send push messages and notifications to Android and iOS devices. The software allows agents to control the info they send to customers.
• Marketing – Agents get to use marketing features for their products and customize them to match their brand. They include chat widgets, product tours, mobile carousels, and more.
• Reporting and analytics – Intercom generates detailed reporting of the support pipelines, displaying ticketing processes and team efficiency. Agents can also measure customer satisfaction and understand ticket trends.

Intercom vs. Help Scout

Criteria	Intercom	Help Scout
Best For	Customer service teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	Customizable chatbots	Shared inbox
Pricing	$39/user/mo – $139/user/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Intercom provides one of the best help desks with an enhanced AI workspace. Its shared inbox and customizable chatbots are its selling points.

6. Front

Best for: Service teams looking for an efficient helpdesk with the familiarity of email.

Pricing: $20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Front is a customer operations platform that provides a help desk and live chat to streamline support service.

Features

• Message templates – Agents can choose a template from the library and create a personalized message for customers. The formats are pre-designed and come in handy, sending quick responses.
• Snoozing emails – Front allows an agent to snooze on low-priority tickets to attend urgent chats and emails. The agent can then let the chatbot handle the low-priority tickets and respond using answers from the knowledge base.
• Knowledgebase – Service teams can link the Front’s knowledge base with the live chat, allowing customers to self-serve. Customers can then toggle between the live chat and the help center until satisfied.
• Analytics – Front allows a service team leader to see how each team member performs on ticket reply time goals. They also get an overview of the inboxes and learn how to streamline coordination.

Front vs. Help Scout

Criteria	Front	Help Scout
Best For	Customer service teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	Workflow automation	Shared inbox
Pricing	$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Front suits service teams looking for a help desk that improves collaboration and delivers exceptional support. Its workflow automation and omnichannel inbox are its unique selling points.

7. Olark

Best for: Small to medium sales teams looking to use a live chat to capture leads and deliver support.

Pricing: $29/user/mo

Olark is a simple customer service platform that offers a live chat for quality support and lead generation.

Features

• Customizable chat widget – Olark offers customizable live chat widgets, where agents can tweak them by changing the color theme and adding an image. Not only that, agents can add a white-label design by using the power-up feature.
• Chat transcripts – Olark has a database, and each chat transcript gets stored in the cloud with any other customer data collected. The database has a search tool that allows agents to enter a keyword and filter through chats.
• Custom forms – Agents can create custom forms and pre-chat surveys to collect customer data from the live chat. It helps the agents understand customer issues better and find suitable responses.
• Reporting – Olark allows agents to generate data on the chat volume, agent activities, and other metrics for better management. The best part is that the report displays times when there are high-volume chat messages, which helps in routing.

Olark vs. Help Scout

Criteria	Olark	Help Scout
Best For	Sales teams	Customer service teams
Standout Feature	Chat transcripts	Shared inbox
Pricing	$29/user/mo	$25/user/mo – $50/user/mo

Conclusion

Olark excels at providing a simple live chat to help the sales team capture leads and deliver support. Its selling points are its feature power-ups, custom forms, and searchable transcripts.

Start 14-day free trial of Olark today

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Which Help Scout alternative should I use?

Help Scout delivers one of the best HIPAA-compliant help desks suitable for SaaS startups and SMEs. Its standout features are in shared inbox, CRM, in-app messaging, and a customizable live chat widget.

However, Help Scout falls short in some aspects, such as lacking a timer on tickets and poor analytics.

That’s why we recommend these 7 best Help Scout alternatives. They offer unique features that Help Scout lacks.

So, choose a software that fits your needs and budget

Recap of Help Scout alternatives:

1. Freshdesk
2. Zoho Desk
3. HubSpot Live Chat
4. Zendesk
5. Intercom
6. Front
7. Olark