Help Scout
Help Scout PBC
7.1
Overall Score / 10
Freshdesk
Freshworks Inc.
7.1
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Help Scout if:
- —You prefer an email-like support experience
- —You want unlimited users without per-seat pricing
- —You value simplicity and personal customer interactions
Choose Freshdesk if:
- —You want a free tier with traditional ticketing
- —You need deeper automation and SLA management features
- —You're already using other Freshworks products
The biggest difference: Help Scout charges per contact (unlimited users); Freshdesk charges per agent. Help Scout feels like email; Freshdesk is a traditional ticketing system
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Help Scout | Freshdesk |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $55/mo (Standard)Source: Help Scout PBC pricing page → | $15/mo (Growth)Source: Freshworks Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes 50 contacts/month, unlimited users, shared inbox, knowledge base, Beacon widget | Yes Up to 2 agents, email ticketing, knowledge base, basic reporting |
| Value for Money | 7 | 8 |
| Ease of Use | 9 | 8 |
| Feature Power | 6 | 7 |
| Setup Ease | 8 | 7 |
| Migration Ease | 6 | 6 |
| Transparency | 7 | 6 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA (Enterprise) |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
21 features compared · 20 differences
| Feature | Help Scout | Freshdesk |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Beacon widget | Full | None |
| Collision detection | Full | None |
| CSAT surveys | None | Full |
| Knowledge base | None | Full |
| Knowledge base (Docs) | Full | None |
| Omnichannel (Freshdesk Omni) | None | Full |
| Sandbox (Enterprise) | None | Full |
| Saved replies | Full | None |
| Shared inbox | Full | None |
| SLA management | None | Full |
| Ticketing system | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| AI Answers | Full | None |
| Automations | None | Full |
| Custom roles | None | Full |
| Customer profiles | Full | None |
| Customer satisfaction ratings | Full | None |
| Freddy AI (add-on) | None | Full |
| Real-time dashboards | None | Full |
| Reporting | Full | None |
| Workflows | Full | None |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | Full | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Help Scout Pricing
50 contacts/month, unlimited users, shared inbox, knowledge base, Beacon widget
Unlimited users, 100 contacts/month, workflows, custom fields, reporting
Unlimited users, 250 contacts/month, Salesforce/Jira integrations, advanced permissions
1,000+ contacts/month, enterprise security, dedicated onboarding
Freshdesk Pricing
Up to 2 agents, email ticketing, knowledge base, pre-built reports
Automations, real-time dashboards, branded customer portal
Custom roles, round-robin routing, CSAT surveys, advanced reports
Sandbox, audit logs, skill-based routing, unlimited products
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Help Scout
Best for
- Small teams wanting a simple, email-like support experience
- Companies that value customer-friendly, non-robotic support
- Teams wanting unlimited users without per-seat pricing
Avoid if
- You need advanced ticketing and routing features
- You need omnichannel support (phone, social)
- You handle very high support volume (contact-based pricing scales)
Who should choose Freshdesk
Best for
- Small to mid-size teams wanting affordable helpdesk
- Organizations already using Freshworks suite
- Teams needing a quick-to-deploy support solution
Avoid if
- You need deep customization and marketplace apps (Zendesk is better)
- You need advanced AI features without add-on costs
- You need the most mature enterprise support platform
Switching Guidance
Switching from Help Scout
Common triggers to leave:
- •Contact-based pricing scales with volume
- •Need more advanced features
- •Need omnichannel beyond email/chat
Potential blockers:
- •Conversation history
- •Knowledge base content
- •Saved replies and workflows
Switching from Freshdesk
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need deeper marketplace ecosystem
- •Need more advanced AI included
- •Outgrowing Freshdesk customization
Potential blockers:
- •Freshworks suite integration
- •Ticket history and automations
- •Team familiarity
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Try Freshdesk
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