Help Scout alternatives: what it costs to switch
For 15 agents on annual billing, Help Scout Plus comes to $8,100 a year. The cheapest published alternative that fits is Zoho Desk Standard at $2,520 (−$5,580 a year). Lower list price is not the same as an equal product: compare features first.
Prices checked 2026-11-10. Source: helpscout.com/pricing.
Now: Help Scout Plus ≈ $8,100 a year for 15 agents. Cheapest plan of each alternative that fits; check feature parity before deciding.
| Alternative | Cheapest plan that fits | Per year | vs now | Days (range) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Desk | Standard | $2,520 | −$5,580 | not scored | |
| Zendesk | Support Team | $3,420 | −$4,680 | not scored | |
| Freshdesk | Growth | $3,420 | −$4,680 | not scored | |
| Intercom | Essential | $5,220 | −$2,880 | not scored | |
| Front | Professional | $11,700 | +$3,600 | not scored |
Zoho Desk Help desk from Zoho with a free plan for 3 agents.
Standard: $14 × 15 seats × 12 months = $2,520
Effort for this move is not scored yet: no documented export/import path checked.
Source: zoho.com/desk/pricing.html · checked 2026-11-10 · Zoho Desk alternatives
Zendesk Per-agent help desk with AI agents sold as part of Suite tiers.
Support Team: $19 × 15 seats × 12 months = $3,420
Effort for this move is not scored yet: no documented export/import path checked.
Source: zendesk.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-10 · Zendesk alternatives
Freshdesk Per-agent help desk with the Freddy AI agent sold in sessions.
Growth: $19 × 15 seats × 12 months = $3,420
Effort for this move is not scored yet: no documented export/import path checked.
Source: freshworks.com/freshdesk/pricing · checked 2026-11-10 · Freshdesk alternatives
Intercom Messenger-first help desk with the Fin AI agent priced per outcome.
Essential: $29 × 15 seats × 12 months = $5,220
Effort for this move is not scored yet: no documented export/import path checked.
Source: intercom.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-10 · Intercom alternatives
Front Shared inbox for support teams with seat caps on lower plans.
Professional: $65 × 15 seats × 12 months = $11,700
Effort for this move is not scored yet: no documented export/import path checked.
Source: front.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-10 · Front alternatives
Help Scout plans and what they cost
| Plan | Per seat / mo (annual) | Monthly billing | 5 seats / yr | 15 seats / yr | 50 seats / yr | SSO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $25 | not recorded | $1,500 | $4,500 | $15,000 | not on this plan |
| Plus | $45 | not recorded | $2,700 | $8,100 | $27,000 | not on this plan |
| Pro | $75 | not recorded | $4,500 | $13,500 | $45,000 | listed |
Seat columns use the annual-billing price; "—" means the plan's recorded seat limit is lower than that count.
Check before you leave Help Scout
- Pricing page: SSO/SAML is listed on Pro only. AI Answers cost $0.75 per resolution. Extra inboxes are $10 per month on annual billing.
Questions
How much does Help Scout cost?
Help Scout lists Standard at $25 per seat per month, Plus at $45 per seat per month, Pro at $75 per seat per month on www.helpscout.com/pricing/ (checked 2026-11-10).
What are the cheapest Help Scout alternatives?
Zoho Desk Standard ($2,520 a year for 15 agents); Zendesk Support Team ($3,420 a year for 15 agents); Freshdesk Growth ($3,420 a year for 15 agents).
How long does it take to switch from Help Scout?
We have not scored a documented move away from this tool yet; each vendor's export and import docs decide the effort.
Sponsored station: none yet. Advertise on this page (waitlist). We do not sell any product that competes with these tools.