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Updated November 6, 2026

Help Scout alternatives in 2026: 8 tools compared

Help Scout: Friendly shared inbox and help desk that feels like email. People look for alternatives when they need a lower price, a free plan or a better fit for a specific job.

These 8 tools cover similar ground. Each entry explains who it suits, how pricing works and what to watch out for.

Key takeaways

  • AssistLoop: small and growing businesses that want an AI support agent trained on their own content.
  • Freshdesk: small and growing support teams.
  • Front: teams handling customer communication from shared inboxes.
  • Gorgias: shopify and online stores handling order questions.
  • HubSpot CRM: small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later.
  • Intercom: online businesses that want AI to resolve many conversations automatically.
  • LiveChat: businesses that want fast, polished website chat.
  • Tidio: small businesses and online stores adding chat to their site.

Quick comparison

ToolBest forPricingFree plan
AssistLoopSmall and growing businesses that want an AI support agent trained on their own contentFreemiumYes
FreshdeskSmall and growing support teamsFreemiumYes
FrontTeams handling customer communication from shared inboxesFree trialNo
GorgiasShopify and online stores handling order questionsFree trialNo
HubSpot CRMSmall and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools laterFreemiumYes
IntercomOnline businesses that want AI to resolve many conversations automaticallyFree trialNo
LiveChatBusinesses that want fast, polished website chatFree trialNo
TidioSmall businesses and online stores adding chat to their siteFreemiumYes

The best Help Scout alternatives

1.

AssistLoop

Best for: Small and growing businesses that want an AI support agent trained on their own content

Visit assistloop.ai

AI agents for customer service that answer on your website and messaging apps, with human handoff.

Freemium

Free plan (150 credits). Paid plans from $39/month (Starter), $140/month (Standard) and $390/month (Professional).

Who it suits: Small and growing businesses that want an AI support agent trained on their own content.

What we like

  • Free plan to get started
  • Many messaging channels in one place
  • Human handoff built in

Watch out for

  • Usage is credit-based by plan
  • Newer platform than established help desks
Full AssistLoop review

2.

Freshdesk

Best for: Small and growing support teams

Visit freshworks.com

Easy-to-use help desk with a free plan for small teams.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Small and growing support teams.

What we like

  • Free plan available
  • Easy to set up
  • Good value

Watch out for

  • Some channels cost extra
  • Advanced features on higher plans
Full Freshdesk review

3.

Front

Best for: Teams handling customer communication from shared inboxes

Visit front.com

Shared inbox that combines email, chat and SMS for teams.

Free trial

Paid plans with a free trial.

Who it suits: Teams handling customer communication from shared inboxes.

What we like

  • Feels like email
  • Great collaboration
  • Flexible

Watch out for

  • Per-seat pricing adds up
  • Not a full help center
Full Front review

4.

Gorgias

Best for: Shopify and online stores handling order questions

Visit gorgias.com

Help desk built for e-commerce stores.

Free trial

Paid plans with a free trial.

Who it suits: Shopify and online stores handling order questions.

What we like

  • Deep Shopify integration
  • Edit orders from tickets
  • Great for stores

Watch out for

  • Priced by tickets
  • Less suited outside e-commerce
Full Gorgias review

5.

HubSpot CRM

Best for: Small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later

Visit hubspot.com

Free CRM that grows into a full marketing, sales and service platform.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later.

What we like

  • Genuinely useful free plan
  • Very easy to use
  • Huge integration marketplace

Watch out for

  • Paid tiers get expensive quickly
  • Advanced features locked to higher plans
Full HubSpot CRM review

6.

Intercom

Best for: Online businesses that want AI to resolve many conversations automatically

Visit intercom.com

AI-first customer service platform with messenger and help desk.

Free trial

Paid plans with a free trial.

Who it suits: Online businesses that want AI to resolve many conversations automatically.

What we like

  • Strong AI automation
  • Polished messenger
  • Great for SaaS

Watch out for

  • Pricing can be hard to predict
  • Expensive for small teams
Full Intercom review

7.

LiveChat

Best for: Businesses that want fast, polished website chat

Visit livechat.com

Live chat software for websites with sales and support features.

Free trial

Paid plans with a free trial.

Who it suits: Businesses that want fast, polished website chat.

What we like

  • Easy and fast
  • Good customisation
  • Reliable

Watch out for

  • No free plan
  • Advanced features cost extra
Full LiveChat review

8.

Tidio

Best for: Small businesses and online stores adding chat to their site

Visit tidio.com

Live chat and AI chatbot for small businesses and stores.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Small businesses and online stores adding chat to their site.

What we like

  • Free plan
  • Easy chatbot builder
  • Good for stores

Watch out for

  • AI conversations priced separately
  • Limited reporting on free plan
Full Tidio review

How we chose

  • Every tool on this list does the core job of help desk & live chat, so it can replace Help Scout for most people.
  • We weighed pricing and free plans, ease of use, and the trade-offs you take on when switching.
  • Pricing comes from each vendor’s public pricing page and changes often, so confirm before you buy.

Buying guide: what to check before you switch

Help desk software turns customer emails, chats and messages into tickets your team can assign, track and resolve. Many also include live chat, a help center and AI that answers common questions automatically.

  • Channels supported (email, chat, social, phone)
  • Help center / knowledge base
  • Automation and AI answers
  • Reporting on response times

Prices and features change often. Check each vendor’s website for current plans before you buy.