Freshchat vs Help Scout
Compare Freshchat and Help Scout on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
Freshchat
Freshworks live chat — free up to 10 agents; Growth $19, Pro $49, Enterprise $79 agent/mo annual.
Best for
- • Freshworks customers wanting live chat as the primary purchase
- • Teams needing free up-to-10-agents entry with clear upgrade path
- • Website and in-app messaging with bot deflection
Starting from $0.00/user/mo
Free plan available
VS
Our verdict
No universal winner. Choose based on which criteria matter most for your team.
Freshchat is better for
- ✓ Omnichannel inbox
- ✓ Integrations
Help Scout is better for
- ✓ Ticketing depth
- ✓ Knowledge base
- ✓ SLA & routing
- ✓ Ecommerce helpdesk
Tie
- • Free plan
- • Live chat
- • AI features
Choose Freshchat if: Freshworks customers wanting live chat as the primary purchase
Choose Help Scout if: SMB teams wanting email-first shared inbox support without enterprise complexity
Help Scout
SMB shared inbox and helpdesk — free for up to 5 users; Standard $25, Plus $45, Pro $75 user/mo annual.
Best for
- • SMB teams wanting email-first shared inbox support without enterprise complexity
- • Startups using the free 5-user tier
- • Buyers prioritizing ease of use over omnichannel breadth
Starting from $0.00/user/mo
Free plan available
Pros & cons
A balanced look at where each product shines — and where it falls short.
Freshchat
Strengths in greenPros
- Stronger on omnichannel inbox
- Stronger on integrations
Cons
- Trails on ticketing depth
- Trails on knowledge base
- Trails on sla & routing
Best for
Freshworks customers wanting live chat as the primary purchase
Help Scout
Trade-offs in redPros
- Stronger on ticketing depth
- Stronger on knowledge base
- Stronger on sla & routing
- Stronger on ecommerce helpdesk
Cons
- Trails on omnichannel inbox
- Trails on integrations
Best for
SMB teams wanting email-first shared inbox support without enterprise complexity
Choose if…
Choose Freshchat if
- Freshworks customers wanting live chat as the primary purchase
- Teams needing free up-to-10-agents entry with clear upgrade path
- Website and in-app messaging with bot deflection
Choose Help Scout if
- SMB teams wanting email-first shared inbox support without enterprise complexity
- Startups using the free 5-user tier
- Buyers prioritizing ease of use over omnichannel breadth
Still unsure which fits?
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