SoftwareGlimpse

Help Scout vs LiveChat

Compare Help Scout and LiveChat on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.

Independently recommendedLast updated Aug 18, 20264 evidence sources2 screenshotsHow we compare

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Help Scout

7.5/10

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

Visit Help Scout

VS

Our verdict

No universal winner

No universal winner. Choose based on which criteria matter most for your team.

Help Scout is better for

✓ Free plan
✓ Ticketing depth
✓ Knowledge base
✓ SLA & routing

LiveChat is better for

✓ Integrations

Tie

• Live chat
• Omnichannel inbox
• AI features

Choose Help Scout if: SMB teams wanting email-first shared inbox support without enterprise complexity

Choose LiveChat if: Teams wanting mature live chat with Text ecosystem optionality

See detailed comparison ↓

LiveChat

7.4/10

Established live chat from Text — Starter $19, Team $49, Business $79, Enterprise $52 per person/mo annual.

Best for

• Teams wanting mature live chat with Text ecosystem optionality
• SMB–mid-market website support with per-agent clarity
• Buyers who may add ChatBot or HelpDesk from the same vendor

Starting from $19.00/user/mo

No free plan

Help Scout vs LiveChat at a glance

Criterion-level leaders from verified research.

Full scorecard →

Scorecard preview

Criterion leaders based on verified research — open the Scorecard tab for evidence detail.

Starting pricingDepends
Help Scout
LiveChat
Free planHelp Scout
Help Scout
LiveChat
Agent / licence minimumDepends
Help Scout
LiveChat
Ticketing depthHelp Scout
Help Scout
LiveChat
Live chatTie
Help Scout
LiveChat

Which Customer Service is better for you?

Quick picks based on fit — not a universal ranking.

→ Help Scout
Best for free plan
Help Scout researches a free plan; LiveChat does not research a free plan.
→ Help Scout
Best for ticketing depth
Stronger ticketing availability
→ Help Scout
Best for knowledge base
Stronger knowledge base availability
→ LiveChat
Best for integrations
LiveChat leads on integrations (7/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

The biggest differences

Where the products diverge most clearly on verified criteria.

Free plan
Help Scout wins
Help Scout
Help Scout researches a free plan; LiveChat does not research a free plan.
LiveChat
Trails Help Scout on this criterion
Ticketing depth
Help Scout wins
Help Scout
Stronger ticketing availability
LiveChat
Trails Help Scout on this criterion
Knowledge base
Help Scout wins
Help Scout
Stronger knowledge base availability
LiveChat
Trails Help Scout on this criterion
SLA & routing
Help Scout wins
Help Scout
Stronger sla routing availability
LiveChat
Trails Help Scout on this criterion
Ecommerce helpdesk
Help Scout wins
Help Scout
Stronger ticketing availability
LiveChat
Trails Help Scout on this criterion
Integrations
LiveChat wins
Help Scout
Trails LiveChat on this criterion
LiveChat
LiveChat leads on integrations (7/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

Which should you choose?

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

Choose LiveChat if

Teams wanting mature live chat with Text ecosystem optionality
SMB–mid-market website support with per-agent clarity
Buyers who may add ChatBot or HelpDesk from the same vendor

Related comparisons

Alternatives to consider

How we compare

A short look at the comparison process. Full methodology

1
Collect
Collect official product information, pricing, and product evidence.
2
Normalize
Map evidence to the same category evaluation criteria for both products.
3
Compare
Evaluate both products against identical criteria — ties and depends are allowed.
4
Explain
Show why each product wins, loses, or ties, with evidence behind the outcome.

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Independent criterion outcomes
No invented scores or prices
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