Helpshift

Helpshift is a mobile-first, AI-native player engagement platform acquired by Keywords Studios in 2023 for up to $75 million (Game Developer, October 2023). It holds a 4.3 out of 5 rating from approximately 380 reviews on G2 (March 2026) and positions itself as the leading in-app support solution for gaming and mobile apps. Helpshift's SDK embeds support directly into iOS, Android, Unity, Unreal Engine, React Native, Cocos2d-x, and Xamarin apps — players access help without leaving the game. The platform powers support for studios including Tencent Games, Supercell, Zynga, SEGA, and Ubisoft, claiming coverage of over one billion players per month (helpshift.com, 2026). Since the Keywords Studios acquisition, Helpshift has expanded into four solution areas: Support, Engagement, Trust & Safety, and Community — each priced separately with technology, AI, and human service tiers.

Converge is a messaging-first unified inbox at $49/month flat for up to 15 team members. The fundamental difference: Helpshift provides native mobile SDKs for embedded in-app support in games and mobile applications; Converge provides a web-based inbox for messaging channels — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Instagram, Zalo, Messenger, Gmail, and email — with a chat widget that includes visitor tracking, UTM attribution, and lead capture. These are different products for different customer touchpoints. Helpshift does not natively support WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Zalo, or Instagram as inbound channels.

Helpshift's primary feature is SDK X — native integration for iOS, Android, Unity, Unreal Engine, React Native, Cocos2d-x, and Xamarin that embeds support directly into mobile apps. The in-app experience includes searchable FAQs, Custom Bot conversations (visual bot builder with multi-step flows), and live agent chat — all rendered inside the app's UI. The SDK automatically captures device metadata: OS version, device model, carrier, battery level, free storage, and app version. Smart Views let agents filter and organize issues based on tags, custom fields, language, and status. A patented QR code feature extends support to PC and console games — players scan a code on screen to open mobile support with full game context (helpshift.com/solutions/gaming, 2026).

Helpshift's AI stack includes Care AI (autonomous resolution with the ability to execute in-game actions such as item grants, refunds, and account modifications), Language AI (translation across 150+ languages), Guard AI (trust and safety monitoring for toxic behavior and fraud), and AI Co-Pilot (agent-assist with suggested replies, summaries, and spellchecking). The AI Agent Copilot is a paid add-on at $50/agent/month on top of plan costs (eesel.ai, September 2025). The platform supports in-app messaging, email (via forwarding addresses), and web chat. It does not natively support WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Instagram, Zalo, or Messenger as inbound channels — Helpshift announced a Discord integration in 2024 for outbound notifications, not as a full two-way support channel (helpshift.com/press, June 2024).

Converge covers nine messaging channels — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Instagram, Zalo, Messenger, Gmail, email, and an embeddable chat widget — from a single inbox. AI reply suggestions with configurable tone (professional, friendly, casual) and automatic quick reply matching are included at no extra cost, with BYOK API key support. The chat widget provides beacon tracking (visitor identification, device info, IP, referrer), UTM parameter capture, FAQ self-service, suggested messages, CSAT surveys, and lead capture with lifecycle stages (visitor → engaged → lead → customer). Converge does not provide mobile SDKs, in-app embedded support, visual bot builders, or autonomous resolution with in-game actions. The products serve different interaction models: Helpshift keeps support inside the app; Converge aggregates support from external messaging channels and the web.

Helpshift uses issue-based pricing — you pay based on the number of support conversations (called "issues") your team handles. As of 2026, Helpshift has moved toward custom, solution-based pricing requiring a sales conversation for all plans (helpshift.com/pricing, 2026). Historical published pricing and third-party reporting provide baseline estimates:

• Starter: previously listed at $150/month for 250 issues included, with $0.45 per additional issue beyond the cap. Includes web and mobile in-app messaging, email support, self-service help center, AI Agent and Copilot, but limited to 2 custom bots. API limit: 60 calls/minute (eesel.ai, September 2025; Salesforce AppExchange listing)
• Growth: custom pricing — adds unlimited custom bots, queue management, skill-based routing, real-time operations dashboard, SLA management, and 300 API calls/minute. No public price (helpshift.com/pricing, 2026)
• Enterprise: custom pricing — adds Smart Intents (intent-based routing), Feedback Bots, advanced customization, enterprise security, and 1,500 API calls/minute. No public price (helpshift.com/pricing, 2026)

All plans include unlimited agent seats — Helpshift does not charge per seat. The cost driver is issue volume and activated solutions. The AI Agent Copilot (smart replies, summaries, translation for agents) costs an additional $50/agent/month on top of the plan (eesel.ai, September 2025). At 1,000 issues/month on the previous Starter pricing, monthly cost reached $487.50. At 5,000 issues, $2,287.50/month. The current custom model factors in interaction volume, solutions activated (Support, Engagement, Trust & Safety, Community), AI capabilities used, and geographic/language coverage — all negotiated through sales with no self-serve sign-up.

Converge: $49/month flat for up to 15 team members. No issue caps, no per-conversation charges, no overage fees, no add-on costs for AI features. 14-day free trial with no credit card required — sign up and start immediately without a sales conversation. The pricing models are fundamentally different: Helpshift's costs scale with support volume and solutions activated; Converge's cost is fixed regardless of conversation count.

Choose Helpshift if:

• Your product is a mobile game or app and you need native in-app customer support via iOS, Android, Unity, or Unreal SDKs
• You handle high-volume player support and need autonomous AI resolution with in-game actions (item grants, refunds, account modifications)
• You need trust and safety monitoring (Guard AI) and community management tools built for gaming
• Device metadata auto-capture (OS, device model, battery level, app version) is important for debugging player issues
• You serve PC/console players and need the QR code mobile handoff for support
• Unlimited agent seats matter more to you than predictable per-issue costs — your team is large but your issue volume is controlled

Choose Converge if:

• Your customers communicate through WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Instagram, Zalo, or Messenger — channels Helpshift does not support
• You want $49/month flat pricing for up to 15 agents instead of issue-based billing that scales with support volume
• You need a website chat widget with visitor tracking, UTM attribution, beacon tracking, and lead capture
• You want AI reply suggestions included at no extra cost — no $50/agent/month Copilot add-on
• You need native Discord or Zalo support for gaming communities, Southeast Asian markets, or crypto/developer audiences
• You prefer a 14-day free trial with no credit card and no sales call over Helpshift's custom pricing negotiation
• Your business is web-based — SaaS, e-commerce, agency, or service company — and does not ship a mobile app