Help Scout vs Tidio
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Help Scout | Tidio |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $45/seat/mo | From $98/mo |
| Best For | Small-medium businesses wanting simple, email-focused support | Small ecommerce businesses on Shopify needing live chat and basic automation |
| Standout Feature | Clean, intuitive interface with excellent knowledge base | Lyro AI chatbot with strong ecommerce query resolution |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.7/5 |
Help Scout and Tidio represent two different philosophies in customer support. Help Scout excels as an email-first help desk with robust ticketing, while Tidio focuses on real-time chat and automation to capture leads and provide instant support.
Help Scout (G2 4.4/5) targets teams needing structured ticket management, whereas Tidio (G2 4.7/5) appeals to businesses prioritizing live chat and chatbot automation.
Feature Comparison
Help Scout shines with its shared inbox, collision detection, and customer context features that make email support seamless. Its knowledge base and reporting tools are particularly strong for teams handling complex inquiries.
Tidio excels in live chat with advanced chatbot builders, visitor tracking, and lead qualification tools. Its mobile app and real-time visitor monitoring make it ideal for proactive customer engagement.
The key difference: Help Scout organizes reactive support efficiently, while Tidio focuses on proactive engagement and automation.
Pricing Comparison
Help Scout ranges from free (1 user, 25 conversations/month) to $75/user/month for advanced features. Mid-tier plans at $20-$40/user/month suit most teams.
Tidio offers a free plan (3 operators, 100 conversations/month) scaling to $749/month for enterprise features. Its $29-$59/month plans provide good value for chat-focused teams.
For small teams, Tidio is more cost-effective. For larger support teams, Help Scout's per-user pricing can become expensive quickly.
Help Scout
Pros
- ✓ Clean, intuitive interface
- ✓ Excellent for email-based support
- ✓ Strong knowledge base features
Cons
- ✗ No native WhatsApp or Telegram
- ✗ Live chat (Beacon) is basic
- ✗ Limited automation capabilities
Tidio
Pros
- ✓ Excellent Shopify and ecommerce integrations
- ✓ Lyro AI chatbot is effective
- ✓ Easy setup with no coding required
Cons
- ✗ Conversation-based pricing can get expensive
- ✗ No native Telegram or Zalo support
- ✗ AI features (Lyro) cost extra
Verdict
Choose Help Scout if you need comprehensive ticket management and email-centric support workflows. Choose Tidio if live chat, chatbots, and lead generation are your primary focus.
Choose Help Scout if: You handle complex support cases via email, need robust ticket management, or require detailed customer history tracking.
Choose Tidio if: Live chat is your primary channel, you want chatbot automation, or you're focused on lead generation alongside support.
Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate as an alternative that combines multi-channel support without per-user pricing complexity.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Help Scout comparisons and all Tidio comparisons.