Helpshift vs Respond.io
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Helpshift | Respond.io |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $150/mo | From $199/mo |
| Best For | Mobile apps needing in-app customer support | Medium to large enterprises needing advanced automation and AI-powered customer engagement across multiple channels |
| Standout Feature | Native in-app messaging SDK for mobile apps | Sophisticated AI agents that can handle complex customer conversations and automatically qualify leads through intelligent workflows |
| Free Plan | ✗ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.8/5 |
Helpshift and Respond.io serve different segments of the customer support market. Helpshift specializes in mobile-first customer service with in-app messaging and self-service capabilities, while Respond.io focuses on omnichannel messaging with strong WhatsApp Business and automation features.
The choice between them often depends on whether your primary customer interactions happen within mobile applications or across various messaging channels.
Feature Comparison
Helpshift excels in mobile-first customer support with seamless in-app messaging, comprehensive self-service options, and mobile-optimized agent interfaces. Its FAQ management and automated issue resolution are particularly strong for app-based businesses.
Respond.io provides sophisticated omnichannel messaging with exceptional WhatsApp Business integration, advanced workflow automation, and broadcast messaging capabilities. Its strength lies in managing conversations across multiple messaging platforms with AI-powered routing.
The platform focus differs significantly: Helpshift is optimized for mobile app ecosystems, while Respond.io excels in cross-channel messaging environments.
Pricing Comparison
Helpshift typically uses custom enterprise pricing based on monthly active users and feature requirements. Pricing often starts in the hundreds per month for meaningful deployments with mobile app integration.
Respond.io operates on contact-based pricing starting around $79/month, scaling with active contacts and feature usage. This model provides more transparency and predictability for budget planning.
Cost comparison depends heavily on your user base size and integration requirements, with Helpshift potentially more expensive for large mobile app user bases.
Helpshift
Pros
- ✓ Mobile-first
- ✓ Strong SDK
- ✓ In-app experience
Cons
- ✗ Issue-based pricing caps
- ✗ Mobile-focused
- ✗ Complex integration
Respond.io
Pros
- ✓ Comprehensive omnichannel support with deep integrations
- ✓ Advanced AI capabilities for automated customer interactions
- ✓ Powerful workflow automation with visual builder
Cons
- ✗ Complex setup and learning curve for advanced features
- ✗ Higher cost structure with per-agent pricing model
- ✗ WhatsApp API charges add significant ongoing costs
Verdict
Choose Helpshift if you're a mobile app company needing in-app support, self-service capabilities, and mobile-optimized customer experiences. Choose Respond.io if you need comprehensive messaging across multiple channels with advanced automation and broadcast capabilities.
Choose Helpshift if: You're primarily a mobile app company, need in-app support integration, and require sophisticated self-service capabilities for mobile users.
Choose Respond.io if: You need cross-channel messaging capabilities, WhatsApp Business integration is important, and you want advanced automation for conversation management.
For businesses seeking versatile customer communication without mobile app complexity or high enterprise costs, Converge provides an accessible solution at $49/month flat rate, offering essential messaging and support features suitable for web and mobile customer interactions.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Helpshift comparisons and all Respond.io comparisons.