Chatwoot vs Help Scout
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Chatwoot | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $19/seat/mo | From $45/seat/mo |
| Best For | Technical teams wanting open-source flexibility | Small-medium businesses wanting simple, email-focused support |
| Standout Feature | Open-source with self-hosting option | Clean, intuitive interface with excellent knowledge base |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4 | 4.4/5 |
Chatwoot and Help Scout represent two different philosophies in customer support software. Chatwoot offers an open-source, developer-friendly platform starting at $20/agent/month, while Help Scout provides a polished, email-centric solution ranging from free to $75/user/month.
Both platforms excel at different aspects of customer communication, making the choice dependent on your team's technical requirements and budget constraints.
Feature Comparison
Chatwoot shines with its open-source architecture, allowing unlimited customization and self-hosting options. Its automation capabilities include advanced chatbot workflows and API integrations that developers love.
Help Scout excels in email management with features like collision detection, saved replies, and seamless team collaboration. Its knowledge base builder and customer satisfaction surveys are particularly well-designed.
While both support live chat, Chatwoot offers more advanced chat routing and real-time visitor tracking, whereas Help Scout focuses on maintaining conversation context across all channels.
Pricing Comparison
Chatwoot's pricing starts at $20/agent/month for hosted plans, with self-hosted options available for free. Custom enterprise pricing provides additional features and support.
Help Scout offers a free plan for up to 3 users, with paid plans at $20, $40, and $75/user/month. The pricing includes email, live chat, and knowledge base features across all tiers.
For larger teams, Chatwoot's per-agent pricing can become more economical, especially when factoring in the customization capabilities that might eliminate the need for additional tools.
Chatwoot
Pros
- ✓ Open-source option available
- ✓ Good channel coverage
- ✓ Active development community
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing model
- ✗ Self-hosting requires technical expertise
- ✗ Limited advanced features in lower tiers
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
Verdict
Choose Chatwoot if you need open-source flexibility, advanced automation, and don't mind technical setup. Choose Help Scout if you prioritize ease of use, email management, and comprehensive reporting without technical complexity.
Choose Chatwoot if: You have technical resources, need extensive customization, or want to avoid vendor lock-in with open-source flexibility.
Choose Help Scout if: You prioritize user experience, need robust email management, or want a solution that works perfectly out of the box.
For teams seeking a middle ground with transparent pricing, Converge offers comprehensive customer communication features at a flat $49/month, regardless of team size.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Chatwoot comparisons and all Help Scout comparisons.