Freshchat vs Help Scout

Freshchat (G2 4.2/5) and Help Scout (G2 4.4/5) represent different approaches to customer support. Freshchat offers $15-$69 per agent pricing with modern chat-first features, while Help Scout ranges from $0-$75 per user with traditional helpdesk capabilities.

This comparison explores their distinct philosophies and helps you choose between chat-focused versus comprehensive support platforms.

Freshchat excels in live chat and messaging with advanced chatbots, proactive messaging, and modern conversational interfaces. It offers AI-powered automation, real-time visitor tracking, and seamless handoffs between bots and human agents.

Help Scout provides comprehensive helpdesk functionality with shared inboxes, knowledge base creation, customer management, and workflow automation. It focuses on email support with additional channels like live chat as secondary features.

The key difference is channel priority: Freshchat is built around modern messaging and chat, while Help Scout centers on traditional email-based support with chat as an add-on.

Freshchat's $15-$69 per agent pricing focuses on chat and messaging features, with higher tiers adding advanced automation and integrations. No free tier is available.

Help Scout's $0-$75 per user range includes a free tier for small teams and scales with comprehensive support features including knowledge base and advanced reporting.

For chat-focused needs, Freshchat provides specialized value. For comprehensive support including email and knowledge base, Help Scout's feature breadth may justify its pricing.

Choose Freshchat if you prioritize modern live chat capabilities, need advanced chatbot automation, or want a chat-first approach to customer engagement. Choose Help Scout if you need comprehensive helpdesk features, want knowledge base capabilities, or prefer email-centric support workflows.

Choose Freshchat if: You need modern chat and messaging capabilities, want advanced chatbot automation, or prioritize real-time conversational support over traditional helpdesk features.

Choose Help Scout if: You need comprehensive helpdesk functionality, want strong knowledge base capabilities, or prefer email-centric support with chat as a secondary channel.

Consider Converge as an alternative: At $49/month flat rate with up to 15 agents, Converge combines modern chat capabilities with comprehensive support features, offering both approaches without per-agent pricing constraints.