Softwr

Telecommunications · head to head

Aircall vs Help Scout

Aircall logo

Aircall

Telecommunications

Cloud phone system for modern business

From
$30/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Help Scout has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aircall a minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier; Help Scout the free plan caps contacts at 100 a month, so it is a volume trial rather than a standing free tier
  • They diverge on capability: Aircall covers Cloud phone, Help Scout covers Shared inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aircall and Help Scout actually diverge.

Attributes where Aircall and Help Scout differ
AttributeAircallHelp Scout
Starting price$30/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTelecommunicationsCustomer Support
Founded20142011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aircall

  • Cloud phone
  • IVR
  • Call routing
  • Power dialer
  • Analytics
  • Call recording
  • Integrations
  • Zendesk

Only in Help Scout

  • Shared inbox
  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat
  • Customer profiles
  • Workflows
  • Reporting
  • Slack
  • Jira

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aircall

  • Cloud phone system for sales and support teamsnot Help Scout
  • Call routing, IVR and shared numbersnot Help Scout
  • Logging calls against CRM records through integrationsnot Help Scout
  • Power dialling outbound lists on the Professional tiernot Help Scout
  • SMS and MMS alongside voicenot Help Scout

Help Scout

  • Shared inbox and help desk for customer support teamsnot Aircall
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot Aircall

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aircall

  • A minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier
  • Essentials is limited to 3 teams; unlimited teams need Professional
  • Salesforce CTI, the power dialer and advanced analytics all require Professional
  • SSO, API support and an SLA are Custom tier only
  • AI voice and messaging agents are separate add-ons billed per minute or per conversation on top of the seat price

Help Scout

  • The free plan caps contacts at 100 a month, so it is a volume trial rather than a standing free tier
  • Inboxes are rationed by plan, at 1 on free, 5 on Plus and 10 on Pro
  • Each plan also caps users, at 25 on Standard and 50 on Plus
  • The Pro plan at $75 per user per month carries a 10 user minimum, so the entry cost is $750 a month
  • SSO, SAML and HIPAA compliance are Pro only
  • AI Answers is billed separately at $0.75 per resolution on top of the seat price

Pricing, plan by plan

Aircall

$30/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Aircall review.

Help Scout

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users
    • 1 Inbox
    • 1 Docs site
  • Standard$25/month
    • Multiple inboxes
    • Live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger
    • Multiple knowledge bases
  • Plus$45/month
    • Standard features plus advanced workflows
    • Two advanced SLAs
    • Secure portal
  • Pro$75/month
    • Plus features plus unlimited workflows
    • Unlimited SLAs
    • SSO/SAML

Which should you pick?

Choose Aircall if

  • You need cloud phone.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want ivr.
Aircall review

Choose Help Scout if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want knowledge base.
Help Scout review

Questions people ask

Is Aircall or Help Scout better?
Neither clearly leads. Aircall starts at $30/month and Help Scout at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aircall or Help Scout?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for Aircall and Free for Help Scout.
Does Aircall or Help Scout run on more platforms?
Aircall runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aircall starts at $30/month.
What is Aircall best used for?
Aircall is most often used for cloud phone system for sales and support teams, call routing, ivr and shared numbers, logging calls against crm records through integrations, power dialling outbound lists on the professional tier. Of those, cloud phone system for sales and support teams and call routing, ivr and shared numbers are not what Help Scout is typically brought in for.
What can Aircall do that Help Scout cannot?
Aircall covers Cloud phone, IVR, Call routing, Power dialer. Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aircall: What is the minimum cost to start with Aircall?

Aircall requires a 3-license minimum on annual billing, making the real entry price $90 per month ($30 per user times 3 users) for the Essentials plan, not the advertised $30 per user.

Source
Help Scout: How much does Help Scout cost?

Help Scout offers a free plan for up to 5 users. Paid plans start at $25/user/month (Standard), $45/user/month (Plus), and $75/user/month (Pro).

Source
Aircall: Does Aircall include AI call features in base plans?

No, AI Voice Agents and AI Assist Pro are separate add-ons billed on top of base plans. The Essentials and Professional plans include call recording and analytics but not AI features.

Source
Help Scout: What is included in the Pro plan?

Help Scout Pro at $75/user/month includes unlimited workflows, unlimited SLAs, SSO/SAML, HIPAA compliance, up to 50 light users, dedicated onboarding, and a strategic account manager.

Source
Aircall: How many countries can I create phone numbers in?

Aircall supports creating local phone numbers in 100 or more countries, enabling businesses to appear local to customers regardless of location.

Source
Help Scout: Does Help Scout offer a free trial?

Yes, Help Scout offers a 15-day free trial for Standard and Plus plans with no credit card required. Pro plan requires booking a demo.

Source
Aircall: What is Aircall's uptime guarantee?

Aircall guarantees 99.95 percent uptime with seven global data centers and system redundancy on every level.

Source
Help Scout: What is the cost of Help Scout's AI Answers add-on?

Help Scout's AI Answers add-on costs $0.75 per resolution with a 3-month free trial included.

Source
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