Softwr

CRM · head to head

Copper vs Help Scout

Copper logo

Copper

CRM

Gmail-native CRM for growth teams

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
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

  • Each has a real cost: Copper the Basic plan caps at 2,500 contacts and 25 companies, which is small for a CRM at $23 per user per month; 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: Copper covers Gmail integration, Help Scout covers Shared inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Copper and Help Scout differ
AttributeCopperHelp Scout
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20142011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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 Copper

  • Gmail integration
  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Email tracking
  • Automation
  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar

Only in Help Scout

  • Shared inbox
  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat
  • Customer profiles
  • Workflows
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Copper

  • CRM for teams working inside Google Workspacenot Help Scout
  • Pipeline and deal trackingnot Help Scout
  • Contact enrichment and activity capturenot Help Scout
  • Workflow automation on the higher tiersnot Help Scout

Help Scout

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

Where each one falls short

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

Copper

  • The Basic plan caps at 2,500 contacts and 25 companies, which is small for a CRM at $23 per user per month
  • Professional at $59 per user per month still caps at 15,000 contacts and 50 companies
  • Workflow automation, bulk email and reporting all require Professional
  • Email sequences, custom reports and multi-currency are Business tier only at $99 per user per month
  • The advertised prices are the annual rates; monthly billing runs from $29 to $134 per user

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

Copper

Free
  • Basic$undefined/mo
  • Professional$undefined/mo
  • Business$undefined/mo

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 Copper if

  • You need gmail integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want contact management.
Copper 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 Copper or Help Scout better?
Neither clearly leads. Copper starts at Free and Help Scout at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Copper or Help Scout?
Copper starts at Free and Help Scout at Free.
Does Copper or Help Scout run on more platforms?
Copper runs on Web. Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Copper for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Copper best used for?
Copper is most often used for crm for teams working inside google workspace, pipeline and deal tracking, contact enrichment and activity capture, workflow automation on the higher tiers. Of those, crm for teams working inside google workspace and pipeline and deal tracking are not what Help Scout is typically brought in for.
What can Copper do that Help Scout cannot?
Copper covers Gmail integration, Contact management, Deal tracking, Pipeline management. Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Copper: How much does Copper cost per person?

Basic is $29/month (or $23/month annual). Professional is $69/month (or $59/month annual). Business is $134/month (or $99/month annual). All pricing is per seat in USD, excluding taxes.

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
Copper: What contact limit does each plan allow?

Basic allows 2,500 contacts. Professional allows 15,000 contacts. Business allows unlimited contacts.

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
Copper: How much can I save by paying annually?

Annual billing saves 14-26% vs. monthly: Basic saves 20%, Professional saves 14%, Business saves 26%. For example, Professional costs $69/month on monthly billing but only $59/month when billed annually.

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
Copper: Is there a free trial or free plan?

Yes. Copper offers a 14-day free trial with instant activation and no credit card required. Trial includes full access to all features.

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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