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Crisp vs Help Scout

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

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: Crisp free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; 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: Crisp covers Chatbots, Help Scout covers Customer profiles.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Crisp and Help Scout differ
AttributeCrispHelp Scout
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded20152011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Crisp

  • Chatbots
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • WordPress
  • Zapier
  • Segment
  • SSL
  • 2FA

Only in Help Scout

  • Customer profiles
  • Workflows
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Jira
  • SOC2
  • HIPAA

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Shared inbox
  • Knowledge base
  • Slack
  • Shopify
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Customer service and support automationnot Help Scout
  • Chat and omnichannel messagingnot Help Scout
  • Chatbot and AI conversation managementnot Help Scout
  • Customer profile and ticket managementnot Help Scout
  • Team collaboration on customer communicationnot Help Scout

Help Scout

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

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles
  • Additional agents cost $10/month per seat beyond included seats
  • Customer profile limits increase with each tier; 5,000 (Mini) to 200,000 (Plus)
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

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

Crisp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 seats
    • Website chat widget
    • Shared inbox
  • Mini$45/month
    • 4 seats
    • ~$5 AI credits (around 90 automated conversations)
    • Shared email inbox
  • Essentials$95/month
    • 10 seats
    • ~$25 AI credits (around 450 automated conversations)
    • Omnichannel inbox
  • Plus$295/month
    • 20+ seats
    • ~$75 AI credits (around 1,350 automated conversations)
    • Unlimited task automations

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 Crisp if

  • You need chatbots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want video calls.
Crisp review

Choose Help Scout if

  • You need customer profiles.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want workflows.
Help Scout review

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Help Scout better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp 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, Crisp or Help Scout?
Crisp starts at Free and Help Scout at Free.
Does Crisp or Help Scout run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for customer service and support automation, chat and omnichannel messaging, chatbot and ai conversation management, customer profile and ticket management. Of those, customer service and support automation and chat and omnichannel messaging are not what Help Scout is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Help Scout cannot?
Crisp covers Chatbots, Video calls, CRM, WordPress. Help Scout covers Customer profiles, Workflows, Reporting, Salesforce. Both handle Live chat, Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crisp: How much does Crisp cost?

Crisp offers a free plan ($0/month for 2 seats), Mini ($45/month for 4 seats), Essentials ($95/month for 10 seats), Plus ($295/month for 20+ seats), and Enterprise (custom pricing).

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
Crisp: Is there a free version of Crisp?

Yes, Crisp Free includes 2 seats, website chat widget, shared inbox, and mobile/desktop apps with a 100 customer profile limit and no AI credits.

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
Crisp: What are AI credits in Crisp?

AI credits power automated conversations. Mini plan includes ~$5 credits (90 conversations), Essentials includes ~$25 credits (450 conversations), Plus includes ~$75 credits (1,350 conversations).

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
Crisp: Does Crisp charge per additional agent?

Yes, additional agents beyond included seats cost $10/month per person. Free plan includes 2 seats; additional seats available on paid plans.

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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