Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs Kore.ai

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Kore.ai logo

Kore.ai

Live Chat

Enterprise conversational AI platform

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Help Scout has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Help Scout the free plan caps contacts at 100 a month, so it is a volume trial rather than a standing free tier; Kore.ai no pricing published; pricing is custom and quote-based
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Kore.ai covers Conversational AI.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Help Scout and Kore.ai actually diverge.

Attributes where Help Scout and Kore.ai differ
AttributeHelp ScoutKore.ai
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Messaging, Voice, IVR
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20112014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Help Scout

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

Only in Kore.ai

  • Conversational AI
  • Advanced NLU
  • Workflow automation
  • Multi-language
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • API
  • Mobile support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Help Scout

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

Kore.ai

  • Customer engagementnot Help Scout
  • Lead generationnot Help Scout
  • Customer supportnot Help Scout
  • Sales automationnot Help Scout

Where each one falls short

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

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

Kore.ai

  • No pricing published; pricing is custom and quote-based
  • Requires direct sales engagement through 'Request a Demo' or 'Get in touch' forms

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Kore.ai

On request
  • Professional$200/month
    • AI chatbot
    • Basic NLU
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Advanced NLU
    • Custom integrations
  • Custom$undefined/month
    • Unlimited features
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Kore.ai if

  • You need conversational ai.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Messaging, Voice, IVR.
  • You also want advanced nlu.
Kore.ai review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or Kore.ai better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and Kore.ai at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Kore.ai?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and On request for Kore.ai.
Does Help Scout or Kore.ai run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. Kore.ai runs on Web, Mobile, Messaging, Voice, IVR.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kore.ai starts at On request.
What is Help Scout best used for?
Help Scout is most often used for shared inbox and help desk for customer support teams, publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat support. Of those, shared inbox and help desk for customer support teams and publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat support are not what Kore.ai is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that Kore.ai cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. Kore.ai covers Conversational AI, Advanced NLU, Workflow automation, Multi-language. Both handle Salesforce, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Kore.ai: How much does Kore.ai cost?

Kore.ai does not publish standard pricing. The company positions itself as an enterprise platform serving large organizations in banking, healthcare, and retail, with costs customized based on deployment scope, usage, and enterprise requirements.

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
Kore.ai: How do I get pricing for Kore.ai?

Contact Kore.ai through their 'Request a Demo', 'Talk to an Expert', or 'Submit RFP' options on the website to receive a custom quote.

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
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
Share

Related pages

More on Help Scout

More on Kore.ai

Keep looking

Other head to heads