Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs LinkMink

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LinkMink logo

LinkMink

Affiliate Marketing

Stripe affiliate tracking made simple

From
$39/month
Rated
-
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; LinkMink linkMink required a Stripe account to operate, positioning itself as an affiliate tracking and referral tool built specifically for Stripe-based businesses rather than a general affiliate platform, per its own archived homepage (2021).
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, LinkMink covers Stripe integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Help Scout and LinkMink differ
AttributeHelp ScoutLinkMink
Starting priceFree$39/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryCustomer SupportAffiliate Marketing
Founded20112018

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
  • Salesforce

Only in LinkMink

  • Stripe integration
  • Recurring commissions
  • Coupon tracking
  • Affiliate dashboard
  • Automated payouts
  • Stripe
  • PayPal

Both cover

  • 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 LinkMink
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot LinkMink

LinkMink

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Help Scout
  • Workflow automationnot Help Scout
  • Reportingnot 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

LinkMink

  • LinkMink required a Stripe account to operate, positioning itself as an affiliate tracking and referral tool built specifically for Stripe-based businesses rather than a general affiliate platform, per its own archived homepage (2021).

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

LinkMink

$39/month
  • Starter$39/month
    • $10K tracked revenue
    • Unlimited affiliates
    • Stripe integration

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 LinkMink if

  • You need stripe integration.
  • You also want recurring commissions.
LinkMink review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or LinkMink better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and LinkMink at $39/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or LinkMink?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and $39/month for LinkMink.
Does Help Scout or LinkMink run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. LinkMink runs on Web.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LinkMink starts at $39/month.
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 LinkMink is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that LinkMink cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. LinkMink covers Stripe integration, Recurring commissions, Coupon tracking, Affiliate dashboard. Both handle 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
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
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
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