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Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs LiveChat

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
LiveChat logo

LiveChat

Live Chat

Customer service software that delights

From
$20/month
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; LiveChat the Starter plan retains only 60 days of chat history, so an audit trail requires the Team plan at $49 per person per month
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, LiveChat covers Ticketing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Help Scout and LiveChat differ
AttributeHelp ScoutLiveChat
Starting priceFree$20/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20112002

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
  • Customer profiles
  • Workflows
  • Reporting
  • Slack
  • Jira
  • SOC2

Only in LiveChat

  • Ticketing
  • Chat routing
  • Analytics
  • Canned responses
  • File sharing
  • WordPress
  • Zapier
  • PCI DSS

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Shopify
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android 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 LiveChat
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot LiveChat

LiveChat

  • Live chat support on a website with agent routingnot Help Scout
  • Handling customer conversations across chat, SMS and messaging channelsnot 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

LiveChat

  • The Starter plan retains only 60 days of chat history, so an audit trail requires the Team plan at $49 per person per month
  • Pricing is per agent, so support cost scales with headcount rather than with conversation volume
  • AI reply suggestions are capped by plan, at 3 knowledge sources on Starter and 10 above it
  • Surveys and eye catchers are predefined rather than customisable below the Enterprise plan
  • SSO, white labelling and HIPAA compliance are Enterprise only

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

LiveChat

$20/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 60-day chat history
    • Basic customization
    • Ticketing system
  • Team$41/month
    • Unlimited history
    • Advanced reporting
    • Branding removal
  • Business$59/month
    • Staffing prediction
    • Work scheduler
    • Apple Business Chat
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Product training
    • SSO

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 LiveChat if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want chat routing.
LiveChat review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or LiveChat better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and LiveChat at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or LiveChat?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and $20/month for LiveChat.
Does Help Scout or LiveChat run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. LiveChat runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LiveChat starts at $20/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 LiveChat is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that LiveChat cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Customer profiles, Workflows. LiveChat covers Ticketing, Chat routing, Analytics, Canned responses. Both handle Live chat, Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify.

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
LiveChat: How much does LiveChat cost?

LiveChat pricing starts at $19/month for the Starter plan (annual billing). The Team plan is $49/person/month and includes unlimited users. The Business plan is $79/person/month with advanced features. Enterprise plans require a custom quote.

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
LiveChat: Does LiveChat offer a free trial?

Yes, LiveChat provides a 14-day free trial with AI-driven features and no credit card required.

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
LiveChat: What is the difference between LiveChat's Team and Business plans?

The Team plan ($49/person/month) tracks 400 visitors and includes unlimited campaigns and chat history. The Business plan ($79/person/month) tracks 1,000 visitors and adds work scheduler, advanced reporting, SMS, and Apple Messages support.

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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