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Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs LivePerson

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
LivePerson logo

LivePerson

Live Chat

Enterprise-grade 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; LivePerson no price is published for any of the three tiers, and the page states no cost metric
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, LivePerson 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 LivePerson actually diverge.

Attributes where Help Scout and LivePerson differ
AttributeHelp ScoutLivePerson
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android, Messaging apps
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20111995

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
  • HubSpot
  • Jira
  • Shopify

Only in LivePerson

  • Conversational AI
  • Mobile messaging
  • Intent detection
  • Zendesk
  • Webhooks
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support
  • Messaging apps support

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • Web 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 LivePerson
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot LivePerson

LivePerson

  • Conversational AI and messaging across web, SMS and social channelsnot Help Scout
  • Routing customer conversations between bots and human agentsnot 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

LivePerson

  • No price is published for any of the three tiers, and the page states no cost metric
  • Despite advertising minimal add ons, SMS outbound and WhatsApp carry separate charges plus a 15% handling fee
  • X is supported only with additional fees
  • Every route to a figure is a quote request or an RFP

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

LivePerson

On request
  • Professional$100/month
    • Live chat
    • Basic AI
    • Automations
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Advanced AI
    • Custom integrations
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Custom solutions
    • 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 LivePerson if

  • You need conversational ai.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android, Messaging apps.
  • You also want mobile messaging.
LivePerson review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or LivePerson better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and LivePerson at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or LivePerson?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and On request for LivePerson.
Does Help Scout or LivePerson run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. LivePerson runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android, Messaging apps.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LivePerson 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 LivePerson is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that LivePerson cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Customer profiles, Workflows. LivePerson covers Conversational AI, Mobile messaging, Intent detection, Zendesk. Both handle Live chat, Slack, 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
LivePerson: How much does LivePerson cost?

LivePerson does not publish pricing on its website. The platform operates on a quote-based model with three subscription tiers: Bronze (messaging-first workspace), Silver (with automation and AI features), and Gold (advanced analytics and Generative AI). Customers must request quotes from the sales team.

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
LivePerson: What are LivePerson's pricing tiers?

LivePerson offers Bronze (includes multi-channel workspace and Intent Manager), Silver (adds AI automation and Conversation Assist), and Gold (adds Generative AI and Proactive Messaging). Each tier includes progressively more advanced AI capabilities and support levels.

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
LivePerson: Are there additional fees beyond the base LivePerson subscription?

Yes, Proactive Messaging charges carrier rates plus a 15% handling fee, and additional fees apply for certain communication channels like X (formerly Twitter).

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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