Softwr

Software · head to head

Help Scout vs Podium

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Software

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podium logo

Podium

Software

Messaging platform for local businesses

From
$249/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; Podium no monthly price, contact limit or message allowance is published anywhere on the pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Podium covers Text messaging.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Help Scout and Podium differ
AttributeHelp ScoutPodium
Starting priceFree$249/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20112014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • Jira

Only in Podium

  • Text messaging
  • Review management
  • Webchat
  • Payments
  • Team inbox
  • Automation
  • Google
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • SOC2
  • 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 Podium
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot Podium

Podium

  • Managing customer messages and reviews for local businessesnot Help Scout
  • Converting inbound leads through text and web chatnot 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

Podium

  • No monthly price, contact limit or message allowance is published anywhere on the pricing page
  • The page carries a heading asking what Podium costs monthly and does not answer it
  • The AI Employee is an add on across all tiers rather than being included

Pricing, plan by plan

Help Scout

Free
  • Standard$20/month
    • 2 mailboxes
    • 1 Docs site
    • Email & live chat
  • Plus$40/month
    • 5 mailboxes
    • Custom fields
    • Advanced permissions
  • Pro$65/month
    • 25 mailboxes
    • Enterprise security
    • HIPAA compliance

Podium

$249/month
  • Essentials$249/month
    • Inbox
    • Reviews
    • Website chat
  • Standard$449/month
    • Essentials + Campaigns
    • Payments
    • Automation
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Standard + Advanced analytics
    • Multi-location

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 Podium if

  • You need text messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want review management.
Podium review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or Podium better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and Podium at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Podium?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and $249/month for Podium.
Does Help Scout or Podium run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podium starts at $249/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 Podium is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that Podium cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. Podium covers Text messaging, Review management, Webchat, Payments. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, SOC2, GDPR.
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Related pages

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