Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs Pure Chat

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pure Chat logo

Pure Chat

Live Chat

Simple and affordable live chat for any business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Pure Chat growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Pure Chat covers Live chat widget.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Help Scout and Pure Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Help Scout and Pure Chat differ
AttributeHelp ScoutPure Chat
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2011).

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 Pure Chat

  • Live chat widget
  • Visitor information
  • Chat transcripts
  • Department routing
  • Zapier
  • API
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • 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 Pure Chat
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot Pure Chat

Pure Chat

  • Customer support chatnot Help Scout
  • Website engagementnot Help Scout
  • Lead capturenot Help Scout
  • Sales 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

Pure Chat

  • Growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • Additional operators cost extra: $13-$15/month per operator depending on plan and billing
  • Growth plan has significantly lower limits than PRO

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

Pure Chat

Free
  • Growth$49/month
    • 4 users/operators
    • 1 website
    • 100 SMS notifications
  • Growth Annual$39/month
    • Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate
  • PRO$99/month
    • 10 users/operators
    • Unlimited websites
    • 1,000 SMS notifications
  • PRO Annual$79/month
    • Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate

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 Pure Chat if

  • You need live chat widget.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want visitor information.
Pure Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or Pure Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and Pure Chat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Pure Chat?
Help Scout starts at Free and Pure Chat at Free.
Does Help Scout or Pure Chat run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. Pure Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Pure Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that Pure Chat cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. Pure Chat covers Live chat widget, Visitor information, Chat transcripts, Department routing. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, Web support, Android 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
Pure Chat: How much does PureChat cost?

PureChat's Growth plan costs $49/month (or $39/month annually) with 4 users and 1 website. The PRO plan is $99/month (or $79/month annually) with 10 users and unlimited websites.

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
Pure Chat: Does PureChat offer a free trial?

Yes, PureChat offers a free 30-day trial of the PRO plan to prospective customers.

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
Pure Chat: What is the difference between Growth and PRO plans?

Growth includes 4 users and 1 website with 100 SMS notifications per month. PRO includes 10 users, unlimited websites, and 1,000 SMS notifications. Additional operators can be added for $8-$15/month.

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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