Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat logo

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Live Chat

Live chat integrated with Salesforce Service Cloud

From
$25/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; Salesforce Service Cloud Chat entry-level pricing of $25 per user per month is relatively expensive for small businesses
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Salesforce Service Cloud Chat covers Live chat messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Help Scout and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Help Scout and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat differ
AttributeHelp ScoutSalesforce Service Cloud Chat
Starting priceFree$25/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile apps
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20111999

Identical on both: 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
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Only in Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM integration
  • Agent desktop integration
  • Visitor tracking
  • Salesforce ecosystem
  • Gmail
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Mobile app support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • 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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Customer engagementnot Help Scout
  • Lead generationnot Help Scout
  • Customer supportnot Help Scout
  • Sales automationnot 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

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Entry-level pricing of $25 per user per month is relatively expensive for small businesses
  • Requires Salesforce CRM setup and integration for full functionality
  • Limited standalone capability outside of Salesforce ecosystem
  • Complex configuration required for advanced features

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

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

$25/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Salesforce Service Cloud Chat review.

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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You work on Web, Mobile apps.
  • You also want crm integration.
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or Salesforce Service Cloud Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and $25/month for Salesforce Service Cloud Chat.
Does Help Scout or Salesforce Service Cloud Chat run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. Salesforce Service Cloud Chat runs on Web, Mobile apps.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce Service Cloud Chat starts at $25/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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that Salesforce Service Cloud Chat cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Customer profiles. Salesforce Service Cloud Chat covers Live chat messaging, CRM integration, Agent desktop integration, Visitor tracking. Both handle Slack, 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
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat: What is Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?

Salesforce Chat is a real-time customer engagement tool enabling businesses to connect with customers through personalized live chat interactions embedded in apps and on websites, with AI-powered chatbot support.

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
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat: What is the pricing for Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?

Salesforce Service Cloud entry-level pricing starts at $25 per user per month, with multiple tiers available and add-ons ranging from $50 to $75 depending on required features.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Help Scout

More on Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Keep looking

Other head to heads