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Customer Support · head to head

Help Scout vs Zendesk

Help Scout logo

Help Scout

Customer Support

Customer service software that people love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Customer Support

Champions of customer service

From
$19/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; Zendesk aI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • They diverge on capability: Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Zendesk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Help Scout and Zendesk differ
AttributeHelp ScoutZendesk
Starting priceFree$19/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20112007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Customer Support).

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
  • Customer profiles
  • Workflows
  • Reporting
  • HubSpot
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support

Only in Zendesk

  • Ticket management
  • Omnichannel support
  • Call center
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Automation
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • Jira
  • Shopify
  • SOC2
  • HIPAA

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 Zendesk
  • Publishing a knowledge base alongside email and chat supportnot Zendesk

Zendesk

  • Help desk and ticketing system managementnot Help Scout
  • Omnichannel customer supportnot Help Scout
  • Knowledge base and self-service portalsnot Help Scout
  • AI-assisted customer servicenot 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

Zendesk

  • AI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • Copilot and Contact Center features available as separate add-ons at £50+/agent/month
  • Advanced routing, workforce engagement, and approval workflows limited to Enterprise tier
  • Highest tier requires sales consultation and custom pricing

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

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk 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 customer profiles.
Help Scout review

Choose Zendesk if

  • You need ticket management.
  • You also want omnichannel support.
Zendesk review

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Help Scout starts at Free and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Zendesk?
Help Scout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Help Scout and $19/month for Zendesk.
Does Help Scout or Zendesk run on more platforms?
Help Scout runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zendesk runs on Web.
Can I use Help Scout for free?
Yes. Help Scout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk starts at $19/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 Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can Help Scout do that Zendesk cannot?
Help Scout covers Shared inbox, Customer profiles, Workflows, Reporting. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Call center, Analytics & reporting. Both handle Knowledge base, Live chat, Slack, Salesforce.

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
Zendesk: What is included in the free trial?

You'll have access to all features on the Zendesk Customer Service Suite Professional plan for 14 days, with Copilot included by default.

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
Zendesk: How is Zendesk pricing calculated?

Base subscription pricing is determined by your selected plan tier and the number of agent seats needed. Additional costs include usage-based features like App Builder and Voice, plus optional add-ons.

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
Zendesk: What are the contract terms?

Zendesk subscriptions are month to month, annual, or multi-year. Annual billing typically costs less than monthly payments.

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
Zendesk: Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Yes, changes may apply immediately or at renewal depending on your subscription terms.

Source
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