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Eleven knowledge base platforms compared on price, internal articles, languages, AI answers and tickets, plus four SaaS help centers to learn from.
We make LiveAgent. It is listed first because it is ours, not because it won a test. Every tool, ours included, gets the same facts from its vendor’s own pages and its real drawbacks; which tool fits which team is our opinion. How we compared
The best knowledge base software for most small support teams: Help Scout to start free, Zoho Desk for the lowest price with tickets, LiveAgent for a knowledge base in the same inbox as every channel with no AI fees, and Helpjuice or KnowledgeBase if you only need the knowledge base.
What each tool is best for, whether it has agents-only articles, several knowledge bases and several languages, whether tickets and live chat are in the same tool, its starting price, and how it charges for AI answers.
We read each vendor’s own pricing page, plan comparison and help articles from a US address on November 5, 2026 (links under sources). The starting price is the cheapest plan with a public knowledge base, for a new customer on annual billing. We did not buy paid accounts of the other tools, so we do not rate how their editors feel or how good their AI is. LiveAgent is first because it is ours; the others follow in alphabetical order, which is not a ranking. Where a page did not say something, the table says “Ask”.
In the entry plan Add-onOn a higher plan or for an extra fee Not offered
| Tool | Best for | Internal | Several KBs | Languages | Tickets | Live chat | Starts at | Free plan / trial | How AI is charged | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 LiveAgent
We make this | Small teams that want the knowledge base in the same inbox as email, chat, phone and social media, with no AI fees |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs Up to 10 | Languages 1 per KB | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat In the entry plan | Starts at $11 Starter, regular $15 | Free plan / trial30-day trial, no card | How AI is charged No AI feesYour own AI provider, no AI fees | |
 Document360 | Product documentation written by a dedicated team |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs In the entry plan | Languages In the entry plan | Tickets Not offered | Live chat Not offered | Starts at Quote No published prices | Free plan / trialTrial after a demo | How AI is chargedAdd-on, quoted | |
 Freshdesk | Teams that answer by email and want a low price per agent |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs Pro: 5 | Languages Pro | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat Omni | Starts at $19 Growth | Free plan / trial14-day trial | How AI is charged$49 per 100 sessions | |
 Help Scout | Small teams that want to start free and keep email simple |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs Standard: 2 | Languages 1 per site | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat In the entry plan | Starts at $0 Free; Standard $25 | Free plan / trialFree for 5 users | How AI is charged$0.75 per resolution | |
 HelpCrunch | Small teams that want chat and a help center at a low price |
| Internal Whole KB | Several KBs Ask | Languages Pro | Tickets Inbox | Live chat In the entry plan | Starts at $12 Basic | Free plan / trial14-day trial, no card | How AI is chargedFrom Pro, then $23.20 per 100 | |
 Helpjuice | A standalone knowledge base in many languages |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs Extra account | Languages In the entry plan | Tickets Not offered | Live chat Not offered | Starts at $249 Flat, 30 users | Free plan / trial14-day trial, no card | How AI is chargedFrom the $449 plan | |
 HubSpot | Businesses whose sales and marketing already work in HubSpot |
| Internal Logged-in | Several KBs Enterprise | Languages In the entry plan | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat In the entry plan | Starts at $90 Professional, + $1,500 once | Free plan / trialNo free knowledge base | How AI is charged$0.50 per resolution | |
 Intercom | Software and app companies that want AI to answer first |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs Expert | Languages Advanced | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat In the entry plan | Starts at $19 Essential, new customers | Free plan / trial14-day trial, no card | How AI is charged$0.99 per outcome | |
 KnowledgeBase | The lowest flat price for a public help center |
| Internal 2nd KB | Several KBs $21.99 each | Languages Add-on | Tickets Not offered | Live chat Not offered | Starts at $49 Flat, any seats | Free plan / trial14-day trial, no card | How AI is chargedAI answer in search only | |
 Zendesk | Growing teams that want many integrations and plan to customize |
| Internal Suite Pro | Several KBs Suite Pro: 5 | Languages Suite Pro | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat In the entry plan | Starts at $55 Suite Team | Free plan / trial14-day trial | How AI is charged$1.50–$2 per resolution | |
 Zoho Desk | The lowest price per agent with tickets, and teams already on Zoho |
| Internal In the entry plan | Several KBs Enterprise | Languages Professional | Tickets In the entry plan | Live chat Enterprise | Starts at $14 Standard | Free plan / trialFree for 3 users | How AI is chargedAnswer bot from Standard |
Starting prices in US dollars per month on annual billing for a new customer, per agent unless the note says otherwise, for the cheapest plan with a public knowledge base, as each vendor’s page showed them on November 5, 2026. A plan name in a cell: from that plan. “Ask”: the vendor’s pages do not say. Prices change; check the vendor’s page before you buy.
have tickets, live chat and the knowledge base in one product: LiveAgent, Help Scout, HubSpot, Intercom and Zendesk. HelpCrunch has chat and a shared inbox; the standalone tools link to a help desk instead.
Translations inside one knowledge base, usually from a higher plan (Zendesk Suite Professional, Intercom Advanced, Freshdesk Pro), or one knowledge base per language (LiveAgent, Help Scout).
Per resolution, per outcome, per session, per pack of conversations, included from a higher plan, or not at all: LiveAgent charges no AI fees, you pay your own AI provider.
How each tool's users rate it on G2 and Capterra, the two largest software review sites. Ratings cover the whole product, not only its knowledge base, and say how happy customers are, not which tool fits you.
Stars filled to the rating, out of 5 Reviews: 100 · 1,000 · 10,000
| Tool | G2 | Capterra |
|---|---|---|
| Document360 | 4.7 out of 5, | 4.7 out of 5, |
| Freshdesk | 4.4 out of 5, | 4.5 out of 5, |
| Help Scout | 4.4 out of 5, | 4.6 out of 5, |
| HelpCrunch | 4.7 out of 5, | 4.8 out of 5, |
| Helpjuice | 4.7 out of 5, | 4.7 out of 5, |
| HubSpot Service Hub | 4.4 out of 5, | 4.4 out of 5, |
| Intercom | Not listed | |
| LiveAgent We make this | 4.5 out of 5, | 4.7 out of 5, |
| Zendesk | 4.3 out of 5, | 4.4 out of 5, |
| Zoho Desk | 4.4 out of 5, | 4.5 out of 5, |
Read between October 31 and November 5, 2026 (LiveAgent’s on October 27). KnowledgeBase has 4 reviews on G2 and none on Capterra, too few to show.
Every tool here has an article editor, categories and search, so the features list decides less than you expect. These six questions decide more. To write the articles themselves, see how to create a knowledge base.
If they email and chat with you, a knowledge base inside your help desk lets agents put an article in a reply and shows customers matching articles while they write. A standalone tool needs an integration to do the same.
Customers, your team, or both. Check whether agents-only articles come on your plan or need a higher one, or a second knowledge base with a password.
One knowledge base per brand or product keeps each one clear. Count how many the plan includes and what one more costs.
Some tools translate articles inside one knowledge base from a higher plan; others need one knowledge base per language. Price the languages you need today; the costs section has a worked example.
Look for a search box on your website and next to the contact form, your own domain, and pages search engines can index, so customers find the answer before they write.
An AI that answers from your articles is useful only once the articles are good. Then price it at your volume: per resolution, per outcome, per pack, or on your own AI provider.
Each tool's cheapest plan with a public knowledge base, per month on annual billing at the price a new customer pays today, before taxes and AI. Help desks charge per agent, so the bill grows with your team; standalone knowledge bases charge a flat fee, but tickets and chats need a second tool.
Free for up to 5 users, with 10 articles in one Docs site; Standard is 3 × $25, $75.
3 × $11 on the Special offer until November 22, 2026; regular $45, with email, chat and contact forms. No AI fees from LiveAgent. Try it free for 30 days.
3 × $12; one language, AI agents from Pro.
3 × $14; several languages from Professional.
Flat, unlimited seats; tickets and chat need another tool.
3 × $19; email tickets, live chat in Freshdesk Omni.
3 × $19 for new customers (regular $29); Fin AI billed per outcome on top.
3 × $55; agents-only articles and several languages from Suite Professional.
Flat for up to 30 users; tickets and chat need another tool.
3 × $90, plus $1,500 once for onboarding.
Flat, unlimited seats; tickets and chat need another tool.
10 × $12; one language, AI agents from Pro.
10 × $14.
10 × $19; email tickets, live chat in Freshdesk Omni.
10 × $19 for new customers (regular $29).
Team, the first plan for more than 5 agents, with phone and social media, on the Special offer until November 22, 2026; regular $290. No AI fees from LiveAgent.
Flat for up to 30 users; tickets and chat need another tool.
10 × $25; the free plan stops at 5 users.
10 × $55.
10 × $90, plus $1,500 once for onboarding.
Read the small print
AI on top
The vendors count different things: a resolution or an outcome is charged only when the AI settles the conversation, a session or a conversation every time. Your bill depends on how often the AI can answer, which depends on your articles.
One card per tool: who it suits, where its prices start, how AI is billed, and the catch.
LiveAgentBest for small teams that want the knowledge base in the same inbox as every channel
$11per agent a month on Starter, billed annually; regular $15
Watch out for: Not a fit if you want a free plan or a documentation tool only. Each knowledge base has one language, so a second language is a second knowledge base. LiveAgent’s branding shows in the portal on Starter and Team and can be removed from Business.
Document360Best for product documentation written by a dedicated team
Quoteno published prices
Watch out for: No tickets or chat: it connects to Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom and others. The trial starts after a demo, so you talk to sales before you can try it.
FreshdeskBest for teams that answer by email and want a low price per agent
$19per agent a month on Growth, billed annually
Watch out for: Freshdesk is email ticketing; live chat and messaging are in Freshdesk Omni, a separate plan.
Help ScoutBest for small teams that want to start free and keep email simple
$0on the free plan; Standard $25 per user
Watch out for: One language per Docs site, so each language is a site; AI translation of articles is in beta on Plus and Pro.
HelpCrunchBest for small teams that want chat and a help center at a low price
$12per team member a month on Basic, billed annually
Watch out for: Privacy is for the whole knowledge base (password, IP address, or chat widget only), not per article; Basic and Pro stop at 20 team members.
HelpjuiceBest for a standalone knowledge base in many languages
$249a month, flat, for up to 30 users
Watch out for: No tickets or chat: it connects to Zendesk, Help Scout, Salesforce and others. A second knowledge base is a second linked account.
HubSpotBest for businesses whose sales and marketing already work in HubSpot
$90per seat a month on Service Hub Professional, billed annually
Watch out for: The free plan and Starter have no knowledge base, so the price jumps from $20 to $90 a seat.
IntercomBest for software and app companies that want AI to answer first
$19per seat a month on Essential for new customers, billed annually
Watch out for: The AI bill grows with every conversation Fin handles, so price it at your volume.
KnowledgeBaseBest for the lowest flat price for a public help center
$49a month, flat, any number of seats, billed annually
Watch out for: No tickets or chat: it is made to sit next to LiveChat. A private knowledge base is a second, password-protected one.
ZendeskBest for growing teams that want many integrations and plan to customize
$55per agent a month on Suite Team, billed annually
Watch out for: Support Team ($19), the lowest Zendesk price, has no help center. More in Zendesk pricing explained; leaving Zendesk: Zendesk migration.
Zoho DeskBest for the lowest price per agent with tickets, and teams already on Zoho
$14per agent a month on Standard, billed annually
Watch out for: Live chat with website visitors is on Enterprise (Zoho SalesIQ); Standard chats only with logged-in customers.
Four software companies whose help centers do one thing especially well, and what to copy from each.
Slack’s help center opens with a single search box, “Ask anything or create a case”, answered by an AI that reads its articles, and three of the most common questions under it, such as resetting a password. The articles and guides sit one click away in the menu. Copy this: put the questions customers ask most right under the search box, and let the AI answer from your articles before anyone writes a ticket.
Mailchimp puts a search box under its welcome banner and lists its popular guides and tutorials below it, each with a short summary of what it teaches, such as getting started with tags or importing contacts. Copy this: show your most-read articles on the help center’s front page, each with a line that says what the reader will be able to do.
Dropbox puts Community right next to Help center in its top menu, and lists popular topics under the search box: reset password, download the desktop app, files not syncing. Copy this: name the three or four problems customers have most often right under your search box, and link your community from every help page.
Spotify Support opens with a search box an AI answers, and under it the help articles grouped by what people come with: payments and billing, managing the account, plans, the app’s features, devices and troubleshooting. Copy this: name your categories after the customer’s problem rather than your product’s menus, and put billing and account first, because those are the ones customers read before they write to you.
In each of them the articles come before the contact form: customers who find the answer don’t need to write, and the ones who still write arrive with the basics already checked.
If the knowledge base is for your team only, a wiki may be enough. These three are not built for customers: they have no help center, tickets or chat.
| Tool | Price | For customers? |
|---|---|---|
| Notion | Free; Plus $10 per member a month on annual billing | Pages can be published as a simple website; no help center or AI that answers customers |
| Confluence | Free for up to 10 users; Standard $7.15 per user monthly, or $720 a year for up to 10 users | Public pages from Standard; its AI is for logged-in users |
| Guru | Quote only | Single cards can be shared by link; built for internal answers |
A support team usually needs both kinds: an internal page for how to handle a case, and a public article for the customer. A help desk with internal and public articles in one place keeps them next to the tickets they answer.
LiveAgent puts the knowledge base, emails, chats and contact forms in one place, adds calls and social media messages from Team, and lets AI answer from your articles on your own AI provider, with no AI fees from us. Our team moves your old articles and tickets for free. See how the knowledge base works in LiveAgent.
No credit card · Plans and prices · Book a demo · Where your data is stored: GDPR and security
About the author: Andrej Harsani is a co-founder of Quality Unit, the company behind LiveAgent, in business since 2004.
Every competitor fact on this page comes from the vendor's own pages, read from a US address on the date shown.
Changes: November 5, 2026: rebuilt as a comparison of 11 knowledge base tools for support teams, with prices, internal articles, languages and AI billing from each vendor’s pages; the earlier list of 20 knowledge base tools merged into it. October 16, 2023: first published as a list of SaaS knowledge base platforms.
