The 15 best Help Scout alternatives

Help Scout, known for streamlining customer service interactions, has been a go-to tool for many businesses. However, as customer needs grow more complex, the search for a Help Scout alternative became essential. This guide aims to explore the best Help Scout alternatives, focusing on their superior features and improved customer service capabilities.

Why consider alternatives to Help Scout?

While Help Scout has simplified customer service, it might not be the perfect fit for every business.

Here’s why some enterprises consider alternatives to Help Scout:

• Limited features – Some businesses find Help Scout’s toolkit limiting, especially when they require advanced functionalities or specialized features for their operations.
• Integration constraints – The significance of tool integration is paramount for effective customer support. A broad range of integrations enhances the support that can be provided. Alarmingly, 42% of support agents struggle to resolve customer issues due to disconnected systems, with this problem accentuated in the realm of social media.
• User feedback – There have been instances where users felt that their feedback wasn’t sufficiently addressed, raising concerns about Help Scout’s adaptability and responsiveness to client needs.
• Cost implications – While Help Scout’s design is streamlined, the pricing might be a concern for smaller businesses with tighter budgets.

It’s essential for businesses to choose software that addresses their particular needs, especially given the impact of negative customer experiences. Exploring alternatives could lead to a tool that better aligns with a company’s specific goals and challenges.

A quick comparison chart of the top Help Scout alternatives

The 15 best Help Scout alternatives

While Help Scout has solidified its place in the realm of customer support, the dynamic and evolving needs of businesses today mean there’s always room for alternatives. In our exploration of the top 15 Help Scout alternatives, we’ve taken a deep dive into:

• Pricing: Is it cost-effective, and does it provide value for money?
• Differentiation in features: What makes each of these tools stand out from the rest?
• Pros and cons: What are actual users saying about their experiences?
• Integration capabilities: The tool’s ability to integrate with other essential business applications.
• Industries: What industries could benefit the most from the software?

With that in mind, let’s get started!

1. LiveAgent

LiveAgent distinguishes itself as a robust Help Scout alternative with an adaptable, cost-effective help desk platform suitable for various industries. With over 200 features, LiveAgent caters to all user levels, while maintaining affordability.

Adding to its appeal, LiveAgent integrates seamlessly with over 200 third-party applications. Some of its key integrations include the likes of Shopify, Woocommerce, Magento, Jira, Slack, Pipedrive, Zoiper, and Salesforce.

LiveAgent features

Features common to LiveAgent and Help Scout:

• Omnichannel communication
• Integrated live chat
• Advanced ticketing system
• Extensive automation options
• Universal inbox
• Knowledge base
• Self-service portal
• Team collaboration tools
• API
• Canned responses

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Social media channels
• Call center capabilities
• Activity tracking
• Audit trail

What are the main differences between LiveAgent and Help Scout?

• Call center capabilities: LiveAgent offers built-in call center capabilities, streamlining phone-based customer service and consolidating reporting, while Help Scout lacks this functionality, requiring additional solutions for phone support.
• Extensive social media integration: LiveAgent integrates with more social media platforms than Help Scout, allowing businesses to handle support directly from social media channels.
• Real-time analytics: LiveAgent provides real-time analytics and reporting, enabling businesses to respond quickly to trends and issues based on customer interaction data.
• SLA management: LiveAgent offers SLA management, ensuring support interactions meet service levels, whereas Help Scout lacks this feature.

Best for small to medium businesses

LiveAgent is ideal for businesses seeking an economical, intuitive, and customizable Help Scout alternative. While it’s popular among eCommerce enterprises, its robust features adapt well to various industry needs, from the automotive industry all the way to eSports.

• Automotive industry: LiveAgent is chosen by industry giants like BMW and Nascar for their customer support software, enabling quick and accurate handling of customer inquiries.
• eSports: LiveAgent’s omnichannel approach and support for major social media platforms meet the essential need of delivering customer support across all channels in the tech-savvy eSports industry, ensuring businesses can stay connected with their customer base.

LiveAgent’s all-in-one solution adapts to diverse customer preferences and communication methods, covering both traditional channels preferred by older customers and modern channels like social media and live chat favored by millennials. It is well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses, yet even industry giants like Airbus and Huawei recognize its value for enhancing their customer service strategies.

LiveAgent pricing

LiveAgent offers a free 30-day trial and four pricing tiers:

• Small: $9 per agent/month
• Medium: $29 per agent/month
• Large: $49 per agent/month
• Enterprise: $69 per agent/month

Expert’s opinion

All in all, LiveAgent stands out as one of the best Help Scout alternatives from the price point to the excellent customer service they provide. One of Help Scout’s major drawbacks is the lack of call center capabilities. Considering that the first contact resolution rate on call centers is between 70-75%, this feature is an absolute must-have if you want to deliver assertive customer support without the need for follow-ups.

This is not to imply that Help Scout is bad software, in fact, it boasts very high ratings among its users and shares many features and integrations with LiveAgent. The problem is not the features that Help Scout has, but the ones it doesn’t.

The bottom line is that if you are looking for an easy-to-set-up, affordable, and well-supported all-in-one helpdesk solution, LiveAgent is the way to go.

Customer review

“We needed an upgrade for our support app and decided to switch to LiveAgent. We’re very happy we did. The biggest benefit we get from LiveAgent is being able to communicate with customers and immediately see their order history (shopify integration) and their previous messages with our support team. This saves time for both us and the customer.”

Source: Capterra

Try out LiveAgent, the top Zendesk competitor, for 30 days for free and get acquainted with its features.

2. HappyFox

HappyFox presents itself as a compelling Help Scout alternative, featuring an intuitive help desk platform that prioritizes simplicity and efficiency. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, HappyFox’s scalable solutions adapt to your customer support needs, making it a standout choice for organizations of all sizes.

HappyFox integrates with a variety of third-party applications, such as WordPress, Shopify, Slack, and Zapier to create a streamlined and efficient workflow.

HappyFox features

Features common to HappyFox and Help Scout:

• Ticketing System
• Knowledge Base
• Canned Actions
• Automation
• Reports
• API
• Collaboration tools
• Knowledge base management

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Survey Management
• Task Management
• Role-based permissions
• SLA

What are the main differences between HappyFox and Help Scout?

• Survey management: HappyFox offers a built-in survey management feature, enabling you to directly collect and analyze customer feedback. Help Scout, on the other hand, doesn’t have this native capability, requiring the use of external tools or integrations to manage surveys.
• Task management: HappyFox provides built-in task management functionality, allowing you to manage, track, and organize tasks more efficiently within the system. This feature is lacking in Help Scout, which does not provide a dedicated task management system within its platform.

Best for medium to large businesses

HappyFox is a suitable Help Scout alternative for businesses seeking a simple, efficient, and adaptable help desk solution. Its features are particularly beneficial for medium to large businesses in need of a scalable, easy-to-use customer support platform. Some of the industries that have found value in HappyFox include:

• IT industry: HappyFox has proven beneficial for the IT industry, primarily due to its strong internal communication features. These are crucial for IT companies, where teams often need to collaborate on complex technical issues, ensuring a smooth, efficient workflow and timely resolution of tickets.
• Manufacturing industries: The multichannel support capabilities of HappyFox make it a hit with manufacturing industries. In an environment where customer queries can come from multiple sources like email, phone calls, or social media, HappyFox’s ability to consolidate these channels into a single platform helps maintain consistency and speed in response times.

HappyFox pricing

HappyFox provides a free 14-day trial, allowing you to test out its features. If you decide to continue with HappyFox, there are four pricing tiers available. The Mighty plan is $39 per agent per month, Fantastic is $59, Enterprise is $79, and for the most comprehensive solution, the Enterprise Plus is $99 per agent per month.

Expert’s opinion

Among customer support solutions, HappyFox presents itself as an effective alternative to Help Scout, not just in terms of its robust customer service, but also due to its additional native features. A notable advantage HappyFox has over Help Scout is its integrated survey and task management functionalities. These features are essential for gauging customer satisfaction and streamlining workflow management.

If you’re seeking a comprehensive, user-friendly, and well-supported help desk solution, HappyFox should definitely be considered. It successfully fills in some feature gaps that you’ll find in Help Scout, making it a strong contender in the realm of customer support platforms.

Check out a full HappyFox alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

3. HelpCrunch

HelpCrunch is another attractive Help Scout alternative known for its comprehensive customer communication platform. It offers a blend of features from live chat to knowledge base management, making it a go-to solution for businesses that prioritize customer engagement.

HelpCrunch integrates seamlessly with platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Slack, and Zapier, creating a cohesive workflow.

HelpCrunch features

Features common to HelpCrunch and Help Scout:

• Live chat
• Shared Inbox
• Knowledge Base
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Performance metrics
• Real time monitoring
• Automated routing

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Popups
• Chatbot
• SLA Management
• Social Media Integration

What are the main differences between HelpCrunch and Help Scout?

• Chatbot: Unlike Help Scout, HelpCrunch offers a built-in chatbot feature providing automated customer service round-the-clock.
• SLA management: HelpCrunch also boasts native SLA management capabilities, ensuring service standards are met consistently, a feature absent in Help Scout.
• Social media integration: HelpCrunch’s extensive social media integration enables centralized customer interactions across various platforms, a feature that Help Scout does not provide.

Best for small to medium businesses

HelpCrunch is best for businesses that value customer engagement and are seeking an all-in-one platform that combines live chat, email marketing, and knowledge base management. It caters particularly well to small to medium businesses. Some industries that benefit from HelpCrunch include:

• eCommerce: E-commerce businesses value HelpCrunch for its live chat and chatbot capabilities. These features enable instant customer support and help drive sales by answering queries and providing recommendations in real time.
• Hospitality: In the hospitality industry, HelpCrunch’s multi-channel communication, including social media integration, allows businesses to maintain active engagement with customers and promptly address any concerns or feedback.

HelpCrunch pricing

HelpCrunch provides an opportunity to test its platform with a 14-day free trial. Once the trial ends, you can select from multiple pricing options: the Basic plan is $15 per agent per month, the Standard plan is $25 per agent per month, and for businesses requiring numerous agents, the Premium plan offers unlimited agent access at $620 per month.

Expert’s opinion

HelpCrunch distinguishes itself as a potent Help Scout alternative, especially when considering its broader feature set. It offers features like an integrated chatbot, native SLA management, and enhanced social media integration that Help Scout lacks. These features help businesses provide consistent 24/7 customer support, ensure adherence to service level agreements, and manage customer interactions across social platforms more effectively.

Businesses seeking a feature-rich, user-friendly, and well-rounded customer support solution, HelpCrunch makes a compelling case. It addresses some critical feature gaps found in Help Scout, giving it an edge over it.

Check out a full HelpCrunch alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

4. HubSpot Service Hub

As a Help Scout alternative, HubSpot Service Hub offers a robust customer service platform that empowers businesses to build better customer relationships. Combining a variety of service tools in a single place, HubSpot enables teams to manage all their customer interactions efficiently.

HubSpot Service Hub integrates seamlessly with a multitude of third-party applications including Slack, Gmail, Salesforce, and many others, enabling a highly efficient workflow.

HubSpot Service Hub features

Features common to HubSpot Service Hub and Help Scout:

• Customer Portal
• Knowledge Base
• Multi-Channel communication
• Live Chat
• API
• Canned responses
• Knowledge base management
• Mobile access

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Real-Time Analytics
• SLA Management
• CRM
• Geotargeting

What are the main differences between HubSpot Service Hub and Help Scout?

• Real-time analytics: HubSpot Service Hub boasts real-time analytics features, enabling businesses to monitor customer interactions and service metrics instantaneously. This advantage is absent in Help Scout.
• SLA management: Additionally, HubSpot has built-in SLA management capabilities, providing tools to define and track adherence to service level agreements. This feature is not found in Help Scout’s current feature set.

Best for medium to large businesses

HubSpot Service Hub is ideal for businesses looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one customer service platform with strong CRM features. It’s especially beneficial for medium to large enterprises that require robust customer service solutions. These are some of the industries that benefit from HubSpot Service Hub:

• Marketing and advertising: These industries leverage HubSpot Service Hub for its powerful analytics, enabling them to track customer interactions in real time and adjust their strategies accordingly.
• Software and technology: This industry appreciates the platform for its SLA management capabilities, which ensure that agreed-upon service levels are consistently maintained.

HubSpot Service Hub pricing

HubSpot Service Hub is available at different price points to cater to diverse business needs. They provide a free tier for businesses just starting with customer service. For more advanced features, the Starter plan costs $45 per month. For even more robust options, businesses can consider the Professional plan at $450 per month or the Enterprise plan at $1,200 per month.

Expert’s opinion

HubSpot Service Hub has many things going for it, particularly when comparing it to platforms like Help Scout. Its dynamic real-time analytics offer a detailed live snapshot of customer interactions, a feature missing in Help Scout. This means businesses can respond swiftly to emerging trends and customer needs.

HubSpot also takes the lead in terms of SLA management, a crucial tool for maintaining service consistency and quality. While Help Scout has its strengths and high user ratings, the lack of these key features can’t be overlooked.

In summary, if your business values real-time insights and strict service level adherence, HubSpot Service Hub is the more well-rounded choice.

Check out a full HubSpot alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

5. Jira Service Management

Jira Service Management, a part of Atlassian’s suite of products, stands out as a remarkable Help Scout alternative. Renowned for its powerful issue-tracking and project management capabilities, Jira caters well to IT teams and service desks.

Jira Service Management integrates with an extensive range of third-party applications, including Slack, Confluence, Opsgenie, and Bitbucket, providing a robust and adaptable workflow.

Jira Service Management features

Features common to Jira Service Management and Help Scout:

• Reports
• Multi-channel Communication
• Mobile Access
• API
• Email management
• Knowledge base management
• Mobile access
• Surveys

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Customizable Dashboard
• Issue Management
• Calendar Management
• Client portal

What are the main differences between Jira Service Management and Help Scout?

• Customizable dashboard: Jira Service Management brings forward the benefit of a customizable dashboard, a feature that’s absent in Help Scout. This allows businesses to tailor their interface based on their unique needs, enhancing usability and efficiency.
• Issue management: As a platform initially designed for issue tracking, Jira Service Management naturally excels in this area. It provides comprehensive issue management tools that outshine Help Scout, enabling teams to effectively track, manage, and resolve issues.
• Calendar management: Another distinction lies in Jira’s calendar management features. These help in planning and scheduling tasks, meetings, or deadlines more effectively, a function not present in Help Scout.

Best for medium to large businesses

Jira Service Management is perfect for teams seeking a broad, unified platform that delivers top-tier project management and IT service management tools. It’s particularly well-suited for medium to large businesses needing comprehensive service solutions. Here are some sectors that gain an edge with Jira Service Management:

• IT teams: IT teams appreciate Jira Service Management for its advanced issue tracking and project management tools. These enable them to manage tasks effectively in real time and streamline their workflows.
• Service desks: Service desks utilize Jira Service Management’s customizable dashboard and calendar management features, which facilitate seamless scheduling and planning of tasks and issues.

Jira Service Management pricing

Jira Service Management presents a range of pricing plans to fit various business needs and sizes. Their Free plan offers limited features, suitable for small teams of up to 3 agents. The Standard plan, priced at $21 per agent/month, provides a wider set of features. For advanced capabilities and round-the-clock support, the Premium plan is available at $47 per agent/month. For large-scale operations needing dedicated support, Jira offers the Enterprise plan with custom pricing.

Expert’s opinion

In the customer service arena, Jira Service Management holds its own as a stellar Help Scout alternative. It impresses with a customizable dashboard, superior issue management, and handy calendar management, all features that Help Scout lacks.

Although Help Scout is a strong player, Jira is particularly adept for IT teams and service desks. Its ability to seamlessly track and manage issues, along with its adaptable interface and scheduling tools, gives it an edge.

In a nutshell, if you’re an IT team or a service desk seeking more tailored features, Jira Service Management could be your ideal pick over Help Scout.

Check out a full Jira alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

6. TeamSupport

TeamSupport is a B2B-oriented customer service platform and a notable alternative to Help Scout. Known for its robust functionality and focus on enhancing team collaboration, TeamSupport delivers tools that boost efficiency and improve the customer support process.

It integrates with a wide array of third-party applications, including Salesforce, Zoho CRM, Microsoft Teams, and Slack, enhancing operational efficiency and adaptability.

TeamSupport features

Features common to TeamSupport and Help Scout:

• Ticket management
• Customer database
• Knowledge base
• API
• Chat
• Email management
• Multi-channel communication
• Live chat

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Task management
• Role-based permissions
• Call center management
• SLA

What are the main differences between TeamSupport and Help Scout?

• Task management: TeamSupport offers task management capabilities, a feature not present in Help Scout. This allows for better organization of tasks, streamlining workflows, and boosting productivity within customer support teams.
• Role-based permissions: With TeamSupport, you can assign role-based permissions. This is a feature that’s absent in Help Scout. It helps businesses manage user access based on their roles, ensuring better security and accountability.
• Call center management: Unlike Help Scout, TeamSupport includes call center management. This tool can be essential for businesses that rely on phone support, as it can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their call centers.

Best for medium to large businesses

TeamSupport shines for B2B organizations that want to level up their customer support and boost team collaboration. It’s especially fitting for medium to large enterprises in need of robust customer service tools. Here are a couple of sectors that gain a lot from TeamSupport:

• IT services and software: These industries value TeamSupport for its project and task management capabilities, enabling them to streamline operations and effectively manage their customer support tasks.
• Manufacturing: Manufacturing businesses appreciate TeamSupport for its robust collaborative features, helping different departments work together smoothly, align their efforts, and serve customers more efficiently.

TeamSupport pricing

TeamSupport proposes a free trial along with three key pricing plans. The Essential Support plan is available at $49 per agent/month, providing basic support functionalities. The Enterprise Support plan, priced at $69 per agent/month, offers a more advanced feature set. For a comprehensive customer support experience, they offer the Complete Customer Support Suite at $119 per agent/month.

Expert’s opinion

TeamSupport shines as a viable Help Scout alternative, particularly in the B2B landscape. It brings to the table features such as task management, role-based permissions, and call center management, which are absent in Help Scout. These features contribute to enhanced team efficiency and more controlled access to resources.

The user-friendly interface of TeamSupport and its reliable customer support stand out as positive aspects. While there’s room for improvement in areas like customization and reporting, these don’t overshadow the benefits it offers.

For B2B organizations aiming to streamline their customer support and foster team collaboration, TeamSupport is a considerable choice. It strikes a fine balance between advanced features and user-friendly operation, making it a worthwhile Help Scout alternative.

Check out a full TeamSupport alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

7. Freshdesk

Freshdesk, a product from Freshworks, is a dynamic cloud-based customer service platform and a formidable alternative to Help Scout. Renowned for its robust ticketing system and multi-channel customer support, Freshdesk caters to businesses of all sizes.

Freshdesk integrates with a wide array of third-party applications, including Slack, Mailchimp, Shopify, and Zoom, creating a flexible and streamlined workflow.

Freshdesk features

Features common to Freshdesk and Help Scout:

• Ticketing system
• Live Chat
• Customizable branding
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Mobile access
• Tagging
• Surveys

Features not present in Help Scout:

• SLA
• Social media integration
• Call Center Management
• Freddy AI

What are the main differences between Freshdesk and Help Scout?

• SLA management: Freshdesk stands out with its SLA management feature, enabling businesses to consistently meet service standards. This critical aspect is absent in Help Scout, making Freshdesk a more reliable option for businesses that prioritize adhering to service-level agreements.
• Social media integration: Freshdesk enhances customer interaction by integrating with several social media platforms, a feature that Help Scout lacks. This gives Freshdesk an upper hand in reaching customers where they are most active and providing versatile multi-channel support.
• Call center management: Unlike Help Scout, Freshdesk includes call center management. This feature facilitates seamless integration of phone support into the customer service platform, providing a more comprehensive solution for businesses relying significantly on telephonic support.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Freshdesk proves itself a fitting solution for companies of varying sizes seeking a proficient, user-friendly system for handling customer interactions across diverse channels. It’s a favored option for B2B and B2C companies across multiple sectors. Here are a few industries where Freshdesk shines:

• Retail and e-commerce: These sectors make great use of Freshdesk due to its multi-channel support, allowing businesses to handle customer inquiries from various sources within a single platform.
• Travel and hospitality: These industries appreciate Freshdesk for its SLA management feature, guaranteeing that service standards are consistently met, leading to enhanced customer experiences.

Freshdesk pricing

Freshdesk comes with a 21-day free trial and several pricing tiers to suit a variety of requirements. The free tier offers basic functionality, whereas the Growth tier, priced at $18 per agent/month, provides enhanced features. For more advanced requirements, the Pro tier at $59 per agent/month, and the Enterprise tier at $95 per agent/month are available.

Expert’s opinion

Freshdesk stakes its claim as a strong contender in the helpdesk software space, proving to be a compelling alternative to Help Scout. With capabilities that include SLA management, social media integration, and call center management, Freshdesk presents an extensive, well-rounded offering that steps beyond what Help Scout provides.

Where Freshdesk truly excels is in its intuitive interface and consistent customer support, which are key elements integral to an effective helpdesk solution. Its limitations, such as pricing and reporting, do not overshadow its potential and value for businesses.

Freshdesk shines brightly for businesses in need of an efficient, multi-channel platform. It effortlessly merges a breadth of functionalities with user-friendliness, signifying it as a worthy Help Scout alternative.

Check out a full Freshdesk alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

8. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk stands out as a feature-rich, cost-effective alternative to Help Scout. As part of the comprehensive Zoho suite, it offers a well-integrated help desk solution with advanced AI capabilities.

Zoho Desk provides seamless integration with a host of Zoho apps and third-party platforms like Slack, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Teams, creating a comprehensive and unified workspace.

Zoho Desk features

Features common to Zoho Desk and Help Scout:

• Ticketing system
• Live chat
• Feedback management
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Multi-channel communication
• Mobile access
• Automated routing

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Real-time analytics
• Call center management
• SLA
• Artificial Intelligence

What are the main differences between Zoho Desk and Help Scout?

• Real-time analytics: Zoho Desk provides real-time analytics, a feature absent in Help Scout. This allows businesses to monitor and track customer interactions in real-time, leading to more effective decision-making.
• SLA: Zoho Desk offers Service Level Agreement (SLA) capabilities, ensuring businesses maintain high-quality service consistently, a feature that Help Scout lacks. This makes Zoho Desk a more reliable option for businesses that must adhere to strict service standards.
• Artificial intelligence: Zoho Desk goes a step further by integrating AI into its platform, enabling more efficient customer service processes. This feature sets Zoho Desk apart from Help Scout, which does not include AI capabilities.

Best for medium to large businesses

Zoho Desk is a versatile choice, best suited for businesses seeking a comprehensive and AI-enhanced customer service platform. It caters well to diverse business sizes, but the integration capabilities particularly benefit those leveraging other Zoho products. Here’s how it serves different industries:

• Technology and software: These sectors appreciate Zoho Desk’s advanced AI capabilities which help streamline customer service processes and offer intelligent support experiences.
• E-commerce: The real-time analytics feature is beneficial for this industry, providing immediate insights into customer interactions, and helping businesses adapt swiftly to their needs.

Zoho Desk pricing

Zoho Desk provides a flexible free trial along with several pricing plans. These include the Standard plan priced at $20 per agent/month, the Professional plan at $35 per agent/month, and the Enterprise plan, offering comprehensive features, at $50 per agent/month. These plans are designed to cater to different needs, ensuring a suitable solution for all business sizes.

Expert’s opinion

Zoho Desk shines as a compelling Help Scout alternative, boasting advanced AI capabilities, comprehensive dashboards, and wide integration options. Its features like real-time analytics, SLA management, and AI assistance offer businesses a high degree of oversight and efficiency in customer service management.

The comprehensive, unified workspace of Zoho Desk, coupled with its seamless integrations, are commendable. However, limited customization and a somewhat confusing interface may pose challenges. Either way, these factors don’t detract from its overall benefits.

For businesses, especially those in the technology, software, and e-commerce sectors, that seek an AI-enhanced, cost-effective customer service platform, Zoho Desk is a strong consideration. Its advanced features and well-integrated nature, particularly for those already using Zoho products, make it a valuable Help Scout alternative.

Check out a full Zoho Desk alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

9. Intercom

Intercom, a conversational relationship platform, offers a unique approach to customer support, making it a notable alternative to Help Scout. It stands out with its focus on personalized customer interaction via chat and automation.

It provides integration with numerous popular tools such as Slack, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, and more, to ensure a smooth workflow.

Groove features

Features common to Intercom and Help Scout:

• Ticket management
• Live chat
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Multi-channel communication
• Mobile access
• Queue management
• Email management

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Audience targeting
• Advanced automation
• Self-service tools
• SLA

What are the main differences between Intercom and Help Scout?

• Audience targeting: Intercom distinguishes itself with audience targeting capabilities, enabling businesses to segment and personalize customer interactions. This feature, which is absent in Help Scout, empowers businesses to tailor their support and marketing efforts to specific user groups.
• Advanced automation: Intercom steps up with its advanced automation features, allowing businesses to automate routine tasks and provide faster, more efficient customer support.
• Self-service tools: Intercom provides customers with an array of self-service tools, allowing them to find solutions to common issues without contacting support. This aspect, not present in Help Scout, enhances customer empowerment and reduces the workload of support teams.

Best for businesses of all sizes

Intercom is a compelling solution for businesses of all sizes that emphasize personalized, real-time customer interaction. With its advanced automation and audience targeting features, it’s particularly beneficial for companies looking to enhance customer engagement, streamline onboarding processes, and provide conversational support. Here’s how it serves different industries:

• E-commerce: Intercom’s real-time chat feature is a boon for these businesses, enabling them to promptly address customer inquiries, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Marketing and advertising: Audience targeting is a significant advantage for these sectors. It allows for tailored communication strategies and enhances conversion rates by reaching the right people at the right time.

Intercom pricing

Intercom presents a 14-day free trial alongside a variety of pricing options tailored to various needs. The Starter package is priced at $74 per month, while the Pro and Premium packages offer custom pricing, allowing for more flexibility and personalization to cater to specific business requirements.

Expert’s opinion

Intercom distinguishes itself as a potent alternative to Help Scout, emphasizing real-time, personalized customer engagement. Its advanced automation and audience targeting capabilities enable businesses to optimize customer interactions and build meaningful relationships.

Intercom’s integration with popular tools enhances workflow continuity, though it’s noteworthy that the learning curve can be steep and the cost may become substantial with added functionalities. Still, these challenges do not significantly diminish its overall utility.

For companies, particularly those in the E-commerce, Software, and Marketing sectors, aiming for enhanced customer interaction and engagement, Intercom presents a valuable choice. Its unique conversational support approach, combined with the provision for product tours, makes it a commendable Help Scout alternative.

Check out a full Intercom alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

10. Zendesk Suite

Zendesk Suite is a unified customer service tool known for its holistic approach to customer support, making it a powerful alternative to Help Scout. With a strong focus on simplicity and effectiveness, Zendesk Suite eases the migration from Help Scout, ensuring a seamless transition. It integrates effortlessly with an array of apps and platforms like Slack, Salesforce, Jira, Google Workspace, and more, greatly enhancing team productivity.

Zendesk Suite features

Features common to Zendesk Suite and Help Scout:

• Multi-channel communication
• Customer self-service portal
• Live chat and messaging
• API
• Email management
• Mobile access
• Multi-channel communication
• Automated routing

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Help desk ticketing
• Internal knowledge base
• Real-time analytics and reporting
• Social media integration

What are the main differences between Zendesk Suite and Help Scout?

• Internal knowledge base: Zendesk Suite features an internal knowledge base that facilitates knowledge sharing and collaboration among team members. This is a feature not present in Help Scout.
• Real-time analytics and reporting: While both platforms offer some level of analytics and reporting, Zendesk Suite takes it a step further by providing real-time analytics and reporting. This feature helps businesses monitor their customer service performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Social media integration: Zendesk Suite supports wider integration with social media platforms, enabling businesses to manage customer interactions across multiple channels.

Best for medium to large businesses

Zendesk Suite is a robust choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive and intuitive customer service platform. It is particularly well-suited to medium to large businesses due to its ability to handle high volumes of customer interactions across multiple channels. Here’s how it serves different industries:

• Retail: In the retail industry, Zendesk Suite’s multi-channel communication capabilities are invaluable. They allow businesses to connect with customers via their preferred platform, be it email, phone, chat, or social media, enhancing customer experience and satisfaction.
• Finance: Financial institutions benefit from Zendesk Suite’s robust security measures and the internal knowledge base feature. It enables secure customer interaction and helps internal teams stay informed and responsive to customer queries.

Zendesk Suite pricing

Zendesk Suite provides several pricing options, each coming with a free trial. The Suite Team plan costs $59 per agent per month, the Suite Growth plan is $99 per agent per month, and the Suite Professional plan stands at $125 per agent per month. This variety ensures businesses of all sizes and budgets can find a suitable option.

Expert’s opinion

Zendesk Suite emerges as a compelling alternative to Help Scout, boasting superior features such as real-time analytics, an internal knowledge base, and wide-reaching social media integration. Its ability to provide a unified workspace and seamless integration with various platforms makes it stand out among customer service solutions.

While Zendesk Suite offers a wide array of advanced features, it’s worth noting that these are predominantly available in higher-tiered plans. Additionally, customization might require some technical know-how, potentially posing a challenge to users. However, these factors do not significantly detract from its overall value proposition.

For businesses, particularly those in the retail and finance sectors, seeking a comprehensive and intuitive customer service platform, Zendesk Suite is a strong contender. Its advanced features, coupled with the ability to handle high volumes of customer interactions across multiple channels, make it a valuable alternative to Help Scout.

Check out a full Zendesk alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

11. Front

Front is a collaborative inbox platform that brings together all your communication channels into one place, making it an excellent alternative to Help Scout. If you’re contemplating a shift from Help Scout, Front’s promise of a streamlined and straightforward migration process is definitely compelling.

It integrates with numerous popular platforms such as Asana, Salesforce, HubSpot, and more, ensuring seamless workflows and increased productivity.

Front features

Features common to Front and Help Scout:

• Live chat feature
• Ticket management
• Reporting and analytics
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Mobile access
• Automated routing
• Multi-channel communications

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Call center management
• Chatbot
• SLA
• Client portal

What are the main differences between Front and Help Scout?

• Call center management: Unlike Help Scout, Front provides call center management features, making it easy to handle phone support along with other communication channels. This offers businesses a more comprehensive customer support solution.
• Chatbot: Front comes equipped with chatbot functionality that can automatically respond to customer queries, guide customers, and even automate certain tasks. This feature is not present in Help Scout, which relies on human intervention for all customer interactions.
• SLA (Service Level Agreement) management: Front also provides SLA management features, allowing businesses to manage and meet their service level commitments to customers. In contrast, Help Scout does not have a built-in SLA management feature.

Best for medium to large businesses

Front is a versatile option, making it a perfect fit for businesses seeking a unified and collaborative customer communication platform. It serves businesses of all sizes effectively but proves especially valuable for those dealing with substantial customer interactions across various channels. Here’s how it benefits different industries:

• Tech startups: For fast-paced technology startups, Front’s unified inbox feature that centralizes communication channels is a boon. It helps manage customer queries effectively and promotes cross-functional collaboration.
• E-commerce: E-commerce businesses can leverage Front’s multi-channel support and call center management features. These tools help manage high volumes of customer interactions and provide comprehensive support, ultimately enhancing the customer shopping experience.

Front pricing

Front presents a range of pricing plans, accompanied by a 7-day free trial. The options are the Starter plan at $19 per agent per month, the Growth plan at $59 per agent per month, the Scale plan at $99 per agent per month, and the Premier plan at $229 per agent per month. These diverse plans cater to businesses at different stages and with varying needs.

Expert’s opinion

Front stands out as a compelling alternative to Help Scout, offering an excellent unified platform for managing all communication channels. Its advanced features like call center management, chatbots, and SLA management offer businesses a comprehensive and streamlined customer service solution.

Despite a somewhat steep learning curve and limited customization, the overall benefits of using Front cannot be undermined. Its automation capabilities and analytics tools provide valuable insights, increasing the efficiency of customer service processes.

Front is particularly suitable for medium to large businesses, especially in the technology startups and e-commerce sectors, dealing with high volumes of customer interactions across multiple channels. Its feature set, which centralizes communication and enhances team collaboration, makes it a solid Help Scout alternative. For businesses seeking a unified platform that can handle diverse customer interactions seamlessly, Front is a worthwhile consideration.

Check out a full Front alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

12. Kayako

Kayako is a robust customer service platform that brings multi-channel customer support into one unified interface. As a feature-rich Help Scout alternative, it presents an effortless migration process ensuring a smooth transition.

Kayako integrates seamlessly with popular tools such as Jira, Slack, Salesforce, Zendesk, and more, helping teams streamline their workflows and boost productivity.

Kayako features

Features common to Kayako and Help Scout:

• Live chat
• Self service portal
• Ticketing management
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Mobile access
• Automated routing
• Multi-channel communication

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Call center management
• SLA
• Role-based permissions
• CRM

What are the main differences between Gladly and Zendesk?

• Call center management: Kayako provides businesses with call center management features, which are not available in Help Scout. This allows teams to handle telephone support effectively, along with other communication channels, providing a more comprehensive customer support solution.
• Service Level Agreement (SLA) management: Unlike Help Scout, Kayako comes with SLA management features. This enables businesses to track, manage, and meet their service-level commitments to customers more efficiently.
• Role-based permissions: Kayako offers role-based permissions, a feature that is not present in Help Scout. This feature allows businesses to assign specific roles to team members, controlling their access and responsibilities within the system, which can enhance the security and efficiency of the team.

Best for medium to large businesses

Kayako is a versatile tool that caters to businesses of all sizes requiring a unified, intuitive customer service solution. It’s particularly well-suited for businesses looking to manage and track their customer’s journey across multiple channels. Let’s explore how it serves various industries:

• Telecommunications: Companies in the telecommunications industry can take advantage of Kayako’s call center management feature, managing customer interactions efficiently across various channels.
• Professional services: In the professional services industry, where timely and effective client service is key, Kayako’s SLA management feature can ensure service level commitments are efficiently met.

Kayako pricing

Kayako’s pricing is only available upon request.

Expert’s opinion

As an alternative to Help Scout, Kayako showcases a strong multi-channel customer support capability, bringing different channels into a single, unified interface. The role-based permissions and SLA management features provide businesses with a higher degree of operational efficiency and accountability.

The easy-to-use interface and seamless integration with popular tools are commendable aspects of Kayako. However, the limited reporting capabilities and integration options might pose a challenge for some businesses.

For medium to large businesses, particularly in the telecommunications and professional services industries, that require a unified and efficient customer service platform, Kayako stands out as a reliable option. Despite a few shortcomings, its overall benefits and features make it a worthy Help Scout alternative.

Check out a full Kayako alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

13. Groove

Groove stands out as a Help Scout alternative by offering a simplified customer support platform. If you’re considering migrating from Help Scout, Groove’s straightforward and stress-free transition process is an attractive prospect.

It seamlessly integrates with popular software such as Slack, Shopify, HubSpot, and more, facilitating a streamlined workflow and enhanced team productivity.

Groove features

Features common to Groove and Help Scout:

• Ticketing feature
• Live chat
• Reporting and analytics
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Multi-channel communication
• Email management
• Automated routing

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Call center management
• Social media integration
• CRM
• SLA

What are the main differences between Groove and Help Scout?

• Call center management: Groove provides a call center management feature, which is not available in Help Scout. This enables businesses to effectively handle phone support along with other customer service channels, resulting in a more comprehensive support system.
• Social media integration: Groove offers wider integration with social media platforms. This helps businesses manage customer interactions across multiple channels providing a more unified customer service experience.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Groove incorporates CRM functionality within its platform, unlike Help Scout. This allows businesses to better manage and track their interactions with customers, improving their understanding of customer needs and boosting customer satisfaction.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Groove is a great fit for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a straightforward and intuitive customer service platform. The simplicity and efficiency of Groove’s interface particularly cater to teams that desire an uncluttered, focused approach to customer service. Here’s how it serves different industries:

• Retail: Small to medium-sized retail businesses can take advantage of Groove’s social media integration, allowing them to manage and respond to customer inquiries and feedback on social media platforms.
• Startups: Startups, known for their dynamic and rapidly changing environments, will appreciate Groove’s simplicity and ease of use. Its straightforward approach helps startups deliver efficient customer service without the complexity of managing a feature-overloaded platform.

Groove pricing

Groove extends a 7-day free trial and four pricing tiers to suit different business needs. The Standard plan costs $12 per user per month, the Premium plan costs $20 per user per month, and the Advanced plan comes at $40 per user per month. There’s also an Enterprise plan with custom pricing for larger businesses with more complex requirements.

Expert’s opinion

As a Help Scout alternative, Groove carves its niche by emphasizing simplicity and efficiency. Its user-friendly interface, coupled with useful collaboration tools, makes it a preferred choice for teams seeking an uncluttered approach to customer support. Moreover, its call center management, social media integration, and CRM features provide a holistic customer service experience.

However, the platform’s limited customization and automation capabilities may not suit businesses seeking advanced functionality and flexibility. It’s also worth noting that some users may find the limited customization options restricting.

Despite these considerations, Groove is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses, particularly startups and retail businesses. Its straightforward approach to customer service, its ability to handle multiple channels, and its CRM capabilities make it a strong Help Scout alternative.

Check out a full Groove alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

14. Gorgias

Gorgias offers an all-in-one customer support platform specially tailored for eCommerce businesses, standing as a compelling Help Scout alternative.

If you’re considering a transition from Help Scout, Gorgias simplifies the migration process, making the switch straightforward. It offers seamless integrations with numerous eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce, in addition to other popular tools like Slack and Instagram.

Gorgias features

Features common to Gorgias and Help Scout:

• Live chat
• Ticketing feature
• Multi-channel communication
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Email management
• Surveys
• Canned responses

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Social media integration
• Call center management
• Issue tracking
• Activity dashboard

What are the main differences between Gorgias and Help Scout?

Call center management: Gorgias offers a call center management feature, which is absent in Help Scout. This allows businesses to handle phone support effectively alongside other communication channels, providing a more comprehensive customer service solution.

Social media integration: Unlike Help Scout, Gorgias provides integration with social media platforms. This feature facilitates efficient management of customer interactions across various channels, including social media, thereby providing a more unified and cohesive customer service experience.

Best for small to medium businesses

Gorgias is a powerful tool for small to medium businesses that need a comprehensive customer service platform. Its robust multi-channel communication and call center management capabilities make it ideal for businesses that manage a high volume of customer interactions. Here’s how it can be beneficial across different industries:

• Tech startups: For startups, particularly in the tech space, Gorgias’ easy-to-use setup and multi-channel communication capabilities, including social media integration, enable quick and efficient responses to customer inquiries. This is a valuable asset in the dynamic, fast-paced environment of a startup.
• Hospitality industry: In the hospitality sector, where timely response to customer queries is paramount, Gorgias can be particularly useful. The platform’s ticketing feature and call center management can help hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies provide high-quality customer service, handle customer inquiries efficiently, and ultimately boost customer satisfaction.

Gorgias pricing

Gorgias provides a 7-day free trial and presents five pricing levels to accommodate different business scales and needs. The Starter tier costs $10 per month for 50 tickets, the Basic level is priced at $60 per month for 300 tickets, and the Pro tier charges $360 per month for 2000 tickets. The Advanced level costs $900 per month for 5000 tickets. For larger enterprises with unique needs, there’s also an Enterprise plan with custom pricing.

Expert’s opinion

Gorgias is a compelling choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive customer support platform. Its call center management and social media integration set it apart from Help Scout, providing businesses with a unified, cohesive customer service experience. It’s particularly well-suited to startups and the hospitality sector, where its multi-channel communication capabilities can drive quick and efficient customer service.

However, cost could be a drawback for some businesses. The pricing structure is based on the volume of tickets, and as a result, the cost can escalate quickly for businesses dealing with a high volume of customer interactions. Additionally, some users have raised concerns about insufficient customer support from Gorgias.

While Gorgias has some powerful features and benefits, it’s essential to weigh these against its potential drawbacks to decide if it’s the right choice for your business.

Check out a full Gorgias alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

15. ProProfs Help Desk

ProProfs Help Desk distinguishes itself as a Help Scout alternative by offering robust customer service and support tools that are easy to set up and use. If you’re pondering migrating from Help Scout, ProProfs facilitates a hassle-free transition. It integrates with a wide range of popular software, including project management tools, CRM systems, and marketing automation tools, facilitating a smooth and efficient workflow.

ProProfs Help Desk features

Features common to ProProfs Help Desk and Help Scout:

• Support ticket management
• Live chat
• Multi-channel communication
• API
• Knowledge base management
• Mobile access
• Email management
• Survey

Features not present in Help Scout:

• Social media integration
• Real-time analytics
• Role-based permissions
• SLA

What are the main differences between ProProfs Help Desk and Help Scout?

• Social media integration: ProProfs Help Desk provides seamless integration with social media platforms. This allows businesses to manage customer interactions across multiple channels, including social media, offering a unified and comprehensive customer service experience. This feature is not available in Help Scout.
• Real-time analytics: ProProfs Help Desk offers real-time analytics, providing businesses with the opportunity to track, analyze, and improve their customer support performance on the fly. In contrast, Help Scout does not have this real-time analysis feature.
• Role-based permissions: With role-based permissions, ProProfs Help Desk allows businesses to define specific roles for their team members and manage access to information based on those roles. This feature, which contributes to enhanced information security and task management, is absent in Help Scout.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

ProProfs Help Desk is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a simplified yet effective customer support solution. Its emphasis on user experience and role-based permissions make it a perfect fit for teams that may not have extensive technical expertise. Let’s see how it can benefit different industries:

• Education sector: Educational institutions, from schools to colleges, can benefit from ProProfs Help Desk. Its robust ticket management system can help manage and resolve student inquiries and issues effectively. Additionally, the role-based permissions feature can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information.
• IT companies: IT companies, known for their need to manage a high volume of technical queries, can leverage ProProfs Help Desk’s robust support ticket management and real-time analytics. These features can help streamline issue resolution and provide valuable insights into support performance.

ProProfs Help Desk pricing

ProProfs Help Desk provides a 15-day free trial for potential customers to explore the features. The pricing structure is pretty straightforward with two main plans to consider. The Monthly Plan costs $30 per agent per month, whereas the Annual Plan, billed yearly, offers a discounted rate of $20 per agent per month.

Expert’s opinion

ProProfs Help Desk stands out with its user-friendly interface and features designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service operations. Its strengths in support ticket management, real-time analytics, and role-based permissions cater well to small to medium-sized businesses that might not have extensive technical resources.

Its seamless integration with popular tools further streamlines workflows, reducing the time spent switching between applications. However, the platform’s limited options for ticket routing could be a potential drawback for larger teams or more complex customer service scenarios.

In terms of pricing, ProProfs offers good value for its features, especially with the annual pricing plan. Its focus on ease of use and effective management of customer interactions makes it a compelling alternative to Help Scout.

Key integration features of top Help Scout alternatives

Understanding the integration capabilities of customer service platforms is essential to finding an ideal Help Scout alternative. Many of these alternatives boast a variety of integrations to improve workflow and customer service management.

For instance, LiveAgent stands out with over 200 integrations, including:

• Shopify
• Slack
• Salesforce
• Gmail
• Zapier
• WordPress
• Mailchimp
• Pipedrive

On the other hand, HappyFox integrates with platforms such as:

• Salesforce
• Shopify
• Slack
• Mailchimp

HelpCrunch ensures a fluid workflow with integrations like:

• Slack
• Zapier
• WordPress
• Pipedrive

HubSpot Service Hub optimizes its functionality with:

• HubSpot services
• Mailchimp
• Pipedrive
• Slack

Jira Service Management amplifies its offering with integrations such as:

• Slack
• Salesforce
• Pipedrive
• Mailchimp

All these Help Scout alternatives offer diverse integration capabilities, crucial for enhanced productivity and efficiency. Understanding these features and aligning them with your business requirements is vital in your choice of a customer service platform.

Which Help Scout competitors offer 24/7 customer support?

Around-the-clock customer support isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a game-changer. It means your customers get the help they need exactly when they need it, and your business never misses a beat. Plus, it gives you an edge in a competitive marketplace.

Many Help Scout alternatives, like LiveAgent and Zendesk Suite, understand this and have 24/7 support ready to roll. But remember, it’s not just about being there all the time, but how effective the support is when it’s crunch time. Choose a platform that doesn’t just tick the 24/7 box, but really delivers when the going gets tough.

These are the Help Scout alternatives that offer 24/7 support:

• LiveAgent
• HubSpot Service Hub
• Jira Service Management
• Freshdesk
• Zoho Desk
• Intercom
• Zendesk Suite

Conclusion

With its robust features, seamless integrations, 24/7 support, and user-friendly design, LiveAgent stands out in the sea of Help Scout alternatives. It’s not just about the extensive toolset; it’s also about how these tools can be tailored to meet your specific business needs. Whether it’s enhancing customer satisfaction, streamlining operations, or boosting team productivity, LiveAgent has you covered. Plus, its scalable pricing makes it a viable option for businesses of all sizes.

Ultimately, the choice is yours to make. You know your business best. Remember to factor in your specific needs and objectives when making your selection. Is LiveAgent the right fit for you? There’s only one way to find out. Take it for a test drive with a 30-day free trial and experience first-hand how it can elevate your customer service game. With LiveAgent, you’re not just choosing a platform; you’re choosing a partner dedicated to helping you succeed.

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