Head-to-head · Digital Customer Service Platforms
Help Scout vs Chatwoot
Help Scout leads on 0 checks, Chatwoot on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreHelp Scout · 9.0/10
- Lowest starting priceChatwoot · $19/user/mo
- Free planboth
- Free trialboth
Help Scout scores higher on our rubric for digital customer service platforms: 9.0 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.
Chatwoot is cheaper to start at $19/user/mo against $25/user/mo.
Help Scout is the better fit for small teams seeking a simple support suite. Chatwoot is the better fit for teams wanting open-source or self-hosted support.
- Help Scout fits best
Small teams seeking a simple support suite
- Chatwoot fits best
Teams wanting open-source or self-hosted support
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Side by side
| Feature | Help Scout 9.0/10 Visit ↗ | Chatwoot 8.7/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.0 | 8.7 |
| Ranking | #4 in Digital Customer Service Platforms | #7 in Digital Customer Service Platforms |
| Best for | Small teams seeking a simple support suite | Teams wanting open-source or self-hosted support |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | $25/user/mo | $19/user/mo (best) |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | 15 days | 15 days |
| Free trial length | 15 days · no card needed | 15 days · no card needed |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Support | Email, Docs | Email, Community |
| Compliance | HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA | SOC 2, GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA |
| Integrations | 100+ integrations | 15+ integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Help Scout 0/2 · Chatwoot 0/2 | ||
| Self-service portal | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Knowledge base | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Supported channels | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Workflow automation | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| AI capabilities | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Included agent seats | Not checked yet | 2 agents |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Help Scout brings shared inboxes, knowledge bases, workflows, SLAs, customer portals, and AI-assisted support into a cloud service for growing businesses and customer-facing teams. Its free tier suits a small team organizing support in one… Read the review → |
Chatwoot brings customer conversations from website live chat, email, WhatsApp, social networks, SMS and other channels into a shared support workflow. Human assignment and collaboration sit alongside customer profiles, conversation… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Help Scout — where it wins
- Free plan includes 5 users, 1 Inbox, and 1 Docs site
- Standard adds live chat, SMS, multiple knowledge bases, and AI Inbox assistant
- Plus and Pro add advanced workflows, SLAs, routing, and enterprise controls
Where it doesn't
- Multiple Inboxes and live chat require the $25 Standard plan
- Secure customer portal is available on Plus and Pro, not Standard
- Pro trial access is handled through sales
Chatwoot — where it wins
- Combines live chat, shared inbox, automation, reports and a help center.
- Offers cloud and self-hosted deployment, plus APIs and webhooks.
- Paid plans add all channels, voice, team tools and enterprise controls.
Where it doesn't
- The free Hacker plan is limited to website chat and 2 agents.
- Startups, Business and Enterprise prices are billed annually per agent.
- Additional Captain AI credits cost $20 per 1,000 credits.
- Help Scout9.0/10 · Free plan · 15-day trial
A broad support suite with a free tier and paid plans starting at $25 per user monthly.
Visit Help ScoutFull verdict → - Chatwoot8.7/10 · Free plan · 15-day trial
A flexible customer support platform for teams choosing cloud or self-hosted deployment.
Visit ChatwootFull verdict →
More comparisons
All digital customer service platforms comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update