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Head-to-head · Help Desk Software

Help Scout vs Frappe Helpdesk

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Help Scout #9 in Help Desk Software 8.5/10 Free plan · 15-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Help Scout
Frappe Helpdesk #42 in Help Desk Software 5.3/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Try Frappe Helpdesk

Help Scout leads on 0 checks, Frappe Helpdesk on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 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 · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialboth

Help Scout scores higher on our rubric for help desk software: 8.5 against 5.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #9 and #42.

Help Scout is the better fit for small teams wanting free support for five seats. Frappe Helpdesk is the better fit for developers wanting low-cost open-source support.

  • Help Scout fits best

    Small teams wanting free support for five seats

  • Frappe Helpdesk fits best

    Developers wanting low-cost open-source support

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Side by side

Feature Help Scout 8.5/10 Visit ↗ Frappe Helpdesk 5.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 5.3
Ranking #9 in Help Desk Software #42 in Help Desk Software
Best for Small teams wanting free support for five seats Developers wanting low-cost open-source support
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $25/user/mo —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 15 days 14 days
Free trial length 15 days · no card needed 14 days
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Support Email, Docs Email, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations 100+ integrations 2 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Help Scout 6/6 · Frappe Helpdesk 6/6
Shared inbox ✓ ✓
SLA management ✓ ✓
Help center ✓ ✓
Ticket automation ✓ ✓
Customer portal ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Specs
Included agent seats 5 Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan includes up to five users, one inbox, and one Docs site
  • Shared inboxes, SLAs, workflows, knowledge bases, portals, and reporting
  • Supports web, iOS, Android, APIs, and major customer-service integrations
  • Free AGPL-3.0 self-hosting option with installation scripts
  • Unlimited tickets, agents, and customers on Frappe Cloud Sites
  • SLAs, routing, portals, knowledge base, workflows, APIs, and reporting
Cons
  • Free plan is limited to one inbox and one Docs site
  • Paid pricing is charged per user each month
  • Advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans
  • Cloud pricing applies per site rather than per user
  • Integrations focus on Frappe products and Microsoft 365/Outlook email
  • Customization relies on workflows, fields, scripts, and Frappe Framework familiarity
Our verdict

Help Scout is a customer support platform for teams managing customer conversations across email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and other channels. Its shared inboxes support team-managed conversations, while…

Read the review →

Frappe Helpdesk is an open-source customer support application for teams that collect, assign, track, and resolve requests. It suits developers and organizations that want customizable support workflows without per-agent pricing. Tickets…

Read the review →
  1. Help ScoutHelp Desk Software 8.5Free plan · 15-day trial
  2. Frappe HelpdeskHelp Desk Software 5.3Free plan · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Help Scout — where it wins

    • Free plan includes up to five users, one inbox, and one Docs site
    • Shared inboxes, SLAs, workflows, knowledge bases, portals, and reporting
    • Supports web, iOS, Android, APIs, and major customer-service integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan is limited to one inbox and one Docs site
    • Paid pricing is charged per user each month
    • Advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans

  • Frappe Helpdesk — where it wins

    • Free AGPL-3.0 self-hosting option with installation scripts
    • Unlimited tickets, agents, and customers on Frappe Cloud Sites
    • SLAs, routing, portals, knowledge base, workflows, APIs, and reporting

    Where it doesn't

    • Cloud pricing applies per site rather than per user
    • Integrations focus on Frappe products and Microsoft 365/Outlook email
    • Customization relies on workflows, fields, scripts, and Frappe Framework familiarity

More comparisons

All help desk software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update