Help Scout vs Intercom: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Help Scout and Intercom. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Help Scout starts at $25/mo, making it $4/mo cheaper than Intercom ($29/mo). Help Scout offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Help Scout vs Intercom: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Help Scout | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $25/mo | $29/mo |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 3 |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | per-seat | per-seat |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Help Scout is the more affordable option, starting at $25/mo compared to Intercom's $29/mo. Both are Customer Support tools with 7 combined pricing plans and 43 features compared.
Help Scout stands out with a free plan for getting started.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Customer Support needs.
| Pricing Plans |  Help Scout Try it free |  Intercom Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
| Essential $29/month $2 / year Includes
|
| Tier 2 | Standard $25/monthCheapest Includes
| Advanced $85/month $7 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | PlusPopular $45/monthCheapest Includes
| Expert $132/month $11 / year Includes
|
| Tier 4 | Pro $75/monthCheapest Includes
| — |
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What Reviewers Say
Help Scout
Help Scout offers a free plan, starts at $4/mo lower ($25/mo vs $29/mo), offers 4 tiers vs 3.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Help Scout
Try Help Scout freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Help Scout if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Help Scout starts at $25/mo, saving $4/mo compared to Intercom at $29/mo
- •You need a free plan with 1 shared email Inbox, 1 public knowledge base—Help Scout offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You need 4 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •You want more features built-in—Help Scout offers 7 additional features across its plans
Choose Intercom if:
- •You prioritize Intercom's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
- •Intercom's per-seat pricing lets you match exact team size without tier gaps
- •Intercom keeps its feature set lean, which means faster onboarding and less complexity
Help Scout is the more affordable choice [1], starting at $25/mo compared to Intercom's $29/mo. For a 50-person team on paid plans, this translates to Help Scout saving approximately $200/month. Help Scout offers 4 pricing tiers compared to Intercom's 3, giving you more granular control over scaling costs as your team grows. Across all tiers, Help Scout provides 25 total features versus 18 for Intercom, offering a richer feature set depending on your specific needs. If controlling SaaS spend is a priority, Help Scout offers the better cost-to-value ratio. Consider Intercom only if its unique capabilities directly address a gap Help Scout cannot fill.
Frequently Asked Questions: Help Scout vs Intercom
Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Intercom?
How many pricing plans does Help Scout have vs Intercom?
Does Help Scout or Intercom offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Help Scout or Intercom?
What is the most popular Help Scout plan?
How do Help Scout and Intercom compare for Customer Support?
Sources
- Help Scout Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Intercom Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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