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Help Scout vs LiveChat: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Help Scout and LiveChat. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: LiveChat starts at $19/mo, making it $6/mo cheaper than Help Scout ($25/mo). Help Scout offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Help Scout vs LiveChat: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureHelp ScoutLiveChat
Starting Price$25/mo$19/mo
Number of Plans44
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelper-seatper-seat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

LiveChat is the more affordable option, starting at $19/mo compared to Help Scout's $25/mo. Both are Customer Support tools with 8 combined pricing plans and 58 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
Help Scout
Try it free
LiveChat
LiveChat
Try it free
Tier 1
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 1 shared email Inbox
  • 1 public knowledge base
  • Limited saved replies
  • No AI tools included
Start with Free
Starter
$19/month
Includes
  • Text Intelligence
  • Track up to 100 visitors
  • 1 recurring campaign
  • 60-day chat history
  • Basic widget customization
  • 24/7/365 Support
  • 1 user
Start with Starter
Tier 2
Standard
$25/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Multiple Inboxes
  • Live chat, Instagram, & Messenger
  • Multiple knowledge bases
  • Basic workflows
  • Unlimited tags and saved replies
  • AI Inbox assistant
Start with Standard
Team
$49/month
Includes
  • Text Intelligence
  • Track up to 400 visitors
  • Unlimited campaigns
  • Unlimited chat history
  • Full widget customization
  • Basic reporting
  • Unlimited users
Start with Team
Tier 3
PlusPopular
$45/monthCheapest
Includes
  • WhatsApp messaging
  • Advanced workflows
  • Unlimited AI Drafts
  • Round robin routing
  • Salesforce, Jira, and HubSpot
  • Internal teams
  • Group conversations by company
Start with Plus
Business
$79/month
Includes
  • Text Intelligence
  • Track up to 1000 visitors
  • Work scheduler
  • Staffing prediction
  • On-demand reporting
  • Advanced reporting
  • Agent performance
  • SMS and Apple Messages for Business
Start with Business
Tier 4
Pro
$75/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Unlimited workflows
  • Multiple routing types
  • SSO/SAML
  • HIPAA compliance
  • Up to 50 light users
  • Dedicated onboarding specialist
  • Strategic account manager
  • Preferred pricing on Aircall
Start with Pro
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Text Intelligence
  • Customize tracking limit
  • Dedicated account manager
  • Dedicated onboarding
  • White label chat widget
  • Software engineer support
  • Single Sign-on (SSO)
  • HIPAA Compliance
  • Alternative payment terms
  • Professional services
  • Service level agreements (SLAs)
Start with Enterprise

Swipe to compare plans →

Help Scout

Customer support platform with shared inbox and knowledge base

View all Help Scout plans

LiveChat

Live chat and help desk software for customer service

View all LiveChat plans

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Help Scout if:

  • 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 predictable billing — Help Scout's per-seat model avoids surprise overages
  • Help Scout's feature bundling aligns with how Customer Support teams actually work day-to-day

Choose LiveChat if:

  • You want lower per-user costs—LiveChat starts at $19/mo, saving $6/mo compared to Help Scout at $25/mo
  • You want more features built-in—LiveChat offers 8 additional features across its plans
  • Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—LiveChat offers negotiated terms for large deployments

Help Scout offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while LiveChat requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Help Scout a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Help Scout's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $45/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against LiveChat's tiering starting at $19/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Help Scout's 4 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while LiveChat's 4 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Help Scout is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Help Scout vs LiveChat

Which is cheaper, Help Scout or LiveChat?
As of March 2026, LiveChat starts at a lower price point. Help Scout starts at $25/mo while LiveChat starts at $19/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Help Scout have vs LiveChat?
Help Scout offers 4 pricing plans, while LiveChat offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Help Scout or LiveChat offer a free plan?
Help Scout offers a free plan, while LiveChat does not. If budget is a concern, Help Scout lets you get started at no cost.
What is the most popular Help Scout plan?
The Plus plan is Help Scout's most popular tier, priced at $45/mo. Key features include WhatsApp messaging, Advanced workflows, Unlimited AI Drafts.
Does Help Scout or LiveChat offer custom enterprise pricing?
LiveChat offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Help Scout lists all its pricing publicly.
How do Help Scout and LiveChat compare for Customer Support?
Both Help Scout and LiveChat are Customer Support tools. Help Scout offers 4 plans starting at $25/mo, while LiveChat offers 4 plans starting at $19/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Customer Support needs.

Sources

  1. Help Scout Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. LiveChat Official PricingVendor pricing page

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