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Intercom vs Help Scout pricing
Intercom and Help Scout are both known for a conversational feel, but they price very differently. This page compares them using StackScope's help desk report, last verified October 2026.
Help Scout is cheaper at every tier: Standard is $25 per user ($30 billed monthly), Plus is $45 ($54) and Pro is $75 ($90, with a 10-seat minimum), against Intercom's Essential at $29 per seat ($39), Advanced at $85 ($99) and Expert at $132 ($139). The tiers do not map one-to-one. Help Scout also has an ongoing free plan for up to 5 users, while Intercom has only a 14-day trial. On AI, Help Scout's AI Answers costs $0.75 per resolution after a three-month free trial, while Intercom's Fin bills $0.99 per outcome on top of seats, and StackScope notes that Intercom's total bill is hard to predict in advance.
| Tool | Free plan | Entry tier | Mid tier | Highest public price | Aggregated sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercom | No free plan14-day free trial only, no card required | $29/seatEssential · $39/mo billed monthly | $85/seatAdvanced · $99/mo billed monthly | $132/seatExpert · $139/mo billed monthly | Catch: the seat price isn't the real price. Strong marks for its live-chat UI and the Fin AI agent's conversational resolution. Fin bills $0.99 per outcome on top of seats — the most repeated complaint across every source. Copilot adds $29/agent/month (billed annually) or $35 monthly, and Pro / Proactive Support Plus modules run $99/month each; the total bill is genuinely hard to predict in advance. |
| Help Scout | Free, up to 5 users100 contacts/mo, 1 inbox — genuinely ongoing, not a trial | $25/userStandard · $30/mo billed monthly | $45/userPlus · $54/mo billed monthly | $75/userPro · $90/mo billed monthly, 10-seat minimum | Catch: enterprise teams will outgrow it. Repeatedly praised for feeling like an organized, human email inbox rather than an enterprise ticketing system. Lacks advanced routing, deep SLA controls, and reporting depth on the lower tiers. AI Answers (chatbot resolution) is a separate $0.75-per-resolution charge after a three-month free trial. |
Figures are aggregated from vendor pricing pages and independent third-party pricing research as of October 2026 and reflect published list prices. This page shows two of the four tools in the full Help Desk Software report, which carries the complete footnotes and every source conflict we flagged. Confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing. This is not a recommendation to buy any specific product.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Help Scout cheaper than Intercom?
At every tier: $25, $45 and $75 per user versus $29, $85 and $132 per seat, though the tiers don't map one-to-one.
Do Intercom and Help Scout have free plans?
Help Scout has an ongoing free plan for up to 5 users. Intercom has only a 14-day trial with no card required.
How do they charge for AI?
Help Scout's AI Answers costs $0.75 per resolution after a three-month free trial. Intercom's Fin bills $0.99 per outcome on top of seats.
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See all four tools in the full Help Desk Software report →
Vendor pricing: Intercom pricing · Help Scout pricing