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Zendesk vs Help Scout pricing
Zendesk is the enterprise-grade help desk and Help Scout is the inbox-style alternative for smaller teams. This page compares their prices using StackScope's help desk report, last verified October 2026.
Zendesk has the cheaper entry tier: Support Team is $19 per agent ($25 billed monthly), against $25 per user ($30 monthly) for Help Scout Standard. Higher up, Zendesk Suite Team is $55 ($69 monthly) and Suite Professional is $115 ($149 monthly), against Help Scout Plus at $45 ($54 monthly) and Pro at $75 ($90 monthly, with a 10-seat minimum), and the tiers do not map one-to-one. Help Scout has an ongoing free plan for up to 5 users with 100 contacts per month and 1 inbox, while Zendesk has only a 14-day trial. AI is priced differently: Zendesk's AI Agents charge $1.50 per committed resolution or $2.00 pay-as-you-go beyond a limited allowance, with Copilot at $50 per agent per month, while Help Scout's AI Answers is $0.75 per resolution after a three-month free trial.
| Tool | Free plan | Entry tier | Mid tier | Highest public price | Aggregated sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zendesk | No free planSupport Team is the entry paid tier · 14-day free trial, no card required | $19/agentSupport Team · $25/mo billed monthly | $55/agentSuite Team · $69/mo billed monthly | $115/agentSuite Professional · $149/mo billed monthly · Enterprise is sales-led, not publicly posted | Catch: add-ons add up fast. Praised for deep omnichannel workflows, granular automation, and reporting (Explore). AI Agents are included but billed per automated resolution beyond a limited monthly allowance — $1.50 per committed resolution, $2.00 pay-as-you-go. Copilot is a separate $50/agent/month add-on (billed annually); stacking these pushes the real bill well past the sticker price. |
| 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 Zendesk cheaper than Help Scout?
At the entry tier, yes: Zendesk Support Team is $19 per agent versus $25 per user for Help Scout Standard. Help Scout also has a free plan for up to 5 users, which Zendesk lacks.
Does Help Scout have a free plan?
Yes: an ongoing plan for up to 5 users with 100 contacts per month and 1 inbox. Zendesk offers only a 14-day free trial with no card required.
How do Zendesk and Help Scout charge for AI?
Zendesk's AI Agents cost $1.50 per committed resolution or $2.00 pay-as-you-go beyond a limited allowance, and Copilot is $50 per agent per month. Help Scout's AI Answers costs $0.75 per resolution after a three-month free trial.
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Vendor pricing: Zendesk pricing · Help Scout pricing