Chatwoot vs Help Scout
A comprehensive head-to-head comparison of two leading customer support solutions in 2026. Compare features, pricing, ratings, and more to find the right fit.
Quick Verdict
Choose Chatwoot if you need Live chat and prefer a free starting option. Choose Help Scout if you prioritize Shared inbox and want a free tier to start. Help Scout has a higher user rating (4.6 vs 4.5).
Chatwoot vs Help Scout: At a Glance
| Criteria | Chatwoot | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| User Rating | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Pricing Model | freemium | per-user |
| Free Plan | ||
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Self-hosted | Web, Ios, Android |
| Category | Customer Support | Customer Support |
| Founded | 2017 | 2011 |
Feature Comparison: Chatwoot vs Help Scout
| Feature | Chatwoot | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ||
| Email inbox | ||
| Social channels | ||
| Knowledge base | ||
| Chatbots | ||
| Reports | ||
| Slack | ||
| Telegram | ||
| Line | ||
| GDPR | ||
| Data ownership | ||
| SSL | ||
| Role-based access | ||
| Shared inbox | ||
| Customer profiles | ||
| Workflows | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Salesforce | ||
| HubSpot | ||
| Jira | ||
| Shopify | ||
| SOC2 | ||
| HIPAA | ||
| Web support |
Chatwoot vs Help Scout: Pricing Breakdown
Chatwoot Pricing
Model: freemium
- Unlimited agents
- All features
- Full data control
- Hosted solution
- Email support
- Basic features
- Priority support
- Advanced features
- SSO
- Custom deployment
- SLA
- Dedicated support
Help Scout Pricing
Model: per-user
- 2 mailboxes
- 1 Docs site
- Email & live chat
- Beacon help widget
- 5 mailboxes
- Custom fields
- Advanced permissions
- Salesforce integration
- 25 mailboxes
- Enterprise security
- HIPAA compliance
- Dedicated account manager
Pros and Cons
Chatwoot
Pros
- Highly rated by users (4.5/5)
- Free plan available to get started
- Available on 4 platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Self-hosted)
- Rich feature set with 15+ capabilities
- Strong Live chat functionality
- Strong Email inbox functionality
Cons
- May require time to learn advanced features
Help Scout
Pros
- Highly rated by users (4.6/5)
- Free plan available to get started
- Available on 3 platforms (Web, Ios, Android)
- Rich feature set with 15+ capabilities
- Strong Shared inbox functionality
- Strong Knowledge base functionality
Cons
- May require time to learn advanced features
Who Should Use Chatwoot vs Help Scout?
Choose Chatwoot if you:
- Need Live chat
- Want to start for free
- Work primarily on Web and Ios
- Value Email inbox
Choose Help Scout if you:
- Need Shared inbox
- Want to start for free
- Work primarily on Web and Ios
- Value Knowledge base
Frequently Asked Questions: Chatwoot vs Help Scout
Is Chatwoot better than Help Scout?
It depends on your needs. Chatwoot has a 4.5/5 user rating while Help Scout has 4.6/5. Chatwoot excels in Live chat and Email inbox, while Help Scout stands out with Shared inbox and Knowledge base. Consider your budget (Free vs Free), platform needs, and specific feature requirements.
Which is cheaper, Chatwoot or Help Scout?
Chatwoot offers a free plan and starts at Free. Help Scout offers a free plan and starts at Free. Compare the specific plan features to determine the best value for your use case.
Can I use Chatwoot and Help Scout together?
While both are customer support tools, some teams use complementary software together. Check each product's API and integration capabilities for compatibility. However, most users find that one solution covers their core customer support needs.
What are the main differences between Chatwoot and Help Scout?
The key differences include: pricing model (freemium vs per-user), platform support (Web, Ios, Android, Self-hosted vs Web, Ios, Android), and feature focus. Chatwoot emphasizes Live chat, Email inbox, Social channels while Help Scout focuses on Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat. User ratings differ slightly: 4.5 vs 4.6 out of 5.
Ready to choose?
Explore detailed reviews, user ratings, and pricing for both Chatwoot and Help Scout.