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Freshdesk vs Help Scout

Freshdesk: Helpdesk software with Freddy AI for automatic answers, reply drafting and ticket sorting. Help Scout: Friendly shared inbox and help center with AI answers, summaries and reply drafting. Here is how they compare on features, pricing, platforms, pros and cons.

Quick verdict

Freshdesk

Best for: Small and growing support teams that want a full helpdesk at a fair price.

Stands out for: Free plan for small teams; Easy to learn.

Help Scout

Best for: Small teams that want a simple, human-feeling support tool.

Stands out for: Very easy to use; Personal, friendly feel.

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of Freshdesk, Help Scout
Visit freshworks.com (opens in a new tab)Visit helpscout.com (opens in a new tab)
What it isHelpdesk software with Freddy AI for automatic answers, reply drafting and ticket sorting.Friendly shared inbox and help center with AI answers, summaries and reply drafting.
Pricing
Free + Paid
Free trial
Free to useYesNo
CategoryAI Customer SupportAI Customer Support
Editor rank#3 in category#4 in category
Made byFreshworksHelp Scout
Best forSmall and growing support teams that want a full helpdesk at a fair price.Small teams that want a simple, human-feeling support tool.
Key features
  • Multichannel ticketing
  • Freddy AI agent and copilot
  • Automations and SLAs
  • Knowledge base
  • Shared inbox that feels like email
  • AI answers and summaries
  • Help center and chat widget
  • Customer profiles
Pros
  • Free plan for small teams
  • Easy to learn
  • Very easy to use
  • Personal, friendly feel
Cons
  • Best AI features are on higher plans
  • Fewer advanced features than enterprise suites
Use it to
  • Route tickets to the right team automatically
  • Draft replies with AI
  • Build a self-service FAQ
  • Share a support inbox across a team
  • Summarise a long customer thread
  • Let AI answer from your help docs
Web app
iPhone & iPad
Android

Freshdesk vs Help Scout: questions

Is Freshdesk better than Help Scout?

Neither wins for everyone. Our editors rank Freshdesk slightly higher overall in AI Customer Support, but Help Scout can be the better fit: Small teams that want a simple, human-feeling support tool.

Which is free, Freshdesk or Help Scout?

Freshdesk can be used for free (free + paid), while Help Scout is free trial.

Can I use Freshdesk and Help Scout together?

Yes. Many people keep both and pick per task, for example route tickets to the right team automatically with Freshdesk, and share a support inbox across a team with Help Scout.

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