How much does Help Scout cost in 2026? Pricing breakdown
Quick Answer: Help Scout uses per-user pricing. As of July 2026: Free (up to 5 users, 1 inbox, 100 contacts/month), Standard $25/user/month, Plus $45/user/month (down from $50), and Pro $75/user/month (previously custom-quote). AI is an add-on called "AI Answers" at $0.75 per resolution (with a 3-month free trial). Annual billing saves about 20%. The new Free tier and the now-published Pro price are the notable 2026 changes.
Help Scout Pricing (as of July 2026)
Help Scout prices per user, and added a Free tier plus a published Pro price in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Mailboxes | Docs Sites | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 | 1 | Up to 5 users, 100 contacts/mo, 10 saved replies |
| Standard | $25/user/mo | 2 | 1 | Shared inbox, email + chat, Workflows, 100+ integrations |
| Plus | $45/user/mo | 5 | 2 | Custom fields, advanced permissions, HIPAA, Salesforce/HubSpot/Jira |
| Pro | $75/user/mo | 25+ | 10+ | Enterprise security, dedicated account manager |
Two 2026 changes: a Free tier (5 users, 1 inbox, 100 contacts/month) now exists, Plus dropped from $50 to $45, and Pro is now a published $75/user rather than custom-quote. AI is a separate add-on — "AI Answers" at $0.75 per resolution (3-month free trial) — rather than bundled.
Cost at scale (per user)
| Team | Standard ($25) | Plus ($45) | Pro ($75) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 users | $125/mo | $225/mo | $375/mo |
| 10 users | $250/mo | $450/mo | $750/mo |
| 25 users | $625/mo | $1,125/mo | $1,875/mo |
Add AI Answers at $0.75/resolution where deflection is wanted, billed on usage.
How Help Scout compares (10-user team)
| Platform | Monthly | AI |
|---|---|---|
| Help Scout Standard | $250 | AI Answers $0.75/resolution add-on |
| Freshdesk Growth | $190 | Freddy add-on |
| Zendesk Suite Team | $550 | Copilot $50/agent add-on |
| Intercom Essential | ~$290 | Fin $0.99/resolution |
Help Scout keeps the "personal email" feel that heavier ticketing tools lack, and its per-user pricing is mid-market.
Editor's Note: We deployed Help Scout for a developer-tools company on the 2-mailbox tier, which was fine until they needed four distinct support addresses — forcing the Plus upgrade. Re-checked July 2026: Help Scout added a Free tier (5 users, 100 contacts/month), dropped Plus to $45, and published Pro at $75 (previously a custom quote), while moving AI to a usage-based "AI Answers" add-on at $0.75/resolution — so small teams can now start free, and AI deflection is a separate line to budget against your resolution volume. — Rafal Fila, ShadowGen
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