Help Scout is 100% cheaper
than Intercom
$0/mo (Free) vs Intercom Essential at $29/mo — covering 91% of the 11 compared capabilities.
Same job. Way less money.
Comparison scenario
Every cheaper-than claim is tied to a defined scenario — never a bare list price.
single user, monthly billing · USD · prices as observed on official pricing pages.
Essential plan at $29/mo, the cheapest paid plan.
Free: 0 USD/monthly.
Intercom costs $29/mo on the Essential plan at single user, monthly billing. We found 1 assessed alternative that is cheaper in this scenario; 1 of them covers at least 75% of the 11 compared capabilities.
Capability comparison
Help Scout covers 91% of the 11 capabilities compared against Intercom. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.
| Capability | Help Scout | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Ticketing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Omnichannel inbox | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live chat & messaging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Knowledge base / help center | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI agents | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI copilot | ✓ | ✓ |
| SLA management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Routing & assignment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Support automations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Voice / telephony | ◐ | ✓ |
| SAML single sign-on | ✗ | ✓ |
What you give up
Capabilities Intercom has that Help Scout lacks.
- SAML single sign-on — Sign in through your company's SAML single sign-on.Missing from Help Scout.
Plans & pricing, side by side
Advertised prices in USD as observed on the official pricing pages — per-seat and transaction-fee plans are marked.
| Free | Free |
| Standard | $25/seat/mo |
| Plus | $45/seat/mo |
| Pro | $75/seat/mo |
| Essential | $29/seat/mo |
| Advanced | $85/seat/mo |
| Expert | $132/seat/mo |
Share this comparison
For Help Scout: use the verified claim in your own marketing — card, badge, or link. The numbers stay tied to this evidence page.
Frequently asked
How much cheaper is Help Scout than Intercom?
100% cheaper in our scenario (single user, monthly billing): $0/mo on Free vs $29/mo on Essential. That is $348 a year.
What does Help Scout lack compared with Intercom?
SAML single sign-on — 1 of the 11 compared capabilities.
When were these prices checked?
Intercom: 2026-08-31; Help Scout: 2026-08-31 — on the official pricing pages.
Sources & freshness
- https://www.intercom.com/pricing (official_pricing, checked 2026-08-31)
- Help Scout data last verified 2026-08-31