Help Scout is an alternative
to Zoho Desk
$0/mo (Free) vs Zoho Desk at — — covering 18% of the 11 compared capabilities.
Cheaper. Not the same job.
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.
plan at —, the cheapest paid plan.
Free: 0 USD/monthly.
We list 1 assessed alternative; Zoho Desk's own price is not verified yet, so no cheaper-than claim is made.
Capability comparison
Help Scout covers 18% of the 11 capabilities compared against Zoho Desk. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.
| Capability | Help Scout | Zoho Desk |
|---|---|---|
| Ticketing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Omnichannel inbox | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| Live chat & messaging | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| Knowledge base / help center | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI agents | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| AI copilot | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| CSAT surveys | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| Routing & assignment | ↑ Plus | ✓ |
| Voice / telephony | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| Support automations | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
| SLA management | ↑ Standard | ✓ |
What you give up
Capabilities Zoho Desk has that Help Scout lacks.
- Omnichannel inbox — Manage messages from multiple channels in one inbox.Missing from Help Scout.
- Live chat & messaging — Chat with customers in real time on your site or app.Missing from Help Scout.
- AI agents — Let an AI agent resolve support requests automatically.Missing from Help Scout.
- AI copilot — Get AI-drafted reply suggestions for support agents.Missing from Help Scout.
- CSAT surveys — Survey customers on satisfaction after a support interaction.Missing from Help Scout.
- Routing & assignment — Automatically route tickets to the right agent or team.Missing from Help Scout.
- Voice / telephony — Handle customer support calls by phone.Missing from Help Scout.
- Support automations — Automate routine support tasks like tagging or follow-ups.Missing from Help Scout.
- SLA management — Set and track response-time targets for tickets.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 |
| Free | Free |
| Express | Contact sales |
| Standard | Contact sales |
| Professional | Contact sales |
| Enterprise | Contact sales |
Frequently asked
What does Help Scout lack compared with Zoho Desk?
Omnichannel inbox, Live chat & messaging, AI agents, AI copilot, CSAT surveys, Routing & assignment, Voice / telephony, Support automations, SLA management — 9 of the 11 compared capabilities.
When were these prices checked?
Zoho Desk: 2026-10-26; Help Scout: 2026-10-26 — on the official pricing pages.
Who switched
Anonymous: no account, no email, no IP stored. Reports are shown once a switch has 3 or more and never change ranking or order — alternatives are computed from prices and capabilities only.
Sources & freshness
- https://www.zoho.com/desk/pricing.html (official_pricing, checked 2026-10-26)
- Help Scout data last verified 2026-10-26