Crisp vs Help Scout: Which Customer Support Tool Is Better in 2026?

Crisp

From $25

Help Scout

From $20

Quick verdict

Overall pick: Crisp

Crisp suits startups and teams that want unlimited seats at a flat price, since its billing is per workspace rather than per agent. Help Scout fits remote companies and teams that prefer personal email-style support, though its per-seat pricing grows with headcount. Neither tool offers SLA-based ticketing or built-in voice telephony, so buyers needing those must look elsewhere. The choice comes down to flat workspace pricing versus per-seat billing.

Help Scout's entry plan ($20) is 20% cheaper than Crisp's ($25).
Help Scout charges per user while Crisp uses a flat price, so Crisp gets relatively cheaper as your team grows.
Crisp has a free plan; Help Scout does not.
They cover the same 6 of 8 core features we track, so price and UX decide.

Try Crisp →Try Help Scout →

Cost calculator

Team size: 5 users

Tool	Monthly	Yearly
Crisp · flat	$25.00	$300
Help Scout · per user	$100.00	$1200

Based on entry-level paid plans. Prices change, so check the vendor before you buy.

Which one should you choose?

If you need…	Pick	Why
Growing team adding many support agents	Crisp	Crisp bills flat per workspace from $25, so adding seats does not raise the price, while Help Scout charges per seat from $20.
Small team wanting a free starting point	Crisp	Crisp offers a free plan; Help Scout has no free plan.
Remote company preferring email-style support	Help Scout	Help Scout is positioned for remote companies and personal email-style support without ticket numbers.
Buyer needing SLA-based ticketing	Tie	Neither Crisp nor Help Scout lists SLA-based ticketing among its features.
Buyer needing built-in voice telephony	Tie	Neither tool offers built-in voice telephony and call center features.

Feature comparison: Crisp vs Help Scout

Feature	Crisp	Help Scout
Free plan	✅	❌
Starting price	$25 /mo	$20 /user/mo
Real-time live chat widget	✅	✅
AI agent / automated chatbot resolution	✅	✅
Omnichannel shared team inbox	✅	✅
SLA-based ticketing system	—	—
Self-service help center / FAQ	✅	✅
Built-in voice telephony & call center	—	—
Full customer timeline & context	✅	✅
Public REST API & webhooks	✅	✅

Highlighted rows are where the tools differ.

Pros and cons

Crisp

Flat per-workspace pricing from $25, so cost does not scale with agent count
Free plan available
Includes live chat, AI bot, shared inbox, knowledge base, customer history, and API
Founded in 2015 and aimed at startups and teams wanting unlimited seats

No SLA-based ticketing system
No built-in voice telephony or call center
Flat billing may not suit buyers who prefer paying only per active agent

Try Crisp →

Help Scout

Per-seat pricing from $20, which can be low-cost for very small teams
Includes live chat, AI bot, shared inbox, knowledge base, customer history, and API
Positioned for remote companies and personal email-style support without ticket numbers
Founded in 2011

No free plan
Per-seat billing means costs rise as support headcount grows
No SLA-based ticketing system and no built-in voice telephony

Try Help Scout →

COMMUNITY POLL

Which tool would you pick for your stack?

Cast your vote to see real-time peer recommendations from other software buyers.

At a glance

Crisp

All-in-one business messaging platform with flat pricing per workspace.

Founded 2015 · From $25 · 6/8 tracked features

Best for: startups, teams wanting unlimited seats at flat pricing

See Crisp alternatives →

Help Scout

Human-centered shared inbox and knowledge base without ticket numbers.

Founded 2011 · From $20 · 6/8 tracked features

Best for: remote companies, personal email-style support

See Help Scout alternatives →

FAQ

Is Crisp cheaper than Help Scout?

It depends on team size. Crisp starts at $25 flat per workspace, while Help Scout starts at $20 per seat. For a single agent Help Scout's entry price is lower, but Crisp's flat price does not increase as seats are added.

Do Crisp and Help Scout both have a free plan?

Only Crisp offers a free plan; Help Scout does not.

Do both tools include live chat and an AI bot?

Yes, both Crisp and Help Scout list real-time live chat and AI agent/chatbot resolution among their features.

Does either tool offer SLA-based ticketing or voice telephony?

No. Neither Crisp nor Help Scout lists SLA-based ticketing or built-in voice telephony and call center features.

Which tool is better for a remote team doing email-style support?

Help Scout is positioned for remote companies and personal email-style support without ticket numbers, making it the closer fit for that workflow.

Related comparisons

Data last reviewed: pending verification. All Customer Support tools →