Help Scout vs Intercom
Intercom uniquely has 8 features · Help Scout uniquely has 6 features.
| Help Scout | Intercom | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2011 | 2011 |
| HQ | Boston, USA | San Francisco, USA |
| AI model | Proprietary | Proprietary (Fin AI, built on multiple LLMs including OpenAI) |
| User base | 12,000+ companies | 30,000+ businesses |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome Extension |
| Languages | Multiple (exact count not publicly stated) | 45+ |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $30/user/mo | $29/mo |
| Enterprise | $75/mo — Pro (with dedicated onboarding and strategic account manager; custom pricing for larger contracts implied) | Custom — contact sales |
| All plans | FreeFreeStandard$30/user/moPlus$54/user/moPro$90/user/moAI Answers$0.75/resolution usage | Essential$29/mo per seatAdvanced$99/mo per seatExpert$139/mo per seatFin AI Agent (standalone)$0.99 per outcome usagePro Add-on$99/moCopilot Add-onFrom $29/mo per agentProactive Support Plus Add-on$99/mo |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Growing teams managing customer support across multiple channels | Customer support teams ranging from startups to large enterprises |
| Differentiator | Help Scout combines a human-first shared inbox with contextual AI that resolves 73% of interactions on average, while maintaining a customer-friendly interface that avoids bot-heavy experiences. | Fin AI Agent included on every plan with usage-based pricing at $0.99 per Fin outcome; WhatsApp and SMS available on all plans but charged separately based on usage |
| Competitors | Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, Gorgias, Front | Zendesk, Freshdesk, HubSpot Service Hub, Salesforce Service Cloud, Drift |
| Features | ||
| AI Inbox Assistant | ✓ | — |
| Fin AI Agent | — | ✓ |
| Hipaa Compliance | ✓ | — |
| Hipaa Support | — | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | — |
| Multibrand Messenger | — | ✓ |
| Multiple Inboxes | ✓ | — |
| Sso & Identity Management | — | ✓ |
| Salesforce/Jira/Hubspot Integration | ✓ | — |
| Shared Inbox & Ticketing | — | ✓ |
| Whatsapp Messaging | ✓ | — |
| Workflows Automation Builder | — | ✓ |
| AI Chatbot | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| CRM Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Training | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Human Handover | ✓ | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multilingual | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sentiment Analysis | — | ✓ |
| Sla Management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ticket Management | ✓ | ✓ |
| White Label | — | ✓ |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hubspot | ✓ | ✓ |
| Key Integrations | Salesforce, HubSpot, Jira, Shopify, Slack, Zapier, Aircall, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp | Salesforce, Stripe, Jira, HubSpot, Slack, Shopify, Zapier, GitHub, Zendesk, 350+ total integrations |
| Salesforce | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shopify | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slack | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zapier | ✓ | ✓ |