Help Scout vs Zoho
Help Scout uniquely has 6 features · Zoho uniquely has 2 features.
| Help Scout | Zoho | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2011 | 1996 |
| HQ | Boston, USA | Chennai, India |
| AI model | Proprietary | Zia (Proprietary AI) |
| User base | 12,000+ companies | 130M+ users globally |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Chrome Extension |
| Languages | Multiple (exact count not publicly stated) | 30+ languages |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes — Zoho Desk free plan for up to 3 agents; Zoho CRM free for up to 3 users |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes — 15 days |
| Starting price | $30/user/mo | $7/mo — Zoho Desk Express |
| Enterprise | $75/mo — Pro (with dedicated onboarding and strategic account manager; custom pricing for larger contracts implied) | Custom — Zoho Enterprise plans available with dedicated support and professional services |
| Refund policy | — | Refund available — prorated refunds per Zoho's refund policy |
| All plans | FreeFreeStandard$30/user/moPlus$54/user/moPro$90/user/moAI Answers$0.75/resolution usage | FreeFreeExpress$7/moStandard$14/moProfessional$23/moEnterprise$40/moZoho One$37/mo |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Growing teams managing customer support across multiple channels | SMBs to enterprise businesses seeking an all-in-one suite with CRM, helpdesk, and AI automation |
| 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. | Zoho offers a fully integrated, privacy-first software suite of 55+ apps covering CRM, helpdesk, finance, and more — all owned and operated without advertising-based revenue models. |
| Competitors | Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, Gorgias, Front | Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshdesk, HubSpot Service Hub, Zendesk, Intercom |
| Features | ||
| AI Inbox Assistant | ✓ | — |
| Hipaa Compliance | ✓ | — |
| Live Chat | ✓ | — |
| Multiple Inboxes | ✓ | — |
| Salesforce/Jira/Hubspot Integration | ✓ | — |
| Whatsapp Messaging | ✓ | — |
| 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 | Zoho CRM, Zoho SalesIQ, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, Zapier, Twilio, Jira |
| Salesforce | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shopify | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slack | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zapier | ✓ | ✓ |