Pricing explained · Updated · 5 min
Help Scout pricing explained
Help Scout is a favorite of small teams for its calm shared inbox and simple Docs knowledge base. Its pricing is per user, with AI Answers billed per resolution on top. Here is what each plan costs, how AI is priced, and what a small team pays.
Short answer
Help Scout has a free plan for up to 5 users with one inbox and one Docs site. Paid plans are $25/user/mo on Standard, $45/user/mo on Plus, and $75 per user a month on Pro, with about 16% off for yearly billing. AI Answers costs $0.75 per resolution, with monthly spending caps available. For three Standard users, 1,000 AI resolutions a month comes to about $825.
How much does Help Scout cost?
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 5 users, 1 inbox, 1 Docs site |
| Standard | $25/user/mo | For growing teams; AI Drafts included |
| Plus | $45/user/mo | Most popular; more AI and features |
| Pro | $75/user/mo | Highest scale and security |
Yearly billing saves about 16%. AI Answers is an add on at $0.75 per resolution on any plan, with a free trial when you create an account. Prices from Help Scout's pricing page, checked 2026-10-06.
Is Help Scout Docs included?
Yes. Docs, Help Scout's knowledge base, is included, starting with one Docs site on the free plan. It's simple to set up and works well for teams that want a clean help center connected to their inbox and Beacon widget.
How is AI priced?
AI Assist and AI Summarize are available across plans, AI Drafts are included from Standard, and AI Answers, the customer facing AI that resolves questions from your Docs and other sources, costs $0.75 per resolution. A resolution is a conversation AI Answers resolves without a person. You can set a monthly spending cap.
What does Help Scout cost at real volumes?
Monthly cost for three Standard users plus AI Answers, at list prices:
| AI resolutions a month | Seats (3 × $25) | AI Answers | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | $75 | $225 | $300 |
| 1,000 | $75 | $750 | $825 |
| 2,000 | $75 | $1,500 | $1,575 |
The spending cap is worth setting while you learn your real resolution rate.
Who is Help Scout a good fit for?
Small and mid sized teams whose support arrives mostly by email and who want a friendly shared inbox with a simple knowledge base. It's less suited to teams that want heavy in product messaging or complex workflows.
What should you watch for?
Help Scout's pricing is simple, but a few things change the total.
- Users add up: every person answering conversations is a paid user on Standard and above.
- AI Answers is separate: it's billed per resolution on top of seats; set a monthly cap while you learn your volume.
- Plan features: some reporting, workflow, and security features sit on Plus or Pro.
- Yearly billing: saves about 16% if you're ready to commit.
How does Help Scout compare at the same size?
For three users and about 1,000 AI resolutions a month, at list prices:
| Tool | Approximate monthly total |
|---|---|
| Help Scout (Standard + AI Answers) | $825 |
| Intercom (Essential + Fin) | $1,077 |
| Zendesk Suite Team | $2,135 |
| Featurebase (Growth) | $577 |
| usedocs (Growth, help center and assistant) | $99/mo |
Help Scout, Intercom, and Zendesk include a full shared inbox; usedocs is a help center with an assistant that hands off to the inbox you already use.
How does Help Scout pricing change as you grow?
Costs grow with people and with AI. Each new teammate who answers conversations adds a user, and each AI resolution adds $0.75. The free plan covers up to five users, which is generous for very early teams; most move to Standard when they need more inboxes, Docs sites, or AI Drafts, and to Plus for advanced features. Because both lines grow with success, revisit the plan and the AI cap every quarter.
Which Help Scout plan fits?
| Your situation | Plan |
|---|---|
| Up to five people, one inbox, one Docs site | Free |
| Growing team, wants AI Drafts | Standard |
| Needs more advanced features and AI | Plus |
| Highest scale and security needs | Pro |
| Wants AI answers for customers | Any plan plus AI Answers, with a cap |
What are the alternatives?
If you like Help Scout's inbox and want a help center that keeps itself current, you can keep the inbox and use a separate help center. If the AI bill is what worries you, flat plans are the alternative: usedocs Growth is $99/mo with 2,000 AI conversations and 5 seats, and Ferndesk Pro is $149/mo with 1,000 AI conversations. Both answer from a help center rather than replacing a full helpdesk. AI Support Pricing: Per Resolution vs Flat Plans (2026) compares AI pricing across tools.
FAQ
Does Help Scout have a free plan?
Yes, for up to 5 users with one inbox and one Docs site.
How much is Help Scout AI Answers?
$0.75 per resolution, as an add on, with monthly spending caps available.
Is Help Scout priced per user?
Yes, paid plans are per user per month, with about 16% off for yearly billing.
Is Docs included in Help Scout?
Yes. The free plan includes one Docs site; paid plans include Docs too.
Which Help Scout plan should a small SaaS pick?
Start with the Free plan or Standard, add AI Answers with a spending cap, and upgrade when you need Plus features.
Is Help Scout cheaper than Intercom?
Usually: seats start at $25/user/mo versus $29/seat/mo, and AI resolutions cost $0.75 versus $0.99.
Can I set a limit on AI Answers spending?
Yes. Help Scout offers monthly spending caps for AI Answers.
Does Help Scout charge for Docs readers?
No. Pricing is per user who works in Help Scout, plus AI Answers resolutions.
What's the difference between AI Answers and AI Drafts?
AI Answers responds to customers and is billed per resolution. AI Drafts writes reply drafts for your team and is included from Standard.
Does Help Scout include a chat widget?
Yes. Beacon puts Docs search, AI Answers, and contact options in your website or app.
Is Help Scout good for a solo founder?
Yes; the free plan covers a solo founder comfortably, with one inbox and one Docs site.