Crisp vs Help Scout
Crisp is all-in-one business messaging platform with live chat, chatbot, help desk, and CRM, while Help Scout is help desk that feels like email — shared inboxes, knowledge base, and live chat without the ticket numbers. The biggest difference up front: Crisp is free, while Help Scout starts at $20/user/mo. Crisp is built for startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk, whereas Help Scout targets teams that want email-like support conversations.
| Feature | Crisp | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Beacon | — | ✓ |
| CRM | ✓ | — |
| Chatbot | ✓ | — |
| Help Desk | ✓ | — |
| Knowledge Base | — | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | — |
| Reports | — | ✓ |
| Shared Inbox | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing: Crisp is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Help Scout starts at $20/user/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: Crisp offers CRM, Chatbot and Help Desk that Help Scout lacks. Help Scout brings Beacon, Knowledge Base and Reports that Crisp does not have. Both share Shared Inbox.
Team fit: Both tools target small teams teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: Crisp's biggest strengths are: generous free tier for basic live chat. much cheaper than intercom. Help Scout's biggest strengths are: includes shared inbox as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows. includes knowledge base as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows.
Watch out for: With Crisp, users commonly note that less powerful ai than intercom's fin. With Help Scout, the main complaint is that starts at $20/user/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.
choose Crisp if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk
- Budget is a hard constraint — Crisp is free, Help Scout is not
- You specifically need CRM and Chatbot
- You care about much cheaper than intercom
choose Help Scout if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams that want email-like support conversations
- You specifically need Beacon and Knowledge Base
- You care about includes knowledge base as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows
frequently asked
What is the difference between Crisp and Help Scout?
Crisp is all-in-one business messaging platform with live chat, chatbot, help desk, and CRM, while Help Scout is help desk that feels like email — shared inboxes, knowledge base, and live chat without the ticket numbers. The biggest difference up front: Crisp is free, while Help Scout starts at $20/user/mo. Crisp is built for startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk, whereas Help Scout targets teams that want email-like support conversations.
Should I use Crisp or Help Scout?
Crisp is the free option; Help Scout charges $20/user/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Crisp over Help Scout?
Choose Crisp if Your profile matches its sweet spot: startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk; Budget is a hard constraint — Crisp is free, Help Scout is not; You specifically need CRM and Chatbot; You care about much cheaper than intercom.
When should I choose Help Scout over Crisp?
Choose Help Scout if Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams that want email-like support conversations; You specifically need Beacon and Knowledge Base; You care about includes knowledge base as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows.
related comparisons
Intercom vs Crisp · Crisp vs Zendesk · Crisp vs Freshdesk · Crisp vs Chatwoot · Crisp vs Tidio · Crisp vs Olark · Crisp vs Gleap · Crisp vs Tawk.to