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Help Scout alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Help Scout: no native phone channel, and less routing and reporting depth than Zendesk. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Help Scout, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Front currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Front logoFrontPaidNoWeb, macOS, Windows +24 of 466.5
2FreeScout logoFreeScoutOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted3 of 362.6
3Helply (formerly Groove) logoHelply (formerly Groove)PaidNoWeb4 of 459.6
4Zendesk logoZendeskPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 457.2
5Hiver logoHiverPaidNoWeb, Browser extension, iOS +13 of 355.3
6Re:amaze logoRe:amazePaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 353.6
  1. Front logo

    1. FrontTop pick

    Best for: Customer-facing teams that collaborate on long email threads as well as support

    PaidWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Help Scout

    Shared inbox with more channels and automation for larger teams.

    Pros

    • Feels like email, so teams adopt it quickly
    • Strong collaboration with comments, mentions and shared drafts
    • Handles email, chat, SMS and WhatsApp in one place

    Cons

    • Lower tiers cap the number of seats
    • Less built for high-volume ticket queues than Zendesk
    • AI copilot is a paid add-on on most plans
    Visit Front Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Front a good Help Scout alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $25 per seat/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026front.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional plan
    $65 per seat/month, up to 50 seats
    Checked Oct 25, 2026front.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI copilot
    $20 per seat/month add-on
    Checked Oct 25, 2026front.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    9,300+ businesses
    Checked Oct 25, 2026front.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. FreeScout logo

    2. FreeScout

    Best for: Small teams that want a Help Scout-style inbox they can self-host cheaply

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Help Scout

    Open-source clone of the Help Scout model that you can self-host for free.

    Pros

    • Free core with no limits on agents or tickets
    • Runs even on inexpensive shared PHP hosting
    • Familiar email-like workflow

    Cons

    • Many features are paid modules
    • Reporting and polish behind commercial tools
    • You handle hosting, updates and email setup
    Visit FreeScout Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is FreeScout a good Help Scout alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026freescout.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Limits
    No limits on agents or tickets
    Checked Oct 25, 2026freescout.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Stack
    PHP (Laravel) and MySQL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026freescout.net(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Helply (formerly Groove) logo

    3. Helply (formerly Groove)

    Best for: Teams that want AI agents handling much of support without per-seat fees

    PaidWeb

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Help Scout

    Similar email-first help desk with no per-user fees.

    Pros

    • No per-user fees; invite the whole team
    • AI agents that resolve tickets and take actions
    • Many channels, including Slack, Teams and WhatsApp

    Cons

    • Credit-based AI pricing is harder to predict
    • A big change for teams used to classic Groove
    • Younger product with a smaller ecosystem than Zendesk
    Visit Helply (formerly Groove) Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Helply (formerly Groove) a good Help Scout alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Pricing model
    No per-user fees; pay for AI credits
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helply.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $49/month credit block
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helply.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Users
    Unlimited
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helply.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Built by the team behind Groove
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helply.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Zendesk logo

    4. Zendesk

    Best for: Mid-sized and large support teams that need a configurable, proven help desk

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Help Scout

    More routing, phone and enterprise features as the team grows.

    Pros

    • Mature ticket routing, SLAs, macros and triggers
    • Very large marketplace of apps and integrations
    • Covers email, chat, voice, help centre and AI in one suite

    Cons

    • Costs climb quickly with Suite tiers and AI add-ons
    • Admin setup and upkeep take real effort
    • Entry plan is thin compared with the Suite
    Visit Zendesk Compare with Help ScoutDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zendesk a good Help Scout alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $19 per agent/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Suite Team
    $55 per agent/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Marketplace
    1,800+ apps, partners and integrations
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Hiver logo

    5. Hiver

    Best for: Google Workspace teams that want to run support from Gmail

    PaidWeb, Browser extension, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Help Scout

    Runs support from inside Gmail if your team lives there.

    Pros

    • Works inside Gmail, so there's little to learn
    • Assignments, notes and SLAs on shared inboxes
    • Useful for internal teams as well as support

    Cons

    • Built around Google Workspace
    • Less routing depth than full help desks
    • Per-user pricing adds up for large teams
    Visit Hiver Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Hiver a good Help Scout alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $25 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hiverhq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $55 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hiverhq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Plans
    Hiver Omni and Hiver in Gmail
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hiverhq.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Re:amaze logo

    6. Re:amaze

    Best for: Small and mid-sized online stores, especially multi-brand ones, wanting chat and email together

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Help Scout

    Email-style help desk with stronger ecommerce and social channels.

    Pros

    • Strong ecommerce integrations, including Shopify
    • Multi-brand support from one account
    • Unlimited email inboxes on every plan

    Cons

    • AI features trail leaders like Intercom
    • Fewer integrations outside ecommerce
    • Interface feels somewhat dated
    Visit Re:amaze Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Re:amaze a good Help Scout alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $29 per team member/month ($26.10 billed annually)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026reamaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $49 per team member/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026reamaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mobile apps
    iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026reamaze.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Help Scout alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Front logo

Best Help Scout alternative for most people

Front

Shared inbox with more channels and automation for larger teams.

FreeScout logo

Best Help Scout alternative for a free option

FreeScout

Open-source clone of the Help Scout model that you can self-host for free.

FreeScout logo

Best Help Scout alternative for open source

FreeScout

Open-source clone of the Help Scout model that you can self-host for free.

FreeScout logo

Best Help Scout alternative for self-hosting

FreeScout

Open-source clone of the Help Scout model that you can self-host for free.

Front logo

Best Help Scout alternative for Mac

Front

Shared inbox with more channels and automation for larger teams.

Front logo

Best Help Scout alternative for Windows

Front

Shared inbox with more channels and automation for larger teams.

Zendesk logo

Best Help Scout alternative for iPhone and Android

Zendesk

More routing, phone and enterprise features as the team grows.

Helply (formerly Groove) logo

Best Help Scout alternative for working in the browser

Helply (formerly Groove)

Similar email-first help desk with no per-user fees.

Help Scout alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Help Scout?

Front ranks first right now. Shared inbox with more channels and automation for larger teams. FreeScout and Helply (formerly Groove) follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Help Scout?

Yes. FreeScout (open source) has a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Help Scout?

Yes: FreeScout. FreeScout can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Help Scout?

The complaints we hear most: no native phone channel; less routing and reporting depth than Zendesk; free plan limited to one inbox and one Docs site.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Help Scout, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.