Help Scout vs Tidio — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Help Scout starts at $25/mo. Tidio starts at $29/mo. Help Scout is $4/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Tidio.
See price history: Help Scout · Tidio
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Help Scout (Per Seat) — Help Scout bills on a fixed plan from $25/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
- Tidio (Per Usage) — Tidio bills purely on usage — Conversations/month. There is no fixed per-seat fee, so the monthly cost depends entirely on how much you consume.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
Customer support platform positioned as the alternative to Zendesk for teams that want email-first support (not ticket-first). Distinctive for its shared inbox UX — customer conversations look like Gmail threads, not tickets. Priced $22-$65/user/mo. Bootstrapped by Nick Francis (still founder-led after 15 years). Popular with SMBs and mid-market SaaS whose support volume is manageable in an inbox format.
Live chat + chatbot + ticketing platform positioned as the alternative to Intercom and Zendesk for SMBs and e-commerce. Distinctive for its Lyro AI (built-in resolution bot) at lower tiers than competitors' AI add-ons. Priced $29-$749/mo across four tiers based on conversations. Owned by Polish company Tidio Sp. z o.o. Popular with Shopify e-commerce sellers and small B2B SaaS looking for an Intercom alternative without the price shock.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Help Scout monthly | Help Scout annual | Tidio monthly | Tidio annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Standard / Starter | $25 | $21 | $29 | $24.17 |
| Mid tier | Plus / Growth | $45 | $38 | $59 | $49.17 |
| Pro / power | Pro / Plus | $75 | $63 | $749 | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Help Scout is worth it if… small support teams (3-30 agents) that want customer-facing simplicity — emails don't look like tickets — with strong knowledge base and light AI. Standard covers small teams; Plus adds custom fields and reporting; Pro adds concurrent chats and advanced features.
Tidio is worth it if… e-commerce SMBs and small service businesses (1-25 agents) that want live chat + chatbot + email + WhatsApp inbox in one tool — particularly if you're on Shopify or WooCommerce. Free tier covers basic live chat; Starter adds triggers; Growth adds advanced automation; Plus adds enterprise features.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Help Scout is per seat, Tidio is per usage.
Choose Help Scout over Tidio if…
Choose Help Scout if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $25/mo).
- You match the profile Help Scout is built for: small support teams (3-30 agents) that want customer-facing simplicity — emails don't look like tickets — with strong knowledge base and light AI.
- You need a general-purpose customer support option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Tidio if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, from $29/mo).
- You match the profile Tidio is built for: e-commerce SMBs and small service businesses (1-25 agents) that want live chat + chatbot + email + WhatsApp inbox in one tool — particularly if you're on Shopify or WooCommerce.
- You need a general-purpose customer support option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Help Scout | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $25/mo | $29/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Usage |
| Last verified | September 12, 2026 | September 19, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 19, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
See other alternatives in Customer Support
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Common questions about Help Scout and Tidio
- How much does Help Scout cost in 2026?
- Does Help Scout have a free plan?
- How often does Help Scout change prices?
- What are the best Help Scout alternatives in 2026?
- How much does Tidio cost in 2026?
- Does Tidio have a free plan?
- How often does Tidio change prices?
- What are the best Tidio alternatives in 2026?