Alternatives · Help Desks
HelpCrunch alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best HelpCrunch alternative for most people is Tidio (3.2 GPA), second in our ranking of help desk and live chat tools. It's also the best free one.
HelpCrunch compared with 7 alternatives: Intercom, Crisp, Tidio, Text by LiveChat, Zendesk and 2 more.
HelpCrunch is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $12 per month for 1 team member, billed annually ($15 billed monthly). 3 of the 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 4 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a HelpCrunch sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelpCrunchThis tool | Free trial · from $12/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Intercom | Free trial · from $29/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Crisp | Free plan · from $45/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Tidio | Free plan · from $24.17/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Text by LiveChat | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Zendesk | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Acquire | Free trial | Trial only | Web |
| Gist | Free plan · from $29/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
HelpCrunch starts at $12 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 6 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Intercom, Crisp, Tidio, Text by LiveChat and Zendesk score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from HelpCrunch
Intercom
Helpdesk with live chat and the Fin AI agent priced per outcome
- Intercom starts at $29 per seat / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly).
- Intercom also covers reports and help desk.
- Intercom does not cover email campaigns, chatbots and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Software and app companies that support customers through in-app chat
Crisp
Live chat and shared inbox priced per workspace, not per seat
- Crisp starts at $45 per workspace / month, with 4 seats.
- Crisp has a free plan, which HelpCrunch lacks.
- Crisp also lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Crisp does not cover email campaigns, chatbots and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Small teams that want chat and email support at a flat monthly price
Tidio
Live chat, ticketing and the Lyro AI agent priced by conversations
- Tidio starts at $24.17 per month for 100 conversations, billed annually ($29 monthly).
- Tidio has a free plan, which HelpCrunch lacks.
- Tidio also lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Tidio also covers help desk.
- Tidio does not cover shared inbox, email campaigns, help center, chatbots and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Small online stores, especially on Shopify or WordPress
Text by LiveChat
Website chat, ticketing and an AI agent from the LiveChat team
- Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Text by LiveChat also lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Text by LiveChat also covers help desk.
- Text by LiveChat does not cover shared inbox, email campaigns, help center, chatbots and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Online stores, especially on Shopify, that sell through chat
Zendesk
Ticketing, messaging, help center and AI agents for support teams
- Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Zendesk also covers reports and help desk.
- Zendesk does not cover shared inbox, email campaigns, chatbots and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Support teams handling email, chat and phone in one queue
Acquire
Customer support platform with live chat, SMS, email and video
- Acquire lists no iOS and Android apps, which HelpCrunch has.
- Acquire also covers workflow automation and video calls.
- Acquire does not cover email campaigns, help center, AI support agent, chatbots and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Support teams that want chat, SMS and email in one workspace
Gist
Live chat, help desk and email marketing in one small-business app
- Gist starts at $29 per month for 5 support seats.
- Gist has a free plan, which HelpCrunch lacks.
- Gist also covers marketing automation.
- Gist does not cover AI support agent and popups, which HelpCrunch does.
Suits: Very small teams: the free plan covers 2 support seats
Limits worth knowing in HelpCrunch
- Basic has no WhatsApp channel, chatbot, AI Agents or branding removal; those start on PRO.
- AI conversations are an extension: on monthly billing 100 more cost $29 a month and 1,000 cost $200.
- The displayed price is for 1 team member and the lowest email volume; the page's sliders raise it with more members and emails.
- Unlimited is $495 a month billed annually ($620 billed monthly), a large step above PRO.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to HelpCrunch?
The alternatives to HelpCrunch in this directory are Intercom, Crisp, Tidio, Text by LiveChat, Zendesk, Acquire and Gist. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with HelpCrunch.
Is there a free alternative to HelpCrunch?
Yes. Crisp, Tidio and Gist have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which HelpCrunch alternatives work on Windows?
The HelpCrunch listing does not include a Windows app. Crisp, Tidio and Text by LiveChat list one.
Which HelpCrunch alternatives work on macOS?
The HelpCrunch listing does not include a macOS app. Crisp, Tidio and Text by LiveChat list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.