FreeScout vs HelpSpot (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HelpSpot grades higher than FreeScout: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FreeScout grades higher on the free plan. HelpSpot grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FreeScout
Free open-source help desk and shared mailbox you host yourself
HelpSpot
Help desk with one flat annual price, hosted or self-hosted
Which one is for you
Pick FreeScout if
- Fits if you can run your own server and want a free help desk
- Works for groups that need control over where support data lives
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want hosting done for you, as there is no official cloud service
- Watch out: modules are lifetime licences per instance and non-refundable
- Not for you if you want someone else to handle updates, backups and security
- Watch out: the module prices are filled in by script and could not be read
Pick HelpSpot if
- Fits if you want a help desk at a flat yearly price for a small team
- Works for teams that need to host the data themselves
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pay monthly, because billing is annual only
- Tight if you have 4 agents, as tiers jump from 3 to 5 agents
- Watch out: every staff member who logs in counts as an agent
- Watch out: the listing names no ready-made integrations
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAFreeScoutFair | 2.4GPAHelpSpotFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree if you host it yourself, which needs a server, so it is a C and not an A. | C$899 a year for 3 agents is about $25 an agent a month, and $1,299 for 5 is about $22. Between the cheaper quarter and the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree outright with unlimited agents, tickets and mailboxes, but you pay for a server and your own time. | CA 21-day trial with no card. No free plan. |
| Features | CShared mailbox and tickets, with extras like WhatsApp and Telegram sold as modules, whose prices we couldn't read. | BTicketing, a knowledge base, portals, reporting, surveys, AI drafting and an API. The listing shows no gap in the core help desk job. |
| Ease of use | DYou handle installs, updates, backups and security on your own server. | CNo store rating on record. Cloud or self-hosted setup, mailboxes and portals take configuring. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps and an installable web app, with Slack, Jira, WooCommerce, Zapier and Make. | BWeb only, with an API and webhooks, and the listing names no ready-made integrations. |
| Best for | a free help desk you host yourself | a flat-price help desk, hosted or self-hosted |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreeScout and HelpSpot. How we grade
Price against what you get
FreeScout has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. HelpSpot starts at $74.92 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
HelpSpot scores higher, and starts $74.92 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other help desk and live chat tools on the chart, none scores higher than FreeScout for less, and 5 score higher than HelpSpot for less.
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
Where they differ
- FreeScout is open source, according to its own site.
- FreeScout also covers shared inbox and live chat.
- HelpSpot also covers surveys and reports.
At a glance
| FreeScout | HelpSpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $899 per year for 3 agents |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 21-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FreeScout | UserScape, Inc. |
| Price read from | freescout.net | helpspot.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FreeScout
- There is no official cloud service; the project lists third-party hosts that can install it in one click.
- Modules are sold as lifetime licenses per instance and are non-refundable; their prices are filled in by script and could not be read.
- You handle installs, updates, backups and security on your own server.
HelpSpot
- Billing is annual only; there is no monthly plan.
- Price is set by agent count in tiers (3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and so on), so adding a fourth agent means moving to the 5-agent tier.
- Customers never need licenses, but every staff member who logs in counts as an agent.
- Qualified non-profits and academic institutions can get 15% off by contacting sales.
Key features
FreeScout
- Shared mailbox and tickets
- Brings email, plus WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Slack and live chat through modules, into one inbox with notes, tags and saved replies.
- No limits on agents or tickets
- The core software has unlimited support agents, tickets and mailboxes, and installs on ordinary PHP and MySQL hosting.
- Modules marketplace
- Paid modules add workflows and SLAs, an end-user portal, knowledge base, custom fields, time tracking, SAML SSO and an API.
- Email integration
- Connects over SMTP, IMAP or POP3, with OAuth sign-in for Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace.
- Apps and installable web app
- iOS and Android apps and a progressive web app that sends web push notifications; apps use the same modules as your install.
HelpSpot
- Single-owner ticketing
- Each request is assigned to one person at a time, which the vendor contrasts with a shared inbox where anyone may reply.
- Cloud or self-hosted
- Choose the US cloud, the EU cloud in Frankfurt, or run it on your own servers, including air-gapped networks, at the same price.
- AI drafting and summaries
- Auto-categorization, translation and writing assistance are included with no separate AI charge.
- Knowledge base and portals
- Self-service help centers with unlimited portals, plus branding and customization of the customer-facing pages.
- Reporting and surveys
- Performance reports and satisfaction surveys that measure CSAT, available on every license.
- API and webhooks
- Developer tools for connecting HelpSpot to other systems and building headless support setups.
Plans
FreeScout
FreeScout (self-hosted)$0
Download and host it yourself with unlimited agents, tickets and mailboxes. Optional modules are bought separately.
HelpSpot
3 agents$899
per year for up to 3 agents, billed annually
Annual license for 3 agents, every feature included. Cloud or self-hosted at the same price.
5 agents$1,299
per year for up to 5 agents, billed annually
Annual license for 5 agents. Unlimited tickets and mailboxes.
10 agents$2,199
per year for up to 10 agents, billed annually
Annual license for 10 agents; the pricing calculator opens on this size.
25 agents$4,999
per year for up to 25 agents, billed annually
Annual license for 25 agents. Larger tiers run to 2,000 agents.
50 agents$9,999
per year for up to 50 agents, billed annually
Annual license for 50 agents, the largest tier shown here at under $200 a year per agent.
Ways to pay less
FreeScout
- Lifetime license
Modules sold as lifetime licenses
Each module is a one-time purchase for a single FreeScout instance, with lifetime updates included.
HelpSpot
- Nonprofit
15% off for non-profits and schools
HelpSpot says it gives 15% off to qualified non-profit organizations and academic institutions; the discount is arranged through its sales team.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreeScout or HelpSpot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FreeScout is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $74.92 a month when paid by the year for HelpSpot. FreeScout is free, and HelpSpot starts at $899 per year for 3 agents.
Which has a free plan, FreeScout or HelpSpot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FreeScout has a free plan. HelpSpot does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do FreeScout and HelpSpot run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FreeScout lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.