A detailed comparison of Plain and Help Scout to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
| Plan | Plain | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Free tier available | ✓ Up to 50 contacts/mo |
| Lowest Paid | $29/agent/mo | $25/user/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | $50/user/mo |
| Feature | Plain | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Thread-Based Support | ✓ | — |
| API-First | ✓ | — |
| Linear Integration | ✓ | — |
| Slack Integration | ✓ | — |
| Customer Timeline | ✓ | — |
| Custom Attributes | ✓ | — |
| Shared Inbox | — | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | — | ✓ |
| Live Chat (Beacon) | — | ✓ |
| Customer Profiles | — | ✓ |
| Saved Replies | — | ✓ |
| Workflows | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✗ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.3 | ⭐ 4.4 |
Choose Plain if: You need b2b saas companies wanting modern support tools. Plain excels with its modern design and api-first approach.
Choose Help Scout if: You need small businesses wanting personal, human customer support. Help Scout stands out with its feels like email not tickets and simple and clean.
Best free option: Both Plain and Help Scout offer free tiers. Plain offers "Free tier available" while Help Scout offers "Up to 50 contacts/mo".
It depends on your needs. Plain is better for b2b saas companies wanting modern support tools, while Help Scout is better for small businesses wanting personal, human customer support. Both are excellent tools rated 4.3 and 4.4 respectively.
Plain starts at $29/agent/mo while Help Scout starts at $25/user/mo. Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Help Scout's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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