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Helpdesk software · Alternatives

Best Help Scout alternatives in India (2026)

Help Scout is a helpdesk software product from Help Scout, Boston, priced at Free plan with a free plan. We compared 20 alternatives on published price, free plan, platforms and made-in-India support: 14 have a free plan, 8 are built in India.

Quick answer

The closest alternatives to Help Scout are Zoho Desk (Free plan), Hiver (Free plan), HubSpot Service Hub (Free plan), Salesforce Service Cloud (Free · paid from $25/user/mo) and Jira Service Management (Free plan). Zoho Desk is the top-ranked option with a free plan. Published prices in this list start at ₹1,000/month.

Why businesses look for a Help Scout alternative

Indian support and GST

Help Scout is built in United States. 8 alternatives are made in India, where GST, TDS and UPI are usually handled natively and support runs on IST.

Reported limitation

SSO/SAML and HIPAA are only on the $75/user Pro tier.

Reported limitation

The free plan is tightly capped at 100 monthly contacts, 1 inbox and 1 Docs site.

Reported limitation

Extra inboxes and Docs sites are separately chargeable ($10-$12/mo and $20-$24/mo).

Help Scout alternatives compared

Ranked by how closely each product matches Help Scout's category, pricing model, platforms and business size, then by rating. Prices exclude GST.

#SoftwareStarting priceFree planPlatformsMade in IndiaRatingCompare
Help Scout logoHelp Scout (current)Free planYesWebNo4.6/5
1Zoho Desk logoZoho DeskFree planYesWebYes4.8/5
2Hiver logoHiverFree planYesWebYes4.7/5
3HubSpot Service Hub logoHubSpot Service HubFree planYesWebNo4.6/5
4Salesforce Service Cloud logoSalesforce Service CloudFree · paid from $25/user/moYesWebNo4.6/5
5Jira Service Management logoJira Service ManagementFree planYesWebNo4.6/5
6UVdesk logoUVdeskFree planYesWebYes4.6/5
7Desk365 logoDesk365Free planYesWebYes4.6/5
8osTicket logoosTicketFree planYesWebNo4.5/5
9Zammad logoZammadFree planYesWebNo4.4/5
10Crisp logoCrispFree planYesWebNo4.4/5
11Zoho TeamInbox logoZoho TeamInboxFree planYesWebYes4.5/5
123CX logo3CXFree planYesWebNo4.3/5
13FreeScout logoFreeScoutFreeYesWebNo4.5/5
14Freshservice logoFreshservice₹1,600/moNoWebYes4.7/5
15Zendesk Suite logoZendesk Suite₹4,500/moNoWebNo4.5/5
16HappyFox logoHappyFox₹2,000/moNoWebNo4.5/5
17FreePBX logoFreePBXFreeYesWebNo4.4/5
18Supportbee logoSupportbee₹1,000/moNoWebYes4.6/5
19Kayako logoKayako₹5,000/moNoWebNo4.5/5
20Helpwise logoHelpwise₹1,000/moNoWebYes4.5/5

Top 10 Help Scout alternatives in detail

Zoho Desk logo

1. Zoho Desk

Zoho Corporation · Chennai · Helpdesk software · 4.8/5

Context-aware helpdesk with multichannel ticketing.

Free plan

Free plan available

Compared with Help Scout

  • Built in India (Chennai)

Key features

  • Ticket Management
  • Agent Productivity
  • Real Time Collaboration
  • Work modes
  • Parent-child ticketing
Hiver logo

2. Hiver

Hiver · Bengaluru · Helpdesk software · 4.7/5

Gmail-based helpdesk built in Bengaluru.

Free plan

Free plan available

Compared with Help Scout

  • Built in India (Bengaluru)
UVdesk logo

6. UVdesk

Webkul · New Delhi · Helpdesk software · 4.6/5

Open-source helpdesk built in Delhi.

Free plan

Free plan available

Compared with Help Scout

  • Built in India (New Delhi)
  • Open source
Desk365 logo

7. Desk365

Desk365 (Kani Technologies) · Chennai · Helpdesk software · 4.6/5

Helpdesk for Microsoft Teams built in Chennai.

Free plan

Free plan available

Compared with Help Scout

  • Built in India (Chennai)
osTicket logo

8. osTicket

Enhancesoft · Lake Charles · Helpdesk software · 4.5/5

Open-source ticketing.

Free plan

Free plan available

Compared with Help Scout

  • Open source
Zammad logo

9. Zammad

Zammad · Berlin · Helpdesk software · 4.4/5

Open-source helpdesk.

Free plan

Free plan available

Compared with Help Scout

  • Open source
Crisp logo

10. Crisp

Crisp · Nantes · Helpdesk software · 4.4/5

Chat and helpdesk for startups.

Free plan

Free plan available

Key features

  • Website chat widget
  • Shared inbox
  • Shared email inbox (Mini and above)
  • Omnichannel inbox (Essentials and above)
  • Sub-inboxes: 2 on Essentials, 5 on Plus

Help Scout alternatives by what you need

How to choose a Help Scout alternative

  • List your channels and check each is native — WhatsApp especially.
  • Knowledge base quality deflects tickets; look at the editor and search.
  • Compare per-agent pricing across tiers; the features you need may sit two tiers up.

Help Scout alternatives — FAQs

What is the best alternative to Help Scout in 2026?+

The closest matches to Help Scout on App Advisor are Zoho Desk (Free plan), Hiver (Free plan), HubSpot Service Hub (Free plan). They are ranked by how closely their category, pricing model, platforms and target business size match Help Scout, then by rating. The best choice depends on your team size and budget.

Is there a free alternative to Help Scout?+

Yes. 14 of the 20 alternatives listed have a free plan or are free: Zoho Desk (Free plan), Hiver (Free plan), HubSpot Service Hub (Free plan). Free plans usually cap users, records or transactions, so check the limits against your monthly volume.

What is the cheapest alternative to Help Scout?+

Among alternatives that publish a price, Supportbee starts lowest at ₹1,000/mo. Zoho Desk also has a free plan. Prices are read from each vendor's website and exclude GST.

Is there an Indian alternative to Help Scout?+

Yes. 8 alternatives are built in India, including Zoho Desk (Free plan), Hiver (Free plan), UVdesk (Free plan). Indian products usually handle GST, TDS and UPI natively and bill in rupees.

Help Scout vs Zoho Desk: which is better?+

Zoho Desk is the closest match to Help Scout in our catalogue. Key differences: Built in India (Chennai). Compare them side by side before you book a demo.

How were these Help Scout alternatives chosen?+

Every product listed sits in helpdesk software or a category Help Scout also covers, and Help Scout's own products are excluded. Prices, free plans and platforms come from each vendor's official website. App Advisor does not sell any of this software.

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