kitio.aiHelp Scout vs Hiver
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Help Scout has the lower starting price: about $25 a month, against $35 for Hiver.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Shared email inbox
- Docs knowledge base
- Beacon chat widget
- AI Answers
- AI drafts and summaries
- Gmail and Outlook help desk
- AI Copilot replies
- Email assignment and SLAs
- Internal notes
- Chat and WhatsApp
| Feature | Help Scout | Hiver |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Shared inbox and help center with AI answers for small support teams | Help desk that runs inside Gmail and Outlook with AI assistance |
| Category | Customer support | Customer support |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $35/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 7-day trial |
| Made by | Help Scout | Hiver |
| Based in | United States | India |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Help Scout has the lower starting price: about $25 a month, against $35 for Hiver.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- 5 users
- 1 inbox
- 1 Docs site
Standard
$25/mo
- Per user
- Multiple inboxes and knowledge bases
- Live chat, SMS and social channels
- AI Inbox assistant
Plus
$45/mo
- Per user
- Advanced workflows and 2 SLA policies
- Secure customer portal
- Unlimited AI Drafts
Pro
$75/mo
- Per user
- Unlimited workflows and SLA policies
- SSO/SAML
- Strategic account manager
3 plans
Growth
$35/mo
- Per user
- AI agents and AI copilot
- Skills for AI procedures
- Voice support
Pro
$65/mo
- Per user
- Everything in Growth
- Customer portal
- Slack channel support
Elite
$95/mo
- Per user
- Everything in Pro
- AI QA
- AI insights
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Help Scout
- Very easy for new agents to learn
- Emails feel personal, not ticket-like
- Free plan for tiny teams
- Fewer enterprise features
- Phone support is limited
- Free plan caps monthly contacts
Hiver
- No new interface to learn
- Good for non-support teams too
- Simple setup
- Tied to Gmail or Outlook
- Less suited to huge volumes
- AI features on higher plans
Which one should you choose?
Choose Help Scout if you want:
- Very easy for new agents to learn
- Emails feel personal, not ticket-like
- Free plan for tiny teams
Watch out: fewer enterprise features.
Choose Hiver if you want:
- No new interface to learn
- Good for non-support teams too
- Simple setup
Watch out: tied to gmail or outlook.
Help Scout vs Hiver FAQ
What is the difference between Help Scout and Hiver?
Help Scout: Shared inbox and help center with AI answers for small support teams. Hiver: Help desk that runs inside Gmail and Outlook with AI assistance. Both are customer support tools.
Is Help Scout or Hiver cheaper?
Help Scout has the lower starting price: about $25 a month, against $35 for Hiver.
Do Help Scout and Hiver have free plans?
Help Scout: Yes. Hiver: No, 7-day trial.
Who makes Help Scout?
Help Scout is made by Help Scout, based in United States.
Who makes Hiver?
Hiver is made by Hiver, based in India.
Which should I choose, Help Scout or Hiver?
Choose Help Scout if you value very easy for new agents to learn and emails feel personal, not ticket-like. Choose Hiver if you value no new interface to learn and good for non-support teams too.