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Head to head · 2026

Help Scout vs Hiver

Pricing, free plans, ratings, features, pros and cons, side by side. Where one comes out ahead, we mark it.

Help Scout

A shared inbox designed to feel like email, not enterprise ticketing

4.5$25/mo

Visit Help Scout (opens Help Scout in a new tab)

Hiver

Runs customer support from inside Gmail rather than in a separate helpdesk

4.2$25/mo

Visit Hiver (opens Hiver in a new tab)

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

  • Lower starting price

    Tie

    Both start at from $25/mo

  • Free plan

    Tie

    Both have one

  • Higher rating

    Help Scout

    4.5 against 4.2

  • Same job?

    Yes

    Both are Customer Support tools

Side by side

Compared onHelp ScoutHiver
Our rating4.5Better4.2
Starts at$25/mo$25/mo
Free planYesYes
CategoryCustomer SupportCustomer Support
Plans
  • FreeFree
  • Standard$25/user/mo
  • Plus$50/user/mo
From $25/mo
Key features
  • Shared inbox designed to feel like personal email
  • No visible ticket numbers shown to customers
  • AI-drafted reply suggestions and conversation summaries
  • Built for small and mid-sized teams
  • Free tier for very small teams
  • Support ticketing inside Gmail
  • Channels beyond email
  • Assignment and cross-team collaboration
  • Workflow automation
  • AI assistance on replies
Pros
  • Genuinely lighter-weight and easier to adopt than enterprise ticketing platforms
  • Feels more personal and human to customers
  • Free tier available for small teams
  • Teams keep working in the mailbox they already use
  • Avoids the migration that stalls most helpdesk rollouts
  • Published per-user pricing with a free plan
Cons
  • Less suited to very high-volume or highly complex enterprise support operations
  • Fewer advanced workflow and automation features than enterprise competitors
  • AI capabilities are a newer addition to an intentionally simpler core platform
  • Tied to Google Workspace
  • Per-user pricing from $25 climbs quickly with headcount
  • Gmail-native design rules out some standalone helpdesk features
CompanyHelp Scout, founded 2011Hiver

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260813. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Help Scout better than Hiver?

In our reviews Help Scout scores 4.5 and Hiver scores 4.2. The better pick depends on the job. Help Scout: A shared inbox designed to feel like email, not enterprise ticketing. Hiver: Runs customer support from inside Gmail rather than in a separate helpdesk.

Which is cheaper, Help Scout or Hiver?

Both start at the same price (from $25/mo).

Do Help Scout and Hiver have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

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