Help Scout vs HubSpot CRM
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of Help Scout and HubSpot CRM. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
HubSpot CRM edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.5/5. However, Help Scout (4.3/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Small to mid-size teams wanting human, personal customer support that feels like email. Read on for the full breakdown.
Help Scout vs HubSpot CRM at a Glance
Help Scout
★ 4.3Help Scout is a customer support platform designed to feel like email. It offers a shared inbox, knowledge base, live chat, and customer management without the complexity of enterprise helpdesk tools. Known for its clean interface and focus on delivering a human, personal support experience.
Starting from: £18/user/month
Best for: Small to mid-size teams wanting human, personal customer support that feels like email
Read full review →HubSpot CRM
★ 4.5HubSpot offers a free CRM with powerful marketing, sales, and service tools. Popular with small to mid-sized businesses for its generous free tier and intuitive interface.
Starting from: £0/month
Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow
Read full review →Help Scout vs HubSpot CRM Feature Comparison
Here is how Help Scout and HubSpot CRM compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | Help Scout | HubSpot CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | Yes |
| Starting Price | £18/user/month | £0/month |
| Best For | Small to mid-size teams wanting human, personal customer support that feels like email | Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow |
| Our Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Mobile App | Limited | Yes |
| Email Marketing | No | Yes |
| Automation | Limited | Yes |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Extensive | Extensive |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
Help Scout vs HubSpot CRM Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
Help Scout Pricing
Standard
£18/user/month
- ✓2 mailboxes
- ✓1 knowledge base
- ✓Live chat
- ✓AI drafts
Plus
£33/user/month
- ✓5 mailboxes
- ✓Custom fields
- ✓Advanced permissions
- ✓AI summarise
Pro
£55/user/month
- ✓25 mailboxes
- ✓Enterprise security
- ✓HIPAA compliance
- ✓Concierge onboarding
HubSpot CRM Pricing
Free
£0/month
- ✓Contact management
- ✓Email tracking
- ✓Deal pipeline
- ✓Live chat
Starter
£18/month
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Email marketing
- ✓Ad management
- ✓Landing pages
Professional
£720/month
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓Automation
- ✓Custom reporting
- ✓Teams
Enterprise
£3,000/month
- ✓Everything in Professional
- ✓Advanced permissions
- ✓Predictive lead scoring
- ✓Custom objects
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both Help Scout and HubSpot CRM for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
Help Scout Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Feels like email, very easy to learn
- •Clean, distraction-free interface
- •Excellent knowledge base builder
- •Strong focus on human, personal support
- •Good value for the feature set
✗Cons
- •Limited automation compared to Zendesk
- •Fewer integrations available
- •No built-in call centre
- •Reporting is basic on Standard plan
- •Not ideal for very large support teams
HubSpot CRM Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Generous free tier with no time limit
- •Excellent user interface and onboarding
- •All-in-one platform (marketing, sales, service)
- •Huge integration marketplace (1,000+)
- •Strong community and learning resources
✗Cons
- •Gets expensive quickly at Professional tier
- •Free plan has HubSpot branding
- •Limited customisation on lower tiers
- •Annual contracts on paid plans
- •Per-seat pricing adds up for larger teams
Our Verdict: Help Scout vs HubSpot CRM
Both Help Scout and HubSpot CRM are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose Help Scout if you need Small to mid-size teams wanting human, personal customer support that feels like email. With a starting price of £18/user/month and a rating of 4.3/5, it offers feels like email, very easy to learn.
Choose HubSpot CRM if you need Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow. Starting at £0/month with a 4.5/5 rating, it excels at generous free tier with no time limit.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between Help Scout and HubSpot CRM? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up Help Scout or HubSpot CRM for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.