Software price, free limits and AI usage
Published prices checked on 5 October 2026. Compare the plan that includes your required features. Help Scout's Free plan deserves a place in that comparison.
| Cost or condition | Help Scout | SamDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Free access | Free plan: 5 users, 1 Inbox, 1 Docs site and 100 contacts/month | Trial offers demo and setup. Your own key is required for real AI actions |
| Paid software | Standard: $25/user/month billed annually, or $30 billed monthly | BYOK software: €10/month, subject to fair-use terms |
| AI charges | AI Answers add-on: $0.75/resolution. Check eligibility and current trial terms | Your provider bills usage separately. No managed AI credits included |
Sources: Help Scout pricing and SamDesk pricing and fair-use terms. Confirm taxes, currency, billing period, users and required features before committing. These are entry conditions, not a calculated saving.
Help Scout's Free plan may already cover your mailbox
Help Scout lists five users, one Inbox, one Docs site and 100 contacts per month on its Free plan. A contact is a person who received a reply or whose question the AI assistant resolved; multiple conversations with that person count as one contact. If those limits fit, compare the free plan before adding another software bill. Check the current plan terms before signing up.
Paid seats and BYOK usage are different costs
Help Scout Standard starts at $25 per user per month when billed annually, or $30 with monthly billing. SamDesk's BYOK software subscription is €10 per month, subject to its fair-use terms. Your own AI provider bills AI usage separately. Different currencies, billing periods and included features mean these entry prices do not prove a saving for your team.
The recording shows an inbox, without connected orders
The recorded workspace shows the inbox and example conversations. It has no connected shop or order records. It does not demonstrate order lookup, refunds, an AI request or a Help Scout import. If any of those decide your purchase, test them with controlled data before moving customer work.
Keep Help Scout when its existing workflow is the better fit
List the Inbox and Docs workflows your team actually uses, including saved replies, assignments and the channels in your current plan. A new tool has to preserve the useful parts or justify their loss. An advertised entry price is a weak reason to rebuild a working support queue.
Test one queue before moving support
Create a small pilot with test conversations and an address you control. For AI actions in SamDesk, add your own provider key first. Check the resulting provider usage as well as the software fee. Keep the existing support queue available until the required workflow is proven.
- List required channels, Inbox and Docs features before comparing plans
- Check one assignment and reply with controlled test data
- If shop lookup is required, verify the right controlled order is returned
- Check export and import fields on a sample; a Help Scout import is not demonstrated here
Frequently asked questions
Does Help Scout have a free plan?
Yes. Its pricing page lists up to five users, one Inbox, one Docs site and 100 contacts per month. Check the current limits and required features before paying for an alternative.
How much does Help Scout Standard cost?
Prices checked on 5 October 2026: $25 per user per month with annual billing, or $30 with monthly billing. Confirm taxes, plan features and any add-ons on Help Scout's pricing page.
Does SamDesk's €10 price include AI usage?
No. The €10 monthly BYOK plan covers software under its fair-use terms. Add your own provider key for real AI actions; your provider bills that usage separately. No managed AI credits are included.
Does the demo prove a Help Scout migration?
No. It shows an inbox with example conversations and no connected shop. Check a controlled import sample, assignments, replies and any required shop lookup before moving customer work.