Top 10 Free Alternatives to Help Scout AI in 2025

In 2025, Help Scout AI remains a noteworthy player in the customer service software landscape. However, there are several free alternatives available that offer robust functionality to businesses of various sizes and needs. This article explores the top 10 free alternatives to Help Scout AI, providing insights into their key features and ideal use cases.

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1. Hiver

Description: Hiver is a customer support platform that integrates seamlessly into Gmail and Outlook inboxes, focusing on shared inbox functionality.
Key Features:
Email management
Live chat, WhatsApp, and voice support channels
Internal collaboration tools
Slack integration
Knowledge base
Ideal For: Teams using Gmail or Outlook, seeking to integrate support functionalities within their existing email environment.
Limitations: The free version may have limitations in terms of features and number of users. Learn more about Hiver

2. Zoho Desk

Description: Zoho Desk is a web-based help desk software known for its scalability and extensive customization options.
Key Features:
Email ticketing
Knowledge management
Multilingual support
Canned email templates
Automation rules
Ideal For: Small to mid-sized businesses needing a customizable and scalable helpdesk.
Limitations: The free plan has user and feature restrictions. Explore Zoho Desk

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3. Jira Service Management

Description: Designed for IT teams, Jira Service Management offers robust ticket management and incident tracking.
Key Features:
Unlimited goals, projects, tasks, and forms
Reports and dashboards
Atlassian Community support
ITIL-aligned processes
Automation capabilities
Ideal For: IT teams requiring comprehensive ticket management and incident tracking.
Limitations: The free plan is limited to a certain number of users and is more geared towards IT support. Explore Jira Service Management

4. HubSpot Service Hub

Description: HubSpot Service Hub is part of the HubSpot ecosystem, combining CRM, marketing, and sales functionalities into its helpdesk and ticketing software.
Key Features:
Ticketing
Live chat
Knowledge base
Conversational AI for customer insights
Integration with HubSpot CRM
Ideal For: Businesses already using HubSpot's CRM seeking an integrated customer service solution.
Limitations: The free version has limitations in features, contacts, and users. Discover HubSpot Service Hub

5. Freshdesk by Freshworks

Description: Freshdesk is a cloud-based helpdesk software known for its multi-channel support and AI-powered features.
Key Features:
Multi-channel support (email, chat, phone, social media)
AI-powered Freddy bot
Ticketing system
Self-service portal
Automation features
Ideal For: Startups and small businesses needing an affordable and easy-to-use help desk.
Limitations: The free version is limited in functionality, particularly in automations and reporting. Explore Freshdesk

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6. Spiceworks

Description: Spiceworks offers a free help desk ticketing system tailored for small businesses, with a particular focus on IT support.
Key Features:
Ticket management
Team collaboration tools
Automation capabilities
User portal for submitting tickets
Knowledge base
Ideal For: Small businesses requiring a free ticketing system, especially those focused on IT.
Limitations: It may be less feature-rich compared to paid options. Learn more about Spiceworks

7. osTicket

Description: osTicket is an open-source help desk ticketing system offering a range of features for customer support.
Key Features:
Ticket management
Customizable fields
User portal
Email piping
Basic reporting
Ideal For: Businesses looking for a customizable, free, open-source help desk solution.
Limitations: Requires self-hosting, which may necessitate some technical expertise. Discover osTicket

8. LiveAgent

Description: LiveAgent is known for its robust live chat features, in addition to email ticketing.
Key Features:
Multi-channel support
Live chat
Ticketing system
Knowledge base
Reporting
Ideal For: Businesses requiring a strong live chat component for customer service.
Limitations: The free plan is limited in features and number of users. Explore LiveAgent

9. HelpDeskZ

Description: HelpDeskZ is a free, open-source help desk software with essential ticketing features.
Key Features:
Ticket management
Email piping
Customizable fields
User portal
Basic reporting
Ideal For: Businesses that require a basic, open-source ticketing system.
Limitations: May require more technical setup due to its open-source nature. Learn more about HelpDeskZ

10. Solarwinds Web Help Desk

Description: SolarWinds Web Help Desk is an IT help desk solution that offers ticketing and asset management features.
Key Features:
Ticketing
Asset management
Automation rules
Reporting
Knowledge base integration
Ideal For: IT departments seeking a free solution for both ticketing and asset management.
Limitations: The free version may have limitations in features and scalability. Explore Solarwinds Web Help Desk

Whether you are a small business looking for a cost-effective solution or a large enterprise with specific needs, these free alternatives to Help Scout AI provide a range of options to enhance your customer support operations.

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FAQ

1. What is Hiver and how is it used as a customer support platform?

Hiver is a customer support platform that integrates directly into Gmail and Outlook inboxes. It focuses on shared inbox functionality, email management, live chat, and internal collaboration tools. Explore Hiver

2. What are the key features of Zoho Desk for helpdesk needs?

Zoho Desk offers email ticketing, knowledge management, multilingual support, canned email templates, and automation rules, making it ideal for small to mid-sized businesses. Discover Zoho Desk

3. Who should consider using Jira Service Management?

IT teams needing comprehensive ticket management and incident tracking will find Jira Service Management useful. It offers unlimited goals, projects, tasks, forms, and automation capabilities. Learn more about Jira Service Management

4. How does HubSpot Service Hub integrate with CRM?

HubSpot Service Hub is integrated within the HubSpot ecosystem, combining helpdesk and ticketing software with CRM, marketing, and sales tools. Explore HubSpot Service Hub

5. What makes Freshdesk by Freshworks suitable for startups?

Freshdesk offers multi-channel support, AI-powered Freddy bot, a ticketing system, self-service portal, and automation features, making it ideal for startups and small businesses. Discover Freshdesk

6. What is Spiceworks, and who is it ideal for?

Spiceworks is a free help desk ticketing system focused on IT support, offering ticket management, team collaboration tools, and user portal features. Learn more about Spiceworks

7. What are the benefits of using osTicket for customer support?

osTicket is an open-source help desk solution featuring ticket management, customizable fields, email piping, and basic reporting, suited for businesses seeking a customizable help desk system. Explore osTicket

8. Why should businesses consider LiveAgent for customer service?

LiveAgent provides robust live chat features along with multi-channel support, ticketing, knowledge base, and reporting, making it suitable for businesses needing strong live chat support. Discover LiveAgent

9. What functionalities does HelpDeskZ offer?

HelpDeskZ is a free, open-source help desk software that includes ticket management, email piping, customizable fields, and a user portal, ideal for businesses needing basic ticketing features. Learn more about HelpDeskZ

10. How does Solarwinds Web Help Desk support IT departments?

SolarWinds Web Help Desk offers ticketing, asset management, automation rules, and knowledge base integration, making it well-suited for IT departments. Explore Solarwinds Web Help Desk

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.