Help Scout
Simple shared inbox and help desk.
why this verdict
Keep paying — OpenAI has not replaced it
OpenAI's version overlaps, but does not finish the support job, so this one still earns its $22/mo.
- A named launch, not a vibe named, unlinked
- Assistants API. OpenAI, March 14, 2024 — no announcement link recorded yet.
- How much of the job it covers not the job editorial call
- Parts of it. The job still needs the tool to get finished.
- Is there a free way to do it? yes
- 1 of 3 listed replacements have a usable free tier: Freshdesk.
- What the call is worth $264/yr
- $22/mo at the entry paid tier — $264 a year per seat.
- Threatened by
- OpenAI
- Since
- March 14, 2024
- List price
- $22/mo
- Per year
- $264
The backstory
Help Scout is a simple shared inbox and help desk aimed at small teams who want support without the bloat of enterprise ticketing. OpenAI's Assistants API can power an answer bot, but Help Scout is the whole workflow: assigning conversations, saved replies, workflows, reporting and a knowledge base. A bot answers questions; it doesn't run a support team's day. It survived because the inbox and the process around it, not the AI reply, are what customers pay for.
Escape hatches
Support platform with the Fin AI agent
intercom.com open_in_newFull-scale help desk and ticketing
zendesk.com open_in_newHelp desk with a free starter tier
freshworks.com open_in_new1 of 3 replacements have a usable free tier.