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Helpscout

Help Scout for Startups

Up to 100% off
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Six months free on a customer support platform built for lean teams.

Help Scout gives you a shared inbox, knowledge base, live chat, and in-app messaging—basically everything you need to handle customer support without hiring a full team yet. The free tier covers unlimited users and includes AI-powered reply suggestions, so you're not manually writing the same answers twice. After six months, you'll pay standard pricing unless you negotiate. The catch: you need to be a registered startup (usually YC, TechStars, or similar accelerator alumni, or pre-Series A with under $2M ARR). It's genuinely useful if support is becoming a bottleneck but you're not ready to hire dedicated people.

Program details

Tier 1

Help Scout Plus - 6 Months Free

Complete customer support platform with no limitations for eligible startups

$100

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Application difficulty: Easy Benefits: Strong Duration: 6 months

Benefits

  • 6 months free access to Help Scout Plus (no limitations)
  • Unlimited users and AI-powered tools
  • Shared inbox, knowledge base, and live chat
  • In-app messaging and customer management
  • Integration with 90+ tools and world-class support

Eligibility

  • New Help Scout customers only
  • Incorporated tech startup
  • Less than two years old
  • Generating under $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR)
  • Bootstrappers welcome (no funding requirements)

How to apply

  1. 1

    Apply for Help Scout Startup Program

    Complete the application form to get 6 months free access

    Apply Now →
Apply for Help Scout Plus - 6 Months Free →

Pros

  • ✓ Six months completely free with unlimited users—no per-seat fees during trial
  • ✓ AI-powered reply suggestions and automation reduce manual support work early on
  • ✓ Shared inbox + live chat + knowledge base in one tool; no integration hell

Cons

  • ✗ Startup verification required; indie founders or bootstrapped non-accelerator companies often rejected
  • ✗ Free period ends abruptly; standard pricing (~$50–150/month depending on tier) kicks in after six months
  • ✗ Limited customization on free tier; advanced workflows and reporting locked behind paid plans

Frequently asked questions

What is included in Help Scout Plus?
Help Scout Plus includes unlimited users, shared inbox, knowledge base, live chat, in-app messaging, customer management, detailed reports, AI-powered tools, and integrations with 90+ tools. There are no limitations during the 6-month free period.
What are the eligibility requirements?
To qualify, your company must be a new Help Scout customer, an incorporated tech startup less than two years old, and generating under $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Unlike other programs, there are no funding requirements - bootstrappers are welcome.
How much can the knowledge base reduce email volume?
Help Scout's knowledge base can help reduce email volume by up to 30% by enabling customers to find answers to common questions themselves.
What companies use Help Scout?
Teams from Slack, Reddit, Figma, Segment, Zapier, and AngelList all started and scaled with Help Scout. Today their platform powers more than 12,000+ growing businesses.

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Tags

#customer-support #saas #collaboration #free-trial
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