Freshservice vs Help Scout (2026)

Freshservice

by Freshworks

Help Scout

by Help Scout

Pros

• ✓Freshservice publishes a generally available first-party MCP server with 45 documented tools and setup guides for eight AI clients, and connects out as an MCP client to twelve apps, including Slack, Gmail, Zoom, Linear, Notion, GitHub and Gusto, through marketplace apps.
• ✓Full ITSM lifecycle plus enterprise service management in one platform, covering incident, problem, change, release and asset management alongside HR, facilities and MSP modules.
• ✓Both billing rates are published for every self-serve tier, so a buyer can compare annual against monthly cost without contacting sales.

Limitations

• –Autonomous resolution is Enterprise-only. Freddy AI Agent (Classic) requires the custom-quoted Enterprise tier, and Freddy AI Copilot agent assist is sold only on Pro and Enterprise, so Starter and Growth include neither.
• –AI agent assist is a paid add-on rather than bundled. Freddy AI Copilot costs $29 per agent per month billed annually on top of the platform seat price.
• –MCP use is metered: each account includes 1,200 actions a year on Growth, 6,000 on Pro and 12,000 on Enterprise, and further actions are sold in $15 packs of 1,000.

Pros

• ✓Compass answers customers on web and in-app from a team's own help content, hands off with full context, and is charged only for conversations it resolves, with a monthly spending cap.
• ✓Every plan price is published, there is a free plan, and Standard and Plus can be tried for 15 days with no credit card.
• ✓An official MCP server lets Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor read conversations, customers and Docs content with each user's own permissions.

Limitations

• –The MCP server is read-only, so AI tools can look up support data but cannot reply to or update conversations.
• –Compass does not answer email yet, and answering from past conversations and connected apps is listed as coming soon.
• –Phone and SMS come through the Aircall integration rather than a built-in phone system, and SSO and HIPAA need the Pro plan.