Help Scout removes Free plan from main pricing, adds pre-paid AI discounts
What happened
Between the Mar 9, 2026 and Mar 16, 2026 captures of Help Scout's pricing page, Pulse recorded 2 changes: Removed Free plan ($0) from main pricing cards; Free tier still available but de-emphasized as footnote [Plan with $0 price, 5 users, 1 Inbox, 1 Docs site moved to 'Just need the basics?' footer section]; Added 'Pre-paid discounts available' messaging for AI Answers add-on. Pulse files it as a pricing change (plan removed, discount added) with a downward direction. Pulse's latest capture (Aug 10, 2026) lists Standard at $25, Plus at $45, Pro at $75, Additional Docs Site at $20 and Additional Inbox at $10.
It lands 7 days after Help Scout's previous change, "Help Scout Adds WhatsApp Messaging Starting From Plus Plan" (Mar 10, 2026). Before that Pulse recorded "Help Scout elevates free plan to hero status alongside paid tiers" (Week 10, 2026). Help Scout has been tracked since 2026-02-28.
In the same window Intercom and Drift also changed their CRM pricing pages. Those moves are listed further down, and the Pulse Agent can compare them side by side.
- Removed Free · PlanRemovedFree planNo Free plan
- AI Answers · DiscountAdded
BeforeNot listed
After'Pre-paid discounts available' messaging
| Plan | Field | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Removed Free | Plan | Free plan | No Free plan | Removed |
| AI Answers | Discount | Not listed | 'Pre-paid discounts available' messaging | Added |
Values as written on Help Scout's public pricing page in the two captures Pulse compared; where the page states no number, the cells give the wording before and after.
Evidence
The two captures Pulse comparedFull-page captures of Help Scout's pricing page (www.helpscout.com) from Mar 9, 2026 and Mar 16, 2026; the change is marked near the top of the page, where the Free plan no longer appears.
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The two full-page captures with this change marked up are free with an account.
Help Scout, the last 90 days
Full history- Jun 1, 2026improvedHelp Scout splits workflows into basic and advanced tiers by plan
- May 26, 2026improvedHelp Scout adds light user tiers to Team plans, up to 50 seats
- Apr 13, 2026improvedHelp Scout Rolls Out SLA Policies Across All Paid Plans
- Mar 16, 2026packagingHelp Scout removes Free plan from main pricing, adds pre-paid AI discounts · this change
- Mar 10, 2026improvedHelp Scout Adds WhatsApp Messaging Starting From Plus Plan
- Week 10, 2026packagingHelp Scout elevates free plan to hero status alongside paid tiers
Across CRM in the same window
All CRM changes- IntercomMar 17Intercom Launches $99/mo AI Analytics Add-On, Rebrands Fin Pricing Metric
- DriftJan 11Drift Discontinues All Major Pricing Plans, Shifts to Salesloft's Custom Package-Based Model
- IntercomJan 21Intercom Increases Phone Service Minimum Pricing by 243%, Now Starting at $0.012 per Minute
- IntercomJan 21Intercom Essential Plan Price Decreased by 25.6% to $29/Seat/Month, Enhancing Accessibility for Users
- IntercomJan 21Intercom Restructures Pricing Model to Simplify Plans with New Per-Seat Pricing and Reveals Essential Plan at $39/Seat/Month
Questions about this change
Did Help Scout raise prices in March 2026?
No list-price increase was recorded between Mar 9, 2026 and Mar 16, 2026. The change Pulse detected was a pricing change: plan removed, discount added.
What changed on Help Scout's pricing page between Mar 9, 2026 and Mar 16, 2026?
Removed Free plan: Free plan → No Free plan, removed; AI Answers discount: Not listed → 'Pre-paid discounts available' messaging, added. Pulse compared the captures it took on Mar 9, 2026 and Mar 16, 2026; the before/after table above lists each item as written on the page.
How often does Help Scout change its pricing?
Pulse recorded 2 other pricing-page changes for Help Scout in the 90 days before this one; the previous change was "Help Scout Adds WhatsApp Messaging Starting From Plus Plan" on Mar 10, 2026; Help Scout has been tracked since 2026-02-28.