Three popular support tools, side by side with SupportWire, across 22 features in 7 categories. Pick the one that fits how your team actually works.
SupportWire charges per seat plus $0.49 per AI resolution, half of Intercom Fin’s $0.99 per resolution, with a free plan and no sales call.
Updated June 2026
Feature comparison
22 features.
7 categories.
No hiding.
Every feature that matters for customer support, compared honestly across 4 platforms.
| Feature | Crisp | HelpScout | Parahelp | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||||
| Starting Price | Free / $45 / $95 / $295 | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | Undisclosed, demo-gated | Free / $39 / $79 per month |
| Pricing Model | Per workspace (most pay $295) | Contact-based, unpredictable | Custom quote after a sales call | Base + per-seat extras |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $25 AI credits/mo on Essentials | $0.75 per AI resolution | Per-resolution, price not public | $0.49 per resolution — half of Fin |
| Channels | ||||
| Live Chat | Real-time chat | Beacon widget, reactive | Uses your helpdesk widget | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Not available | Not available (14+ years) | Not a channel it provides | All plans |
| Ticketing | Basic, no SLA management | Shared inbox | Runs on your existing helpdesk | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Help center included | Public only, broken editor | Reads yours, does not host one | Public and internal |
| AI | ||||
| AI Chatbot | $25/mo AI credit budget | $0.75/resolution add-on | AI support agent (core product) | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Manual training only | Public articles only | Trains on your docs and tickets | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Bot + triggers | Keyword-matching only | Autonomous resolution 24/7 | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | ||||
| Setup Time | Quick setup | Hours to days | Needs an existing helpdesk first | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Clean, modern | Clean, simple | Inherits your helpdesk UI | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Lightweight | Light Beacon widget | Depends on host helpdesk | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Plus plan only ($295/mo) | Limited customization | Inherits host helpdesk branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | Account suspension risk | Straightforward | Contract terms not public | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | ||||
| Data Export | Cannot export full transcripts | CSV export available | Lives in your helpdesk | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | Not certified | SOC 2 certified | SOC 2 compliant | |
| Analytics | ||||
| Reporting | Shallow analytics | Basic dashboards | AI metrics; rest via helpdesk | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | Not available | No SLA tracking | Handled by host helpdesk | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Basic surveys | Satisfaction ratings | Handled by host helpdesk | Built-in |
| Integrations | ||||
| Native Integrations | Limited ecosystem | 100+ apps | Intercom, Zendesk, Front | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | REST API | REST API | API for the AI agent | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
Crisp
Free / $45 / $95 / $295
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
Parahelp
Undisclosed, demo-gated
SupportWire
Free / $39 / $79 per month
Pricing Model
Crisp
Per workspace (most pay $295)
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
Parahelp
Custom quote after a sales call
SupportWire
Base + per-seat extras
Per-Resolution AI Fees
Crisp
$25 AI credits/mo on Essentials
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
Parahelp
Per-resolution, price not public
SupportWire
$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin
Channels
Live Chat
Crisp
Real-time chat
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
Parahelp
Uses your helpdesk widget
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
Crisp
Not available
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
Parahelp
Not a channel it provides
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
Crisp
Basic, no SLA management
HelpScout
Shared inbox
Parahelp
Runs on your existing helpdesk
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
Crisp
Help center included
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
Parahelp
Reads yours, does not host one
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
Crisp
$25/mo AI credit budget
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
Parahelp
AI support agent (core product)
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
Crisp
Manual training only
HelpScout
Public articles only
Parahelp
Trains on your docs and tickets
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
Crisp
Bot + triggers
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
Parahelp
Autonomous resolution 24/7
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
Crisp
Quick setup
HelpScout
Hours to days
Parahelp
Needs an existing helpdesk first
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
Crisp
Clean, modern
HelpScout
Clean, simple
Parahelp
Inherits your helpdesk UI
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
Crisp
Lightweight
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
Parahelp
Depends on host helpdesk
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
Crisp
Plus plan only ($295/mo)
HelpScout
Limited customization
Parahelp
Inherits host helpdesk branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
Crisp
Account suspension risk
HelpScout
Straightforward
Parahelp
Contract terms not public
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
Crisp
Cannot export full transcripts
HelpScout
CSV export available
Parahelp
Lives in your helpdesk
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
Analytics
Reporting
Crisp
Shallow analytics
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
Parahelp
AI metrics; rest via helpdesk
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
Crisp
Not available
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
Parahelp
Handled by host helpdesk
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
Crisp
Basic surveys
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
Parahelp
Handled by host helpdesk
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
Crisp
Limited ecosystem
HelpScout
100+ apps
Parahelp
Intercom, Zendesk, Front
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
Crisp
REST API
HelpScout
REST API
Parahelp
API for the AI agent
SupportWire
Full REST API
Go deeper
Read the full story.
Feature tables only tell half of it. Each deep-dive walks through pricing traps, real Trustpilot quotes, and where the product breaks down for growing teams.
More matchups
Keep digging.
- Intercom vs Crisp 3-way →
- Intercom vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Intercom vs Parahelp 3-way →
- Zendesk vs Crisp 3-way →
- Zendesk vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Zendesk vs Parahelp 3-way →
- Crisp vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Crisp vs LiveChat 3-way →
- Crisp vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- Crisp vs Parahelp 3-way →
- HelpScout vs LiveChat 3-way →
- HelpScout vs Tawk.to 3-way →
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