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 | HelpScout | LiveChat | Tawk.to | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||||
| Starting Price | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | $19/agent/mo (1 agent max) | Free core | Free / $39 / $79 per month |
| Pricing Model | Contact-based, unpredictable | 4 separate products | Free + paid add-ons | Base + per-seat extras |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $0.75 per AI resolution | Separate ChatBot product ($52+) | $29-$399/mo add-on | $0.49 per resolution — half of Fin |
| Channels | ||||
| Live Chat | Beacon widget, reactive | Core product | Free live chat | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Not available (14+ years) | Not available | Not available | All plans |
| Ticketing | Shared inbox | Separate HelpDesk ($29+/mo) | Basic ticketing | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Public only, broken editor | Separate product ($49+/mo) | Hosted on their subdomain | Public and internal |
| AI | ||||
| AI Chatbot | $0.75/resolution add-on | Separate ChatBot ($52+/mo) | Basic add-on | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Public articles only | Template-based | Not autonomous | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Keyword-matching only | Requires ChatBot subscription | Stops when agents offline | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | ||||
| Setup Time | Hours to days | Quick for chat only | Minutes (basic chat) | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Clean, simple | Clean but aging | Recently refreshed, still dated | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Light Beacon widget | Lightweight | ~700KB payload | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Limited customization | Enterprise only | $19/mo to remove branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | Straightforward | Requires support to cancel | Post-cancellation charges reported | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | ||||
| Data Export | CSV export available | Limited export | Limited export | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | SOC 2 certified | Security measures in place | No SOC 2, no HIPAA | |
| Analytics | ||||
| Reporting | Basic dashboards | Strong analytics | Basic reports | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | No SLA tracking | Basic SLA features | Not available | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Satisfaction ratings | Post-chat surveys | Not available | Built-in |
| Integrations | ||||
| Native Integrations | 100+ apps | 200+ apps | Limited native + Zapier | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | REST API | REST API | Limited API | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
LiveChat
$19/agent/mo (1 agent max)
Tawk.to
Free core
SupportWire
Free / $39 / $79 per month
Pricing Model
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
LiveChat
4 separate products
Tawk.to
Free + paid add-ons
SupportWire
Base + per-seat extras
Per-Resolution AI Fees
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
LiveChat
Separate ChatBot product ($52+)
Tawk.to
$29-$399/mo add-on
SupportWire
$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin
Channels
Live Chat
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
LiveChat
Core product
Tawk.to
Free live chat
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
LiveChat
Not available
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
HelpScout
Shared inbox
LiveChat
Separate HelpDesk ($29+/mo)
Tawk.to
Basic ticketing
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
LiveChat
Separate product ($49+/mo)
Tawk.to
Hosted on their subdomain
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
LiveChat
Separate ChatBot ($52+/mo)
Tawk.to
Basic add-on
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
HelpScout
Public articles only
LiveChat
Template-based
Tawk.to
Not autonomous
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
LiveChat
Requires ChatBot subscription
Tawk.to
Stops when agents offline
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
HelpScout
Hours to days
LiveChat
Quick for chat only
Tawk.to
Minutes (basic chat)
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
HelpScout
Clean, simple
LiveChat
Clean but aging
Tawk.to
Recently refreshed, still dated
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
LiveChat
Lightweight
Tawk.to
~700KB payload
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
HelpScout
Limited customization
LiveChat
Enterprise only
Tawk.to
$19/mo to remove branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
HelpScout
Straightforward
LiveChat
Requires support to cancel
Tawk.to
Post-cancellation charges reported
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
HelpScout
CSV export available
LiveChat
Limited export
Tawk.to
Limited export
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
HelpScout
SOC 2 certified
LiveChat
Security measures in place
Tawk.to
No SOC 2, no HIPAA
SupportWire
Analytics
Reporting
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
LiveChat
Strong analytics
Tawk.to
Basic reports
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
LiveChat
Basic SLA features
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
LiveChat
Post-chat surveys
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
HelpScout
100+ apps
LiveChat
200+ apps
Tawk.to
Limited native + Zapier
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
HelpScout
REST API
LiveChat
REST API
Tawk.to
Limited API
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 HelpScout 3-way →
- Intercom vs LiveChat 3-way →
- Intercom vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- Zendesk vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Zendesk vs LiveChat 3-way →
- Zendesk vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- Crisp vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Crisp vs LiveChat 3-way →
- Crisp vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- HelpScout vs LiveChat 3-way →
- HelpScout vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- HelpScout vs Parahelp 3-way →
A new chapter for your support
Support, finally
worth showing up for.
Customers feel heard. Your team feels in control. Bills stay where you expect. The work that used to drain everyone starts to feel like the best part of the day again.
5 min
From signup to live chat on your site
$0
Free plan. No card. No trial clock
Cancel anytime
No annual lock-in. Export your data
No credit card. No annual lock-in. Migration help on us.