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 | Tawk.to | Parahelp | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||||
| Starting Price | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | Free core | Undisclosed, demo-gated | Free / $39 / $79 per month |
| Pricing Model | Contact-based, unpredictable | Free + paid add-ons | Custom quote after a sales call | Base + per-seat extras |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $0.75 per AI resolution | $29-$399/mo add-on | Per-resolution, price not public | $0.49 per resolution — half of Fin |
| Channels | ||||
| Live Chat | Beacon widget, reactive | Free live chat | Uses your helpdesk widget | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Not available (14+ years) | Not available | Not a channel it provides | All plans |
| Ticketing | Shared inbox | Basic ticketing | Runs on your existing helpdesk | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Public only, broken editor | Hosted on their subdomain | Reads yours, does not host one | Public and internal |
| AI | ||||
| AI Chatbot | $0.75/resolution add-on | Basic add-on | AI support agent (core product) | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Public articles only | Not autonomous | Trains on your docs and tickets | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Keyword-matching only | Stops when agents offline | Autonomous resolution 24/7 | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | ||||
| Setup Time | Hours to days | Minutes (basic chat) | Needs an existing helpdesk first | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Clean, simple | Recently refreshed, still dated | Inherits your helpdesk UI | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Light Beacon widget | ~700KB payload | Depends on host helpdesk | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Limited customization | $19/mo to remove branding | Inherits host helpdesk branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | Straightforward | Post-cancellation charges reported | Contract terms not public | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | ||||
| Data Export | CSV export available | Limited export | Lives in your helpdesk | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | SOC 2 certified | No SOC 2, no HIPAA | SOC 2 compliant | |
| Analytics | ||||
| Reporting | Basic dashboards | Basic reports | AI metrics; rest via helpdesk | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | No SLA tracking | Not available | Handled by host helpdesk | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Satisfaction ratings | Not available | Handled by host helpdesk | Built-in |
| Integrations | ||||
| Native Integrations | 100+ apps | Limited native + Zapier | Intercom, Zendesk, Front | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | REST API | Limited API | API for the AI agent | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
Tawk.to
Free core
Parahelp
Undisclosed, demo-gated
SupportWire
Free / $39 / $79 per month
Pricing Model
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
Tawk.to
Free + paid add-ons
Parahelp
Custom quote after a sales call
SupportWire
Base + per-seat extras
Per-Resolution AI Fees
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
Tawk.to
$29-$399/mo add-on
Parahelp
Per-resolution, price not public
SupportWire
$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin
Channels
Live Chat
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
Tawk.to
Free live chat
Parahelp
Uses your helpdesk widget
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
Tawk.to
Not available
Parahelp
Not a channel it provides
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
HelpScout
Shared inbox
Tawk.to
Basic ticketing
Parahelp
Runs on your existing helpdesk
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
Tawk.to
Hosted on their subdomain
Parahelp
Reads yours, does not host one
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
Tawk.to
Basic add-on
Parahelp
AI support agent (core product)
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
HelpScout
Public articles only
Tawk.to
Not autonomous
Parahelp
Trains on your docs and tickets
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
Tawk.to
Stops when agents offline
Parahelp
Autonomous resolution 24/7
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
HelpScout
Hours to days
Tawk.to
Minutes (basic chat)
Parahelp
Needs an existing helpdesk first
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
HelpScout
Clean, simple
Tawk.to
Recently refreshed, still dated
Parahelp
Inherits your helpdesk UI
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
Tawk.to
~700KB payload
Parahelp
Depends on host helpdesk
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
HelpScout
Limited customization
Tawk.to
$19/mo to remove branding
Parahelp
Inherits host helpdesk branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
HelpScout
Straightforward
Tawk.to
Post-cancellation charges reported
Parahelp
Contract terms not public
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
HelpScout
CSV export available
Tawk.to
Limited export
Parahelp
Lives in your helpdesk
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
Analytics
Reporting
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
Tawk.to
Basic reports
Parahelp
AI metrics; rest via helpdesk
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
Tawk.to
Not available
Parahelp
Handled by host helpdesk
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
Tawk.to
Not available
Parahelp
Handled by host helpdesk
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
HelpScout
100+ apps
Tawk.to
Limited native + Zapier
Parahelp
Intercom, Zendesk, Front
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
HelpScout
REST API
Tawk.to
Limited 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.
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