Question 1

Can I migrate from Help Scout to Chatwoot?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can export your Help Scout conversations and import them into Chatwoot. Opsily provides guidance on the migration process. We recommend setting up your Chatwoot instance on Opsily first, testing it with a small subset of conversations, then running a parallel period where both systems handle new tickets. This way your team learns Chatwoot while Help Scout runs in the background. Most teams complete the migration in 2-4 weeks.

Question 2

Why is Chatwoot a better helpscout alternative than Help Scout's per-user pricing?

Accepted Answer

With Help Scout's per-user model, your bill grows every time you hire. Five agents at $45/user = $225/month. Ten agents = $450/month. Chatwoot on Opsily stays €99/month regardless of team size. This matters as your company scales. You'll never face a pricing shock when onboarding new support staff. The flat rate also removes the temptation to 'share logins' to save money—everyone gets their own account without cost anxiety.

Question 3

Does Chatwoot support WhatsApp, Instagram, and other channels?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Chatwoot natively supports email, live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, SMS, Twitter, and Messenger—all included in your €99/month plan. Help Scout includes email and chat; everything else is an add-on. Chatwoot's approach means you're not paying per channel. Need to add SMS next quarter? It's already there. Want to start a Telegram support line? Connect it instantly.

Question 4

Can I self-host Chatwoot instead of using Opsily?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Chatwoot is open-source—you can deploy it to your own servers using Docker, Kubernetes, or any Linux VM. This is one of Chatwoot's biggest strengths over Help Scout: code transparency and zero lock-in. That said, self-hosting requires DevOps effort: managing databases, updates, backups, SSL certificates, and monitoring. Opsily handles all that for €99/month. Many teams self-host initially, then move to Opsily when they realize maintaining infrastructure distracts from customer support.

Question 5

Is my data safe on Opsily's German servers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your data is stored in ISO 27001-certified German data centers, ensuring GDPR Article 32 compliance. Every conversation, customer profile, and file is encrypted at rest and in transit. Daily automated backups are stored offsite and encrypted. Opsily maintains 24/7 monitoring and a 99.9% uptime SLA. We don't sell your data, don't use it for AI training, and don't share it with third parties. Data sovereignty is our core promise.

Question 6

What is Captain AI and does it cost extra?

Accepted Answer

Captain AI is Chatwoot's built-in AI assistant included in every plan. It suggests replies to customer messages, auto-summarizes long conversations, translates across languages, finds answers in your help center, and auto-routes complex tickets to specialists. Help Scout's Envoy AI costs $0.75 per customer resolution—bills add up fast. Captain AI is included, with no per-use fees. Use it as much as you want without watching a meter.

Question 7

What's the cost difference between self-hosted Chatwoot and managed hosting?

Accepted Answer

Chatwoot itself is free—open-source under the ACSL license. But self-hosting costs: you pay for cloud infrastructure (AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.—typically €20-100/month depending on scale), database management, SSL certificates, monitoring tools, and your time to maintain it all. Opsily's €99/month flat rate bundles all infrastructure, updates, backups, and support. For most teams, managed hosting saves both money and headaches after the first six months.

Question 8

What if I want to leave Opsily or upgrade to enterprise features?

Accepted Answer

You can export all your Chatwoot data (conversations, contacts, settings) at any time—no lock-in. If you need custom features or high-volume infrastructure beyond Opsily's plans, you can self-host Chatwoot or hire a developer to extend it. Chatwoot's open-source nature means you're never trapped. That said, most teams find our plans handle growth well: unlimited agents, unlimited conversations, and all channels included even in the smallest plan.

Helpscout alternative that costs 56% less

Chatwoot vs Help Scout: Why it's the better helpscout alternative

Why Chatwoot on Opsily is the better helpscout alternative

Flat-rate pricing, never per-user

Open-source transparency you can trust

EU data residency by default

Built for teams who need reliability

Get started in 4 steps

Create your Opsily account

Deploy Chatwoot

Invite your team

Start supporting customers

What Help Scout's per-user model hides

Captain AI is included

Open-source means you own your data

Omnichannel from day one

Transparent pricing. No surprises.

Built for regulated teams

GDPR Compliant

Daily Encrypted Backups

99.9% Uptime SLA

24/7 European Support

No Vendor Lock-In

Questions about Chatwoot on Opsily

Ready to escape Help Scout's pricing trap?