Replacement Guide

How to Build Your Own Help Scout

Replace Help Scout with a custom build. AI clears the way. Your support team creates the impact.

Weekend Project
11 features11 integrationsOne weekend

Estimated Timeline

Based on 11 features at Weekend Project difficulty, expect about One weekend with AI-assisted development.

1
Setup & scaffolding
2 hours
2
Core features
4-6 hours
3
Polish & deploy
2 hours

Recommended Tech Stack

Next.js 14

Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components

Supabase

PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions

Tailwind CSS

Utility-first styling for rapid UI development

Key Features to Replicate

Top features across 5 categories. See all 11 features

Core(7 features)

Channels

Channels for handling messages from social media and other sources

Inbox

A shared inbox for teams to manage customer conversations

Knowledge Base

A knowledge base for customers to find answers to common questions

Messages

Proactive messages for customer engagement and support

Mobile

Mobile apps for support teams to manage conversations on-the-go

+2 more in this category

AI(1 features)

AI FeaturesAI

AI-powered automation and assistance for support teams

Automation(1 features)

Workflows

Automated workflows for streamlined support processes

Integration(1 features)

Apps & Integrations

Integrations with other apps and services for streamlined workflows

Reporting(1 features)

Insights & Analytics

Analytics and insights for support teams to improve performance

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Help Scout

Monthly$20/mo
Yearly$240/yr
5-Year Total$1.2k

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~1 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyVery Easy

Total Cost Comparison

1 Year
SaaS
$240
DIY
$240
3 Years
SaaS
$720
DIY
$720
5 Years
SaaS
$1.2k
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 11 features at very easy complexity.

Ready to Build?