{
 "id": "help_scout",
 "name": "Help Scout",
 "category": "customer_support",
 "website": "https://www.helpscout.com",
 "domains": [
  "helpscout.com",
  "helpscout.net"
 ],
 "summary": "Only the Account Owner cancels: avatar, Your Plan (contact-based: Manage your plan), red Delete Account link, reason, Delete Account. The account closes immediately and data is deleted 60 days later, so export first. Prepaid fees aren't refunded outside the 30-day first-payment guarantee.",
 "routes": [
  {
   "channel": "direct_web",
   "label": "User-based and contact-based plans",
   "applies_to": "Help Scout user-based and contact-based plans, paid monthly or by annual prepayment",
   "who": "The Account Owner only",
   "method": "self_serve",
   "start_url": "https://secure.helpscout.net/members/plan/",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Export anything you need first: the account becomes inaccessible the moment you delete it",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "Click your avatar or initials in the right corner of the top navigation menu, then select Your Plan",
     "expect": "the Plan overview page"
    },
    {
     "do": "On a contact-based plan, click Manage your plan",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "Scroll down and click the red Delete Account link at the bottom of the page",
     "expect": "a choice of reasons for canceling"
    },
    {
     "do": "Choose the reason you're canceling, then click Delete Account",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": "The account is inaccessible as soon as you click Delete Account",
   "effective": "Immediately: the account is terminated when you click Delete Account, with no access for the rest of the billing period",
   "notice": null,
   "refund": "A 30-day money-back guarantee on your first payment (request a full refund by email within 30 days). Otherwise prepaid fees aren't refunded",
   "fees": "Terminating doesn't end the obligation to pay all fees for the entire term you agreed to",
   "source_ids": [
    "s1",
    "s2",
    "s3",
    "s4",
    "s5",
    "s6",
    "s7",
    "s8",
    "s9",
    "s10",
    "s11",
    "s12",
    "s13"
   ]
  },
  {
   "channel": "direct_web",
   "label": "Stop an annual prepayment renewing",
   "applies_to": "Standard or Plus plans paid by annual prepayment (annual credit)",
   "who": "The Account Owner, or a user the Account Owner has given the Manage Account: Billing and plan changes permission",
   "method": "self_serve",
   "start_url": "https://secure.helpscout.net/members/plan/",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Go to Your Plan and toggle Auto-renew annual payment off",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "When the annual credit runs out, billing switches to monthly; to stop paying altogether, delete the account as in the main route",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": null,
   "effective": "The annual prepayment doesn't renew; billing moves to monthly once the annual credit is used up",
   "notice": null,
   "refund": "Prepaid fees aren't refunded, apart from the 30-day guarantee on a first payment",
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "s14",
    "s15",
    "s13",
    "s10",
    "s16",
    "s40"
   ]
  },
  {
   "channel": "sales_contract",
   "applies_to": "Service plans with an agreed initial term, such as annual prepayments by wire or ACH (offered for amounts over $2,500)",
   "who": "The customer, by written notice sent by postal mail",
   "method": "letter",
   "start_url": null,
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Mail Help Scout written notice that you don't intend to renew, to the postal address listed on Help Scout's website and in the app, so it arrives at least 30 days before the current term expires",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "If you prepaid by wire transfer or ACH, that payment isn't auto-renewed: renewing takes a new invoice from Help Scout's team or adding a credit card, so do neither",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": null,
   "effective": "At the end of the current term; under the Terms, without notice the plan renews for another period equal to the initial term",
   "notice": "Written notice of intent not to renew, sent by postal mail, at least 30 days before the current term expires",
   "refund": "No refund of prepaid fees",
   "fees": "Terminating doesn't end the obligation to pay all fees for the entire term",
   "source_ids": [
    "s17",
    "s18",
    "s19",
    "s11",
    "s12",
    "s37",
    "s38",
    "s39"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "pay_less": [
  {
   "type": "free_plan",
   "what": "The Free plan helps up to 100 contacts per monthly cycle, with 1 shared inbox for up to 5 users and 1 Docs site. After 100 contacts you can't reply until the next cycle or an upgrade. Plans are listed under Your Plan, Plans",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s20",
    "s21",
    "s22",
    "s23"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "annual_billing",
   "what": "Paying annually in advance gives a 16% discount on the per-user monthly cost (Standard and Plus), plus a discount on some add-ons",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s24",
    "s25"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "student_or_nonprofit",
   "what": "Non-profits get 10% off, which can be combined with the annual discount; organizations focused on human rights, environmental sustainability or underrepresentation in tech can get up to 100% off",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s26",
    "s27"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "seat_reduction",
   "what": "On an annual prepayment, removing users or downgrading makes your annual credit last longer than a year",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s16"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "export": [
  {
   "data": "Reports (All Channels, Email, Company and Happiness), with their data except conversation thread contents",
   "how": "Export them from within Help Scout's reports",
   "format": "CSV or XLSX",
   "limits": "Conversation thread contents aren't included",
   "source_ids": [
    "s28"
   ]
  },
  {
   "data": "Customers, users and conversations; Docs articles",
   "how": "Use the Inbox API (customers, users, conversations) and the Docs API (articles); the API is the only way to get this data out",
   "format": null,
   "limits": "Do it before cancelling: the account is inaccessible right after Delete Account",
   "source_ids": [
    "s29",
    "s30",
    "s31",
    "s2"
   ]
  },
  {
   "data": "A customer list (names and email addresses)",
   "how": "The Account Owner asks Help Scout support for it",
   "format": "CSV",
   "limits": "Doesn't include conversation history",
   "source_ids": [
    "s32",
    "s33"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "after_cancel": {
  "access_until": "None: the account is inaccessible as soon as you click Delete Account",
  "data_kept": "The Terms let you ask in writing to restore the data within 14 days of cancelling; the help center says all account data is permanently deleted 60 days after cancellation",
  "you_lose": [
   "Access to the account, immediately",
   "Any unused prepaid fees or annual credit, which aren't refunded",
   "Everything in the account once it is permanently deleted"
  ]
 },
 "agent_notes": {
  "sign_in_needed": true,
  "phone_or_chat_only": false,
  "retention_step": "You choose a reason for canceling before the final Delete Account click",
  "tips": [
   "Cancelling is deleting: there's no end-of-period access, so export data before clicking Delete Account",
   "Only the Account Owner can cancel; if that isn't you, ask the Account Owner",
   "To stop an annual prepayment renewing without closing the account, turn off Auto-renew annual payment under Your Plan",
   "A first-payment refund must be requested by email within 30 days of that payment",
   "After cancelling, data can be restored only on written request within 14 days",
   "A contracted term needs written non-renewal notice by postal mail at least 30 days before it ends"
  ]
 },
 "sources": [
  {
   "id": "s1",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Only the Account Owner can cancel the account, and if you're sure you want to cancel, please remember that there's no turning back — the account will be terminated immediately.",
   "supports": "who can cancel, and that it's immediate"
  },
  {
   "id": "s2",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "As soon as you click Delete Account, your account will be inaccessible.",
   "supports": "access ends at once"
  },
  {
   "id": "s3",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Make sure to export your data before canceling.",
   "supports": "export first"
  },
  {
   "id": "s4",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click your avatar or initials in the right corner of the top navigation menu, then select Your Plan.",
   "supports": "where the flow starts"
  },
  {
   "id": "s5",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click on Manage your plan.",
   "supports": "the extra step on contact-based plans"
  },
  {
   "id": "s6",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Scroll down and click the red Delete Account link at the bottom of the page.",
   "supports": "the Delete Account link"
  },
  {
   "id": "s7",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Choose the reason you're canceling your account, then click Delete Account to immediately cancel your account.",
   "supports": "the reason prompt and final step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s8",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
   "title": "Cancel Your Help Scout Account",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "All account data will be permanently deleted 60 days after the account is canceled.",
   "supports": "data deletion after 60 days"
  },
  {
   "id": "s9",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/596-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Billing and Plans Guide",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you decide not to use Help Scout in your business within 30 days from your first payment, you may request a full refund.",
   "supports": "the first-payment refund"
  },
  {
   "id": "s10",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1593-contact-based-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Manage Your Contact-based Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you decide not to use Help Scout in your business within 30 days from your first payment, you may request a full refund by emailing us.",
   "supports": "refunds are requested by email"
  },
  {
   "id": "s11",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "such termination shall not terminate or affect Customer's obligation to pay all Fees for the entire Term for Services agreed upon by Customer",
   "supports": "fees for the whole term stay due"
  },
  {
   "id": "s12",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Customer shall not be entitled any refund of prepaid Fees.",
   "supports": "no refund of prepaid fees"
  },
  {
   "id": "s13",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Customer may terminate the Services and this Agreement at any time, for any or no reason, using the 'Your Plan' page.",
   "supports": "cancelling from Your Plan at any time"
  },
  {
   "id": "s14",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Head to Your Plan and toggle Auto-renew annual payment off if you'd like to switch back to monthly billing when your annual credits have been depleted.",
   "supports": "stopping the annual renewal"
  },
  {
   "id": "s15",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/596-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Billing and Plans Guide",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "The Account Owner, Administrators, and any Users that have been given the Manage Account: Billing and plan changes permission are able to view your current plan details",
   "supports": "who can see and manage the plan"
  },
  {
   "id": "s16",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you remove users through the year or downgrade your plan, your credit will last longer than a year.",
   "supports": "removing users stretches annual credit"
  },
  {
   "id": "s17",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Following the Initial Term, Service Plans will automatically renew for successive periods or quantities, as applicable, equal to the Initial Term",
   "supports": "auto-renewal"
  },
  {
   "id": "s18",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "unless either party provides written notice of intent not to renew at least 30-days prior to the expiration date of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term, if any.",
   "supports": "the 30-day non-renewal notice"
  },
  {
   "id": "s19",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "We offer payment by wire or ACH transfer for amounts over $2500 when pre-paying annually.",
   "supports": "annual prepayments by wire or ACH"
  },
  {
   "id": "s20",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1597-free-plan",
   "title": "Help Scout Free Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Free accounts are limited to helping 100 contacts per monthly cycle.",
   "supports": "the free plan contact limit"
  },
  {
   "id": "s21",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1597-free-plan",
   "title": "Help Scout Free Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "You get 1 shared Inbox with up to 5 users.",
   "supports": "free plan inbox and users"
  },
  {
   "id": "s22",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1597-free-plan",
   "title": "Help Scout Free Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "When you reach that limit before your monthly cycle is up, you won't be able to reply to customers",
   "supports": "what happens at the limit"
  },
  {
   "id": "s23",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/596-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Billing and Plans Guide",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "click Plans in the left navigation menu to see the currently available plans, along with the details of what each plan includes.",
   "supports": "where plans are changed"
  },
  {
   "id": "s24",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Paying in advance annually will mean that you receive a 16% discount on the cost per user per month, as well as a discount on some of the add-ons available.",
   "supports": "the annual discount"
  },
  {
   "id": "s25",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Whether you're on the Standard or Plus plan, you can choose to make an annual payment which gives you a discount on the per User per month cost.",
   "supports": "which plans can pay annually"
  },
  {
   "id": "s26",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/596-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Billing and Plans Guide",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "We offer a 10% discount to non-profit organizations, which can be combined with the annual payment discount.",
   "supports": "the non-profit discount"
  },
  {
   "id": "s27",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/596-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Billing and Plans Guide",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "We offer a more significant discount on Help Scout (up to 100%) for organizations that focus on human rights, environmental sustainability, or underrepresentation in tech.",
   "supports": "the larger discount program"
  },
  {
   "id": "s28",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export",
   "title": "Data Export Options",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Reporting data for selected reports (All Channels, Email, Company, and Happiness) is available to be exported right from within Help Scout as either a CSV or XLSX file.",
   "supports": "report exports and formats"
  },
  {
   "id": "s29",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export",
   "title": "Data Export Options",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Exporting data via the API is currently the only means of obtaining data.",
   "supports": "other data needs the API"
  },
  {
   "id": "s30",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export",
   "title": "Data Export Options",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Customer, Help Scout User, and conversation data is available on demand via the Inbox API.",
   "supports": "the Inbox API export"
  },
  {
   "id": "s31",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export",
   "title": "Data Export Options",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "All Docs articles can be obtained using the Docs API.",
   "supports": "the Docs API export"
  },
  {
   "id": "s32",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export",
   "title": "Data Export Options",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "On request, we're able to provide a .CSV file to Help Scout Account Owners containing the names and email addresses of all of your customers.",
   "supports": "the customer list on request"
  },
  {
   "id": "s33",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export",
   "title": "Data Export Options",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "This export does not include conversation history.",
   "supports": "the customer list limit"
  },
  {
   "id": "s34",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "This information can be restored by written request from Customer to Help Scout during the 14 days following the effective date of cancellation.",
   "supports": "the 14-day restore window"
  },
  {
   "id": "s35",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "A cancelled Account cannot be recovered or restored from Help Scout following such 14-day period.",
   "supports": "no recovery after 14 days"
  },
  {
   "id": "s36",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Any cancellation of Customer's Account will result in the deactivation or deletion of Customer Data in the Account.",
   "supports": "cancelling deactivates or deletes data"
  },
  {
   "id": "s37",
   "url": "https://www.helpscout.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/",
   "title": "Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Any notices required or allowed under this Agreement will be provided to Help Scout by postal mail to the address for Help Scout listed on the Platform",
   "supports": "notices, including non-renewal notices, go by postal mail"
  },
  {
   "id": "s38",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Annual payments made by wire transfer or ACH are not eligible for Auto-renew.",
   "supports": "wire or ACH annual payments don't auto-renew"
  },
  {
   "id": "s39",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/1421-about-annual-payments",
   "title": "About Annual Payments",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "you will need to contact our team to arrange a new invoice for payment, or add a credit card to your account to renew.",
   "supports": "what renews a wire or ACH annual payment"
  },
  {
   "id": "s40",
   "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/596-billing-and-plans-guide",
   "title": "Billing and Plans Guide",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Account Owners can grant the Manage billing and plan changes to other user roles, and on the Plus and Pro plans to individual users.",
   "supports": "who can be given billing and plan permissions"
  }
 ],
 "verification": {
  "level": "docs",
  "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
  "by": "stackcut-research",
  "unverified": [
   "Help Scout's pricing page couldn't be checked, so plan prices aren't covered",
   "The help center says data is permanently deleted 60 days after cancelling, while the Terms allow restoring it on written request only within 14 days",
   "Steps for downgrading a paid plan (including to the Free plan), and when a downgrade takes effect, aren't documented beyond Your Plan, Plans",
   "Billing through the iOS or Android apps isn't mentioned, so no app store route is given",
   "The email address for refund requests and Help Scout's postal address for notices aren't printed on the pages read (the Terms point to the address listed on its website)"
  ],
  "review": {
   "by": "stackcut-review",
   "on": "2026-09-29",
   "result": "fixed",
   "notes": [
    "Contract route: notice must go by postal mail per the Terms; method set to letter",
    "Contract route: added that wire/ACH annual payments aren't auto-renewed (a new invoice or a card renews them)",
    "Annual auto-renew route: who can change it is the Account Owner or a user given the billing permission"
   ]
  }
 },
 "delete_account": {
  "url": "https://docs.helpscout.com/article/473-cancel-your-help-scout-account",
  "difficulty": "easy",
  "source": "JustDeleteMe (MIT), https://github.com/jdm-contrib/jdm"
 },
 "stackcut": {
  "vendor_id": "help_scout",
  "name": "Help Scout",
  "recipes": [
   {
    "id": "support-inbox",
    "title": "Small-team support inbox",
    "best_year_one_net": 3060
   }
  ]
 },
 "page": "https://stackcut.io/cancel/help_scout",
 "json": "https://stackcut.io/exits/help_scout.json",
 "evidence": {
  "packet_revision": "4ca76beb2881db0442413f6a6197100a85e1eb8f6229ce58d9bad177b26f6246",
  "docs_checked_on": "2026-09-29",
  "last_observed_success_on": null,
  "verification": "docs",
  "freshness": {
   "as_of": "2026-10-09",
   "status": "current",
   "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
   "age_days": 10,
   "stale_after_days": 30,
   "next_check_on": "2026-10-29"
  },
  "routes": [
   {
    "route_id": "help-scout--direct-web--r1",
    "channel": "direct_web",
    "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
     "age_days": 10,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-10-29"
    }
   },
   {
    "route_id": "help-scout--direct-web--r2",
    "channel": "direct_web",
    "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
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     "next_check_on": "2026-10-29"
    }
   },
   {
    "route_id": "help-scout--sales-contract--r3",
    "channel": "sales_contract",
    "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
     "age_days": 10,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-10-29"
    }
   }
  ]
 },
 "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
 "credit": "Stackcut Exits (https://stackcut.io/cancel), CC BY 4.0"
}