Free customer support tools for early-stage startups verified October 2026: Help Scout Free (5 users), tawk.to (unlimited, branded), Zoho Desk Free (3 agents), Crisp, Tidio, HubSpot Service Hub, Chatwoot (MIT), FreeScout, osTicket; Intercom Early Stage (93% off) and Zendesk for Startups — agent and volume caps, channels, branding, eligibility. Freshdesk free unresolved; Front, Hiver, Groove excluded.




