HelpSmith

Name: HelpSmith
Price: 199 USD

Windows

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Freedom report

One barScore 5.0

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely1 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

HelpSmith is ranked #20 of 27 in help authoring tools on Freedom251. It runs on Windows. There is no free plan. A free trial is offered.

HelpSmith plans and pricing

All plans

Standard $199 once One-time license fee Per-seat license for local PC installation · free minor version upgrades · free major upgrades within one year · unlimited technical support helpsmith.com · 5 Oct 2026

Professional $299 once One-time license fee Per-seat license for local PC installation · free minor version upgrades · free major upgrades within one year · unlimited technical support helpsmith.com · 5 Oct 2026

Ultimate $399 once One-time license fee Per-seat license for local PC installation · free minor version upgrades · free major upgrades within one year · unlimited technical support helpsmith.com · 5 Oct 2026

Compared on help authoring tools

Free plan: No
Authoring model: desktop
Single-sourcing: Yes
Version control: Yes
Translation support: Yes
Review workflows: Yes
Publishing outputs: CHM, Web Help, printed manual, PDF, Microsoft Word, ePub, Markdown

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The record

Purpose: HelpSmith is an XML-based help authoring tool for creating CHM Help, Web Help, printed manuals, PDF, Word, ePub, and Markdown documentation from a single source.
Web Help: Its Web Help output has a responsive layout for desktop computers and mobile devices.
Content editor: The built-in word processor provides dynamic styles, a spell checker, and Unicode support.
Import: HelpSmith can import content from HTML, Word, CHM, and other formats.
Conditional publishing: Build tags and conditional compilation let authors produce different versions of the same help file for multiple audiences.
Screenshots: The built-in Image Tool captures screenshots and supports annotations, clickable hotspots, and control annotations for UI elements.
Integrations: Help files and Web Help can integrate with applications or websites, and exported topic lists can be used in header files compatible with C#, VB.NET, Delphi, C++, and MS Office VBA.
Teamwork: The Ultimate Edition supports an unpacked XML project format that can be used with version control systems such as GitHub and Subversion and with external translation tools.
Support: Technical and ordering questions are handled through support tickets in the online Help Center.
License terms: A purchased license has no time limit for use with the corresponding HelpSmith version; minor-version upgrades are free, and major-version upgrades are free within one year of the order date.
Windows requirements: The download page lists Windows 11/10/8/7, a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, and 150 MB free disk space as system requirements.
Evaluation: The maker offers a free evaluation download and says purchased licenses eliminate the evaluation version's restrictions.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Help Authoring Tools in 2026#20 of 27

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Sources

helpsmith.com· checked 5 Oct 2026
helpsmith.com/help-authoring-tool.php· checked 5 Oct 2026
helpsmith.com/support.php· checked 5 Oct 2026
helpsmith.com/buynow.php· checked 5 Oct 2026
helpsmith.com/download.php· checked 5 Oct 2026