To me help out can be used as indirect verb and direct verb. A person or a thing can "help". But, only a person can "help out". You never really need to use "help out".

Not really. Help out is just more colloquial. It's also a little more confusing grammatically. The direct object goes before the word out, like "He helped Sam out with his homework."

I see "to help out" as being merely an informal, colloquial way of saying "to help" if not used with an infinitive. I help at my uncle's store. = I help out at my uncle's store. I need $5. Can you help me out? = I need $5. Can you help me? She needed help and I helped her out. = She needed help and I helped her. Can you help me to move to my new apartment. / OK Can you help me out to move to my new apartment. / incorrect She helped him to study for the exam. / OK She helped him out to study for the exam. / incorrect

The phrasal verb "help out" is a synonym of the verb "help". As a phrasal verb, "help out" carries some differences in its usage. For example, I might say "tomorrow I will help you out painting the barn". Otherwise, I would say "tomorrow I will help you paint the barn".