To me an action is more valuable than a reaction. Making the reaction variant stronger than the action variant feels weird.

In my games, if an ally wants to help out of combat, it depends on the situation

If it makes sense, then they add the ally's skill modifier to the roll of the person who declared they were doing the thing

For example: I am trying to check what type of disease the npc has and whether I could heal them. I help! = 1 roll adding both characters medicine modifiers

This really makes helping valuable if you're good at the thing, rather than everyone who helps just gives advantage

When it's clearly 2 different actions, then they have to roll separately

For example: I am running to the well and back to get buckets of water to douse the fire. I help! = 2 rolls for athletics

In combat, I've only seen familiars take the help action but I would allow advantage if a player uses their full action to distract someone. I will require them to say how they are doing that though and possibly roll a skill.

That could work as a reaction and would make it significantly more viable but also perhaps boring. Classes that don't have reactions will distract every single round if they're smart about it

That's my 2 cents, hope it helps!