Intercom

Intercom

Help desk by Intercom

Conversational support platform built around its Fin AI agent

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Pricing
$29/seat/mo
Free options
Free trial
Deployment
Android, Cloud / SaaS, iOS
Popular with
Financial services, Retail and ecommerce

About Intercom

Intercom started as a website messenger and has grown into a customer service platform centred on conversations. Agents work a shared inbox, customers reach out through an on-site messenger or email, and the Fin AI agent can answer questions from your help content before a human steps in.

Pricing is seat-based with an additional charge per AI outcome: Fin is billed at $0.99 per resolution, which makes spend track usage but harder to cap. Intercom suits SaaS and product-led companies that want support, in-app messaging and onboarding in a single conversational layer.

Before committing, forecast the variable part of the bill. Estimate how many conversations Fin could resolve on its own, multiply by the per-resolution fee, then add seats. That total is a better comparison point with Zendesk or Freshdesk than the seat price alone, and it shows whether automation will lower or raise your cost per ticket.

At a glance, Intercom offers Shared inbox, Fin AI agent, Messenger, Copilot for agents, Help center and more. It is best suited to saaS and product-led teams that want support and messaging together, and a weaker fit for teams on a tight, predictable budget. Published plans are summarised in the pricing section below, and prices should be confirmed on the vendor site before purchase.

Popular with: Financial servicesRetail and ecommerceSoftware and IT

Features

Integrations

SalesforceSlackJiraHubSpotShopifyStripeZapier

Pricing

Essential

$29/seat/mo

Billed annually, $39 monthly

Advanced

$85/seat/mo

Billed annually, $99 monthly

Expert

$132/seat/mo

Billed annually, $139 monthly

Pricing verified October 2026 against the vendor pricing page. Check the vendor for current pricing. How we evaluate software.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Strong conversational UX for customers and agents
  • Fin AI agent resolves common questions automatically
  • In-app messaging and onboarding in one tool
  • Polished reporting on conversations and AI performance

Cons

  • Per-resolution AI pricing makes costs variable
  • Seat prices climb on higher tiers
  • Overkill for teams that only need a basic inbox

Frequently asked questions

How much does Intercom cost?

Our guide checked on 18 Oct 2026 lists Essential at $29, Advanced at $85 and Expert at $132 per seat per month on annual billing.

How is Fin AI priced?

Fin is listed at $0.99 per resolution and $9.99 per sales qualification outcome.

Does Intercom offer a free trial?

Yes, a 14-day trial is listed.

What is Intercom Copilot?

An AI assistant for agents, listed at $29 per month on annual billing or $35 monthly.

What are the best alternatives to Intercom?

Popular alternatives covered on PreferWise include Zendesk, Freshdesk and Zoho Desk. Which fits best depends on team size, channels and budget, so compare them side by side before you decide.

Who should not use Intercom?

Teams on a tight, predictable budget. If that describes you, compare Intercom with alternatives before committing.

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Intercom vs Chatwoot

IntercomChatwoot
Starting price$29/seat/mo$0/mo
Free versionNoYes
Free trialYesYes
DeploymentAndroid, Cloud / SaaS, iOSAndroid, Cloud / SaaS, iOS, On-premise
Best forSaaS and product-led teams that want support and messaging togetherTechnical teams that want an open-source, self-hosted support tool
Not ideal forTeams on a tight, predictable budgetTeams without engineering support

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