Zendesk vs Intercom
Zendesk and Intercom side by side: what each one is, what it costs to start, and whether you can try it free. Everything below comes from the vendors' own sites and other public sources, not from hands-on testing.
At a glance
| Zendesk | Intercom | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Customer Support & Chatbots | Customer Support & Chatbots |
| Starting price | $19/mo (checked October 2026) | $29/mo (checked October 2026) |
| Free tier | Not listed | Not listed |
| Profile | Read profile | Read profile |
Prices are in US dollars unless shown otherwise. Confirm the current price on the vendor's site before you buy.
Key differences
Neither lists a free tier, so expect to pay to use either one.
Zendesk has the lower starting price ($19/mo against $29/mo for Intercom). The cheapest plan rarely has the same limits or features, so compare plans before choosing on price.
Both are in our Customer Support & Chatbots category.
About each tool
Zendesk
Customer service platform with ticketing, multichannel messaging, AI agents billed per automated resolution, and a Copilot add-on for agents. 14-day trial.
Strengths
- 14-day free trial
- AI agents are included in Suite and Support plans and are billed per automated resolution
- AI agents list support for 80 languages across messaging, email and voice
- Zendesk's marketplace lists more than 1,800 apps and integrations
- Each plan includes some automated resolutions: 5 per agent per month on Support Team and Suite Team, 10 on Suite Professional
Limitations
- Support Team has no messaging or live chat, no telephony and no skills-based routing
- AI agent use beyond the included allowance costs $1.50 per automated resolution on committed volume, or $2.00 pay-as-you-go
- Copilot is a separate add-on at $50 per agent per month, available on Professional and higher plans
- Suite Enterprise pricing is not published
Intercom
Customer service platform with a shared inbox and help center, plus Fin, an AI agent for chat and email billed per outcome. Per-seat plans; 14-day free trial.
Strengths
- 14-day free trial with no credit card required
- Live chat, support email and in-app chats are listed as free and unlimited on all plans
- Fin can be used on an existing helpdesk, with no seat costs and no platform or setup fees
- No minimum seat count, and annual billing is available on all plans
- A monthly outcome limit can be set to cap Fin spending
Limitations
- Pricing is per seat; Essential has no Lite seats, and the workflow builder and round-robin assignment start at Advanced
- Intercom's own pages disagree on some figures, including Expert monthly billing and add-on prices
