Updated May 20, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Intercom 2026: Benefits, Features & Pricing
Written by Molly Burke
Senior Specialist Analyst
Edited by Caroline Rousseau
Senior Editor
Wondering if Intercom is right for your organization?
Our Live Chat Software selection experts can help you in 15 minutes or less.
- Our Summary
- Pricing and Plans
- Features
- Integrations
- Key Sentiments
- User Reviews
- Frequently Asked Questions
Our Summary
Pros:
- Integration capabilities
- Live chat feature
Cons:
- High pricing
- Limited customization
Pricing
Starting at $39.00 per month
What is Intercom:
Intercom is a customer communication platform featuring live chat widgets, email campaigns, and chatbots. It centralizes conversations from initial prospect interaction to ongoing support, integrating with third-party tools to improve customer engagement across multiple channels.
Why we like Intercom:
Featured in Software Advice's FrontRunners list of top live chat software, Intercom excels in live chat capabilities, mobile optimization, and email campaign management. Users value its real-time conversation tools while appreciating how it balances automated support with human interaction.
Who should use Intercom:
Intercom is often used by small to midsize businesses, with 74% of reviewers having two to 200 employees. It's ideal for companies enhancing customer engagement across marketing, sales, and support. Software businesses in particular say they benefit from its user onboarding and in-app support features.
Intercom Screenshots

Intercom Overview
Intercom is the only complete Customer Service solution that provides a seamless customer experience across automation and human support, delivering increased customer satisfaction while reducing costs. We're building a future where most customer conversations are successfully resolved without needing human support, freeing up your team to work on higher value customer conversations.
Intercom's key features include the Fin AI Agent. This agent uses the company's knowledge base to generate accurate answers, communicate in the brand's tone, and take actions on behalf of cust...
omers. The platform also offers an AI-enhanced Inbox to maximize agent productivity, a Copilot AI assistant to provide instant support for agents, and optimized Tickets to help them resolve complex issues efficiently. Additionally, for support leaders, Intercom provides AI Insights and Reporting tools, as well as no-code workflow automation to empower their teams.Intercom Pricing and Plans
Essential
$39.00
Plan includes:
- Basic Chatbots and Automations
- Fin AI Compose
- Ticketing System
- Public Help Center
- Live Chat
- Inbound Email
- Custom Objects
- Custom Events
- Pre-Built Reports
- Shared Inbox
Advanced
$99.00
Plan includes:
- Fin AI Summarize
- Workflows for advanced automations
- Workflows for Fin
- Additional apps and integrations: Slack, Salesforce, Marketo and more
- Multiple Team Inboxes
- Custom Reports
- Side Conversations
- Multilingual Help Center
- Conversation Topics
- Round Robin Assignment
Expert
$139.00
Plan includes:
- HIPAA support
- Real Time Reporting
- Multibrand Messenger
- Custom Roles
- Custom Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
- Increased Extended API Limit
- SSO & Identity Management
Proactive Support Plus add-on
$99.00
Plan includes:
- Posts
- Push Notifications
- Product Tours
- Surveys
- Series
- Checklists
- News
- A/B Testing
- Webhooks
- Versioning
The Early Stage program
$65.00
Plan includes:
- Fin AI Summarize
- Additional apps and integrations: Slack, Salesforce, Marketo and more
- Multiple Team Inboxes
- Conversation Topics
- Round Robin Assignment
- Side Conversations
- Multilingual Help Center
- Workflows For Advanced Automations
- Custome Reports

Confused about pricing? We've got you covered.
Get a personalized pricing breakdown tailored to your specific needs—no guesswork, no generic estimates.
Our Analysis of Intercom's Pricing Plans
We've conducted a thorough examination of Intercom's pricing plans to help you determine which option best aligns with your customer service needs and budget constraints. We've also outlined the key advantages and limitations of each plan. Intercom offers three main pricing tiers: Essential, Advanced, and Expert plans, along with additional add-ons and special pricing for startups. Each plan is designed to cater to different business sizes a...
nd support requirements, and understanding the nuances of each is crucial for making an informed decision. **Essential plan** The Essential plan serves as Intercom's entry-level offering, designed for individuals, startups, and small businesses looking to establish effective customer communication channels. Priced at $29 per seat per month when billed annually (or $39 per seat per month when billed monthly), this plan provides fundamental customer engagement tools including a shared inbox, inbox views, AI-powered assistance, and multiple communication channels. **Pros:** - **Robust AI support:** Includes both Fin AI Agent and Fin AI Copilot to automate responses and assist support teams. - **Multi-channel communication:** Combines live chat, email, and in-app messaging—unlimited and included by default. - **Proactive engagement tools:** Features like banners and tooltips help guide users and improve overall experience. **Cons:** - **Limited workflow automation:** Lacks advanced automation options for more complex support processes. - **Basic internal collaboration:** Missing features for agent-to-agent coordination, which may affect larger teams. - **Constrained customization:** Fewer options for tailoring the interface and functionality to unique business needs. **Advanced plan** The Advanced plan is tailored for growing support teams that need more sophisticated tools to manage increasing customer inquiries efficiently. At $85 per seat per month when billed annually (or $99 per seat per month when billed monthly), this plan builds upon the Essential Plan with enhanced automation capabilities and more advanced AI features to improve team productivity and customer satisfaction. **Pros:** - **Stronger automation:** More robust tools for handling routine inquiries and streamlining support workflows. - **Advanced AI features:** Improves response accuracy and efficiency with enhanced AI capabilities. - **Built for scale:** Infrastructure supports growing teams and increasing customer demands. **Cons:** - **Notably higher cost:** A significant jump from the Essential plan, which may be tough for smaller teams. - **Steeper learning curve:** Advanced functionality may require additional training and onboarding time. - **Lacks some enterprise tools:** Missing certain collaboration and security features larger organizations may expect. **Expert plan** The Expert plan is Intercom's premium offering, designed for large support teams with complex requirements. Priced at $132 per seat per month when billed annually (or $139 per seat per month when billed monthly), this comprehensive plan includes all features from the Advanced plan plus sophisticated collaboration tools, enhanced security features, and multibrand support capabilities. **Pros:** - **Robust collaboration tools:** Enables efficient teamwork with features designed for large, multi-agent support teams. - **Advanced security:** Offers enhanced protections for sensitive customer data and communications. - **Multibrand support:** Improves service management across multiple brands within a single platform. **Cons:** - **Premium pricing:** As the highest-priced plan, it may be out of reach for smaller organizations. - **Complex feature set:** The breadth of capabilities can be overwhelming or underused by leaner teams. - **Resource demands:** Requires dedicated admin oversight to fully implement and maintain advanced features. **Extra Features and Programs** In addition to its three core pricing tiers, Intercom offers several add-ons and alternative pricing options to help businesses tailor the platform to their needs: **Proactive Support Plus ($99 per month for 500 messages):** This optional add-on expands proactive engagement capabilities and can be added to any plan. It uses a usage-based model based on the number of messages sent and is designed to help businesses reach out to customers before issues arise. **Pay-As-You-Go channels:** Businesses can also enable additional communication channels—including SMS, WhatsApp, phone support, and email campaigns—without upgrading to a higher plan. This flexible model allows teams to scale communication based on usage, offering cost control and channel-specific customization. **Intercom for Startups:** Eligible early-stage startups can apply for discounted pricing through Intercom’s startup program. The offer includes a 90% discount in year one (just $65/month), followed by 50% off in year two and 25% off in year three, providing access to powerful tools at a startup-friendly rate. **Conclusion** After analyzing Intercom’s pricing structure, it’s clear the platform offers flexible options designed to support businesses at various stages of growth and with differing customer service needs. **For individuals, startups, and small businesses:** The Essential plan provides a solid foundation with AI-powered tools, a shared inbox, and multi-channel support. Priced at $29 per seat per month (billed annually), it offers strong value for teams with basic support requirements. Eligible startups may also benefit from the Intercom for Startups program, which offers steep discounts as they scale. **For growing support teams:** The Advanced plan balances cost and capability. At $85 per seat per month (billed annually), it adds more powerful automation and AI features that help teams manage increasing inquiry volume and boost efficiency—ideal for businesses expanding their customer support operations. **For large, complex organizations:** The Expert plan delivers enterprise-grade functionality at $132 per seat per month (billed annually). With features like advanced collaboration tools, security enhancements, and multibrand support, it’s well-suited for teams supporting high volumes across multiple brands or regions. Intercom also offers optional add-ons such as Proactive Support Plus and pay-as-you-go communication channels, allowing businesses to customize their setup based on specific needs without committing to bundled features they may not use. When evaluating which plan to choose, organizations should consider their current support volume, team size, feature requirements, and projected growth. Aligning these factors with the appropriate tier—and optional add-ons—can help optimize support performance while staying cost-efficient. Flexible monthly or annual billing options also make it easier to manage budgets, with savings available for long-term commitments.Compare Pricing
Compare pricing across our most frequently recommended Live Chat products.
recommendations
recommendations
recommendations
*Defined as the price above any available free plan
Intercom Features
Drawn from insights across 1129 verified reviews, we've outlined Intercom's best and worst rated features and how they stack up against the average rating.
Intercom's Best Rated Features
Customizable Fields
4.01 category average
Communication Management
4.57 category average
Live Chat
4.31 category average
Intercom's Worst Rated Features
Campaign Management
3.71 category average
Third-Party Integrations
4.08 category average
Email Marketing
3.58 category average
- Popular features found in Live ChatAutorespondersCanned ResponsesChat/MessagingFile SharingMobile AccessMulti-Channel CommunicationReal-Time NotificationsSupport Ticket ManagementThird-Party IntegrationsTranscripts/Chat HistoryTransfers/Routing
- More features of Intercom2-Way MessagingA/B TestingAccess Controls/PermissionsActivity DashboardActivity TrackingAI CopilotAI/Machine LearningAlerts/EscalationAlerts/NotificationsAnalyticsAPIAppointment ManagementAsynchronous LearningAudience TargetingAutomated ResponsesAutomated RoutingBatch CommunicationsBehavior TrackingBlended LearningCampaign AnalyticsCampaign ManagementCampaign SchedulingCampaign SegmentationCAN-SPAM ComplianceCatalog ManagementCES Survey StructureChatbotClick TrackingClient ManagementCode-free DevelopmentCollaboration ToolsCommunication ManagementConfigurable WorkflowContact DatabaseContact ManagementContextual GuidanceCRMCSAT Survey StructureCustomer CommunicationCustomer DatabaseCustomer Experience ManagementCustomer HistoryCustomer Journey MappingCustomer SegmentationCustomer Service AnalyticsCustomer SupportCustomer SurveysCustomizable BrandingCustomizable CTAsCustomizable FieldsCustomizable FormsCustomizable ReportsCustomizable TemplatesDashboardData Import/ExportData SynchronizationData VisualizationDrag & DropDrag & Drop EditorDrip CampaignsDynamic ContentEmail AutomationEmail Campaign ManagementEmail ManagementEmail MarketingEmail TemplatesEmail TrackingEmployee OnboardingEngagement TrackingEvent Triggered ActionsFeedback ManagementFor Sales/MarketingFor StartupsGeotargetingHelp Desk ManagementHuman HandoverIn-App TrainingInbox ManagementIncident ManagementInteraction TrackingInteractive ContentKnowledge Base ManagementKnowledge ManagementLanguage DetectionLead CaptureLead DistributionLead GenerationLead ManagementLead NurturingLead QualificationLead SegmentationLead Verification/ValidationList ManagementLive ChatMacros/Templated ResponsesMarketing AutomationMass TextingMessage PersonalizationMobile AppMobile OptimizationMonitoringMulti-CampaignMulti-Channel Data CollectionMulti-Channel MarketingMulti-LanguageNatural Language ProcessingNegative Feedback ManagementNPS Survey StructureOffline FormOn-Demand CommunicationsOne-to-One MessagingPerformance MetricsPersonalizationPre-Configured BotPrioritizationProactive ChatProcess/Workflow AutomationProgress TrackingProspecting ToolsQuery SuggestionsQueue ManagementReal-Time AnalyticsReal-Time ChatReal-time Consumer-facing ChatReal-time ConversationsReal-Time DataReal-Time MonitoringReal-Time ReportingReporting/AnalyticsReporting & StatisticsROI TrackingRole-Based PermissionsScreen SharingSearch/FilterSegmentationSelf-paced LearningSelf Service PortalSelf Service ToolsSentiment AnalysisService Level Agreement (SLA) ManagementSingle Sign OnSMS MarketingSMS MessagingSocial Media IntegrationSSL SecuritySubscriber ManagementSurvey/Poll ManagementSurveys & FeedbackTaggingTask ManagementTemplate ManagementTemplatesText AnalysisText EditingTicket ManagementUser ManagementUser OnboardingVisual AnalyticsWebsite IntegrationWebsite Visitor TrackingWorkflow ManagementWYSIWYG Editor
Intercom Integrations
Based on 1129 verified reviews, we've identified products most frequently integrated with Intercom.
Eduardo Raad
CEO
Used for more than 2 years
Reviewed May 2022
"We receive important issue notifications via Slack (an unhappy customer just sent a message)"
See all 118 integrations
Intercom Key Sentiments
We analyzed 1129 verified reviews for Intercom to find out what actual users really think.
Most Positive Sentiments
Customer engagement
Users value Intercom’s tools for driving proactive customer engagement across the entire lifecycle. They highlight features like onboarding flows, announcements, and automated messaging that help reduce churn and strengthen customer relationships. Detailed analytics and reporting also help track behavioral patterns and optimize engagement strategies.
Customer chat support
Users praise Intercom’s real-time chat capabilities for delivering responsive, personalized support. They find it especially useful for resolving customer issues quickly, managing conversations efficiently, and integrating with help desk tools. The platform’s ability to improve support workflows and maintain clear communication history improves overall satisfaction for support teams and end users alike.
Team collaboration
Users appreciate Intercom for enhancing team workflows, managing customer support, and facilitating team collaboration. They find it useful for connecting with customers, sharing information, and working together on support tasks. Additionally, users value the ability to add team members, assign tasks, and use shared inboxes for efficient communication.
Least Positive Sentiments
Messaging
Users value Intercom’s ability to automate messaging workflows, segment audiences, and integrate notifications with tools like Slack. The in-app messaging feature is appreciated for its targeting capabilities, especially in marketing or onboarding scenarios. However, some users report issues with delayed delivery and limited customization, which can hinder message relevance and timely responses.
Customer response efficiency
Users commend Intercom for its quick response times, mobile app support, and automated replies, which help maintain customer satisfaction. They find the platform effective for providing instant responses and managing customer inquiries efficiently. However, some users face issues with response efficiency, delayed replies, and customer frustration due to slow response times and automated reply limitations.
Email marketing
Users find Intercom useful for managing email campaigns, segmenting customer lists, and automating email marketing tasks. They appreciate the multichannel messaging capabilities and the ease of creating email templates. However, users encounter challenges with email formatting, setting up campaigns, and the lack of advanced email marketing features, which can limit their marketing efforts.
Intercom User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
Ratings Breakdown
5
65%
4
25%
3
7%
2
1%
1
2%
Secondary Ratings
Ease of Use
4.4
Value for money
4.0
Customer support
4.3
Functionality
4.4
Computer Software
51-200 employees
Used weekly for more than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed July 2025
Great for the enterprise
5
Ratings Breakdown
Read More
Events Services
11-50 employees
Used daily for less than 6 months
Review sourceReviewed February 2025
Best in class support solution
5
I have been extremely impressed with the functionality within Intercom and how it can support our SaaS business. Whilst pricing can be seen as slightly high, you do get what you pay for.
Ratings Breakdown
Reasons for switching to Intercom
Limited functionality and ongoing support issues.
Read More
Fernando P.
Verified reviewer
Information Technology and Services
11-50 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed December 2019
Best software for proving support
5
Coundn't be better. Today I cannot imagine our daily support activies without this software.
Ratings Breakdown
Read More
Roldan T.
Verified reviewer
Airlines/ Aviation
1001-5000 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed December 2025
Nexus - the central connection
5
Magnifico!!! This is all I can say. Truly amazing tools. What more can I say? It is absolutely perfect.
Ratings Breakdown
Read More
Mathieu G.
Verified reviewer
Accounting
2-10 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed September 2024
Really good but expensive
5
Good interface, quick search, easy to use for all the team
Ratings Breakdown
Reasons for choosing Intercom
We use Intercom before Crisp. I prefer Intercom GUI. All our database and help desk exists in Intercom. Don't want spend time to switch from Intercom to Crisp. But Crisp is really a good service and really less expensive
Vendor Response
Darragh here, I'm CTO at Intercom. We made some big mistakes on pricing historically and I'm really sorry to hear they've faced you. While some people will opt for very cheap or free point solutions, our product is incredibly broad, capable, and robust, and we've restructured our pricing to be very accessible for small companies, with plans starting at as little as 29$ / month, and a very generous program for early stage companies to use all the power of Intercom with significant discounts. It sounds like you're suffering one of our old models - I'd love to see whether we can make some changes to your plan that solve your issues? Please let me know at darragh@intercom.com and I'll make sure you get sorted.
Replied September 2024
Read More
Cyrus C.
Verified reviewer
Computer Software
11-50 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed March 2025
Powerful tool that annoys customers
3
Intercom is a very well made tool with lots of capabilities, but we often found it just set us up for failure as our customers would be upset by the time they asked for a real person. It was counterintuitive and not worth the price.
Ratings Breakdown
Reasons for switching to Intercom
We made the switch from ChatSpot to Intercom because we needed something that could run itself and save us time from talking to customers. However, we are going back to ChatSpot because we have happier customers that way.
Vendor Response
Hey Cyrus, Bobby here, I lead the CS team at Intercom. I’m not fully following your feedback. Our AI Agent Fin can resolve 50%+ of questions instantly, and easily hand over to your team the rest. If it wasn’t working well for you or your customers we’d love to help you. Feel free to email me at Robert.stapleton@intercom.io if you want! Thanks
Replied April 2025
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Allison M.
Verified reviewer
Real Estate
51-200 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed August 2024
Great product if you don't mind the pay per hit pricing structure.
3
Support was very responsive and helpful. The platform itself was great. Unfortunately it just didn't make sense to continue paying a premium for a platform that was so challenging to actually deploy (specifically communication features) due to the pricing structure.
Ratings Breakdown
Reasons for choosing Intercom
There were a few key features that Intercom had that the others did not. Intercom was the most built out from a "no code" perspective whereas several of the others required some experience in HTML/CSS to really maximize their platforms.
Vendor Response
Hi Allison, Declan here - I'm VP of Customer Support at Intercom. I'm sorry to hear about the challenges you've faced with our pricing structure. We made major relaunches on pricing last year, and it sounds like you might still be on a legacy plan. I'd love to chat about this further with you and see if we can make some changes to your plan. If you're open to chatting you can email me at declan.ivory@intercom.io. Thanks!
Replied August 2024
Read More

Victor D.
Verified reviewer
Marketing and Advertising
11-50 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed August 2025
Mastering Intercom helps to master your customer support!
5
There's a learning curve when trying to set up Intercom, but the support team is helpful (yes, [sensitive content hidden] is helpful too). Feedback is heard and new features enhance usability (shortcuts FTW).
Ratings Breakdown
Read More

DAVIS O.
Verified reviewer
Information Technology and Services
1001-5000 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed August 2025
Intercom is Incredible!!
5
The live chat is fast and responsive, and the ability to see user activity in real time adds a layer of context that makes support feel proactive rather than reactive.
Ratings Breakdown
Read More
Tomi P.
Verified reviewer
Information Technology and Services
11-50 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
Review sourceReviewed November 2025
Chief Growth Officer
5
We have been using Intercom for years and are planning to increase the usage. We basically use Intercom for all the customer data and customer comms.
Ratings Breakdown
Read More
Intercom FAQs
- Does Intercom have AI?
Yes, Intercom offers AI capabilities through Fin AI Agent and Fin AI Copilot. These tools automate customer support with intelligent chatbots and assist human agents in drafting replies. The AI resolves routine inquiries, references help articles, and learns from interactions, with pricing at $0.99 per resolution after the initial free allotment.
- Is there a free version of Intercom?
Intercom doesn't offer a permanent free version, but it provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. They offer special pricing for eligible startups through their Early Stage program. Standard plans start at $29 per month per user (billed annually), with pricing based on your chosen tier, team size, and any additional features you select.
- Does Intercom have an API?
Yes, Intercom provides a comprehensive REST API for retrieving and updating information from your Intercom account or integrating Intercom into your products. The API supports customization for specific business needs, with region-specific endpoints in the United States, European Union and Australia. Developers can use it to build custom integrations or automate workflows between Intercom and other tools.
- Can you use Intercom as a CRM?
While Intercom isn't a traditional CRM, it offers many CRM-like capabilities for managing customer relationships. You can track interactions, store contact information, segment users, and maintain conversation histories. For robust CRM functionality, Intercom integrates with dedicated CRM platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot, allowing data to flow between systems.
- Is Intercom open source?
No, Intercom is not open source software. It's a proprietary platform developed by Intercom Inc. However, it offers extensive customization through its API and integration with over 300 third-party applications. This allows businesses to extend functionality while maintaining the reliability and security of a professionally supported commercial product.
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