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Intercom vs Zendesk pricing
Intercom and Zendesk are priced per seat, and both bill extra for AI. This page compares their published tiers and AI charges using StackScope's help desk report, last verified October 2026.
Zendesk is cheaper at every published tier: its Support Team is $19 per agent ($25 billed monthly), Suite Team is $55 ($69 monthly) and Suite Professional is $115 ($149 monthly), against Intercom's Essential at $29 per seat ($39 monthly), Advanced at $85 ($99 monthly) and Expert at $132 ($139 monthly). The tier names don't map exactly. Both bill AI on top of seats: Intercom's Fin charges $0.99 per outcome and its Copilot adds $29 per agent per month billed annually, while Zendesk's AI Agents charge $1.50 per committed resolution or $2.00 pay-as-you-go beyond a monthly allowance, and its Copilot is $50 per agent per month. Neither has a free plan, only a 14-day trial with no card required.
| Tool | Free plan | Entry tier | Mid tier | Highest public price | Aggregated sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercom | No free plan14-day free trial only, no card required | $29/seatEssential · $39/mo billed monthly | $85/seatAdvanced · $99/mo billed monthly | $132/seatExpert · $139/mo billed monthly | Catch: the seat price isn't the real price. Strong marks for its live-chat UI and the Fin AI agent's conversational resolution. Fin bills $0.99 per outcome on top of seats — the most repeated complaint across every source. Copilot adds $29/agent/month (billed annually) or $35 monthly, and Pro / Proactive Support Plus modules run $99/month each; the total bill is genuinely hard to predict in advance. |
| Zendesk | No free planSupport Team is the entry paid tier · 14-day free trial, no card required | $19/agentSupport Team · $25/mo billed monthly | $55/agentSuite Team · $69/mo billed monthly | $115/agentSuite Professional · $149/mo billed monthly · Enterprise is sales-led, not publicly posted | Catch: add-ons add up fast. Praised for deep omnichannel workflows, granular automation, and reporting (Explore). AI Agents are included but billed per automated resolution beyond a limited monthly allowance — $1.50 per committed resolution, $2.00 pay-as-you-go. Copilot is a separate $50/agent/month add-on (billed annually); stacking these pushes the real bill well past the sticker price. |
Figures are aggregated from vendor pricing pages and independent third-party pricing research as of October 2026 and reflect published list prices. This page shows two of the four tools in the full Help Desk Software report, which carries the complete footnotes and every source conflict we flagged. Confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing. This is not a recommendation to buy any specific product.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Zendesk cheaper than Intercom?
At every published tier, yes: Zendesk is $19, $55 and $115 per agent against Intercom's $29, $85 and $132 per seat, on the billing basis shown. The tiers don't map one-to-one, so check what each includes.
How do Intercom and Zendesk charge for AI?
Intercom's Fin bills $0.99 per outcome on top of seats, and its Copilot adds $29 per agent per month billed annually. Zendesk's AI Agents bill $1.50 per committed resolution or $2.00 pay-as-you-go beyond a limited monthly allowance, and its Copilot is $50 per agent per month.
Do Intercom and Zendesk have free plans?
Neither. Both offer a 14-day free trial with no card required.
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Vendor pricing: Intercom pricing · Zendesk pricing