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Intercom alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Intercom: seat fees plus per-resolution AI charges are hard to forecast, and expensive for small teams once add-ons stack up. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Intercom, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Zendesk currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Zendesk logoZendeskPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2Crisp logoCrispFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +34 of 462.6
3Help Scout logoHelp ScoutFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 459.6
4Plain logoPlainPaidNoWeb3 of 357.2
5Chatwoot logoChatwootOpen sourceYesWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 455.3
6Tidio logoTidioFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +24 of 453.6
  1. Zendesk logo

    1. ZendeskTop pick

    Best for: Mid-sized and large support teams that need a configurable, proven help desk

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Intercom

    Deeper ticketing and routing for large, multi-channel support teams.

    Pros

    • Mature ticket routing, SLAs, macros and triggers
    • Very large marketplace of apps and integrations
    • Covers email, chat, voice, help centre and AI in one suite

    Cons

    • Costs climb quickly with Suite tiers and AI add-ons
    • Admin setup and upkeep take real effort
    • Entry plan is thin compared with the Suite
    Visit Zendesk Compare with IntercomDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zendesk a good Intercom alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $19 per agent/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Suite Team
    $55 per agent/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Marketplace
    1,800+ apps, partners and integrations
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Crisp logo

    2. Crisp

    Best for: Startups and small teams that want Intercom-style chat support at a lower cost

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Intercom

    Similar chat-first inbox priced per workspace rather than per seat.

    Pros

    • Per-workspace pricing with seats included
    • Free plan for basic website chat
    • Native apps on every major platform

    Cons

    • Lighter ticketing and reporting than full help desks
    • AI usage is limited by included credits
    • Advanced features need the higher plans
    Visit Crisp Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Crisp a good Intercom alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, free forever
    Checked Oct 25, 2026crisp.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting paid price
    $45/month per workspace
    Checked Oct 25, 2026crisp.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026crisp.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    10,000 companies
    Checked Oct 25, 2026crisp.chat(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Help Scout logo

    3. Help Scout

    Best for: Small and mid-sized teams that want email-style support that feels personal

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Intercom

    Calmer, cheaper help desk with a free plan and simple AI resolution pricing.

    Pros

    • Clean, email-like interface that's quick to learn
    • Free plan for up to five users
    • Knowledge base and chat widget built in

    Cons

    • No native phone channel
    • Less routing and reporting depth than Zendesk
    • Free plan limited to one inbox and one Docs site
    Visit Help Scout Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Help Scout a good Intercom alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    5 users, 1 inbox, 1 Docs site
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helpscout.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard plan
    $25 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helpscout.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Plus plan
    $45 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helpscout.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    100+ tools
    Checked Oct 25, 2026helpscout.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Plain logo

    4. Plain

    Best for: B2B SaaS teams that support customers in Slack and email and want an API-first tool

    PaidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Intercom

    Modern B2B support tool built for API-first and Slack-heavy teams.

    Pros

    • Handles shared Slack channels and email together
    • API-first, with Linear and Jira links
    • Fast, keyboard-driven interface

    Cons

    • Higher entry price than SMB help desks
    • Not built for high-volume consumer support
    • Younger ecosystem
    Visit Plain Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Plain a good Intercom alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $45 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plain.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    7 days, no card required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plain.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Foundation plan
    $55 monthly or $45 annually per user
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plain.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Chatwoot logo

    5. Chatwoot

    Best for: Teams that want an Intercom-style inbox they can self-host and control

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Intercom

    Open-source, self-hostable alternative to the Messenger and shared inbox.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Many channels, including WhatsApp and Telegram
    • Free cloud tier for very small teams

    Cons

    • Thinner reporting and integrations than big suites
    • Self-hosting means managing upgrades yourself
    • Some advanced features are paid enterprise extras
    Visit Chatwoot Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Chatwoot a good Intercom alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026chatwoot.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free cloud plan
    Up to 2 agents
    Checked Oct 25, 2026chatwoot.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid cloud plan
    From $19 per agent/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026chatwoot.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Linux VM, Docker or Kubernetes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026developers.chatwoot.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Tidio logo

    6. Tidio

    Best for: Small online stores that want chat, chatbots and an AI agent in one tool

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Intercom

    Cheaper chat widget and AI bot for small online businesses.

    Pros

    • Lyro AI agent and no-code chatbots built in
    • Strong Shopify and WordPress integrations
    • Free plan after the trial

    Cons

    • Conversation-based pricing gets confusing
    • AI and Flows usage priced separately
    • Lighter ticketing and reporting than full help desks
    Visit Tidio Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Tidio a good Intercom alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $24.17/month for 100 conversations
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tidio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    7 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tidio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, after the trial
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tidio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Browser, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tidio.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Intercom alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Zendesk logo

Best Intercom alternative for most people

Zendesk

Deeper ticketing and routing for large, multi-channel support teams.

Chatwoot logo

Best Intercom alternative for a free option

Chatwoot

Open-source, self-hostable alternative to the Messenger and shared inbox.

Crisp logo

Best Intercom alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Crisp

Similar chat-first inbox priced per workspace rather than per seat.

Chatwoot logo

Best Intercom alternative for open source

Chatwoot

Open-source, self-hostable alternative to the Messenger and shared inbox.

Chatwoot logo

Best Intercom alternative for self-hosting

Chatwoot

Open-source, self-hostable alternative to the Messenger and shared inbox.

Tidio logo

Best Intercom alternative for Mac

Tidio

Cheaper chat widget and AI bot for small online businesses.

Crisp logo

Best Intercom alternative for Windows

Crisp

Similar chat-first inbox priced per workspace rather than per seat.

Crisp logo

Best Intercom alternative for Linux

Crisp

Similar chat-first inbox priced per workspace rather than per seat.

Help Scout logo

Best Intercom alternative for iPhone and Android

Help Scout

Calmer, cheaper help desk with a free plan and simple AI resolution pricing.

Plain logo

Best Intercom alternative for working in the browser

Plain

Modern B2B support tool built for API-first and Slack-heavy teams.

Intercom alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Intercom?

Zendesk ranks first right now. Deeper ticketing and routing for large, multi-channel support teams. Crisp and Help Scout follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Intercom?

Yes. Crisp (free plan + paid), Help Scout (free plan + paid), Chatwoot (open source) and Tidio (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Intercom?

Yes: Chatwoot. Chatwoot can also be self-hosted.

Which Intercom alternatives work on Linux?

Crisp runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Intercom?

The complaints we hear most: seat fees plus per-resolution AI charges are hard to forecast; expensive for small teams once add-ons stack up; less suited to email-heavy, traditional ticket queues.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Intercom, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.