The best Intercom Fin alternatives in 2026
Prices checked on each vendor’s pricing page on 1 October 2026. USD, before tax.
What are the best Intercom Fin alternatives?
Good Intercom Fin alternatives for small businesses are SpideyChat (flat $9.99/mo, free plan), Tidio (live chat plus Lyro AI), Help Scout ($0.75 per AI resolution), Crisp (flat per-workspace pricing), Chatbase (from $40/mo), Freshchat (free seats, AI sold per session) and Zendesk (for larger support teams). The main difference from Fin is how AI is billed: per resolution, per session, or flat.
Why people look for a Intercom Fin alternative
Fin, formerly Intercom, charges $0.99 for every outcome on top of a helpdesk seat that starts at $29 a month on annual billing, so the bill rises with every conversation the AI handles. Salesforce completed its acquisition of Fin in September 2026 and plans to fold it into Agentforce, which has many small teams reviewing their options.
- Free plan
- No: 14-day trial
- Starts at
- $0.99 per outcome plus seats from $29/mo (annual)
- Billed by
- Per outcome, plus per seat
Intercom Fin alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Starts at | Billed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpideyChat | Small businesses that want a website assistant with lead capture at a flat price | Yes: 1 assistant, about 375 replies a month, no card | $9.99/mo (Starter); Pro $29.99/mo | Flat monthly plan with a fixed reply allowance |
| Tidio | Small shops that want human live chat with an AI add-on | Yes: 50 conversations a month; 50 Lyro AI conversations for the life of the account | $29/mo ($24.17/mo yearly); Lyro AI from $39/mo for 50 AI conversations | Conversations, with AI conversations as a separate meter |
| Help Scout | Email-first support teams that want a calm shared inbox | Yes: 5 users, 1 inbox | $25/user/mo; AI Answers $0.75 per resolution | Per user, plus per AI resolution |
| Crisp | Teams that want a shared inbox with AI, priced per workspace | Yes: 2 seats, no AI credits | $45/mo per workspace (Mini, about 90 automated conversations) | Flat per workspace plus included AI credits |
| Chatbase | Teams that want a well-known train-on-your-data agent with many channels | Yes: 50 message credits a month | $40/mo (Hobby) | Message credits |
| Freshchat | Teams that want free seats to start | Yes: up to 10 agents, without the AI agent | $19/agent/mo (annual); Freddy AI Agent $49 per 100 sessions | Per agent, plus AI sessions |
| Zendesk | Larger support teams that want a full suite | No | $55/agent/mo (Suite Team, annual); AI resolutions $1.50 to $2.00 beyond the included allowance | Per agent, plus per automated resolution |
Each alternative, and when to pick it
We make SpideyChat, so it is listed first. Every other tool is here because it is a real option for someone leaving Intercom Fin, with a plain note on who it suits.
1. SpideyChat
Small businesses that want a website assistant with lead capture at a flat price
You want an assistant that learns your website, answers visitors 24/7, captures leads and opens support tickets, and a bill that doesn't change with traffic. This is our product, so weigh this pick accordingly.
Free plan: Yes: 1 assistant, about 375 replies a month, no card. Starts at $9.99/mo (Starter); Pro $29.99/mo.
2. Tidio
Small shops that want human live chat with an AI add-on
Your team answers chats live most of the day and you want AI to cover the overflow.
Free plan: Yes: 50 conversations a month; 50 Lyro AI conversations for the life of the account. Starts at $29/mo ($24.17/mo yearly); Lyro AI from $39/mo for 50 AI conversations.
3. Help Scout
Email-first support teams that want a calm shared inbox
Most of your support is email and you want AI answers as an add-on.
Free plan: Yes: 5 users, 1 inbox. Starts at $25/user/mo; AI Answers $0.75 per resolution.
4. Crisp
Teams that want a shared inbox with AI, priced per workspace
Several people answer chat and email together and you want one inbox for all of it.
Free plan: Yes: 2 seats, no AI credits. Starts at $45/mo per workspace (Mini, about 90 automated conversations).
5. Chatbase
Teams that want a well-known train-on-your-data agent with many channels
You want the most widely used tool in this category and the budget suits you.
Free plan: Yes: 50 message credits a month. Starts at $40/mo (Hobby).
6. Freshchat
Teams that want free seats to start
You want human chat for a team at no cost and will pay for AI sessions as you grow.
Free plan: Yes: up to 10 agents, without the AI agent. Starts at $19/agent/mo (annual); Freddy AI Agent $49 per 100 sessions.
7. Zendesk
Larger support teams that want a full suite
You run a support team with many agents and need ticketing, a help centre and reporting in one product.
Free plan: No. Starts at $55/agent/mo (Suite Team, annual); AI resolutions $1.50 to $2.00 beyond the included allowance.
Questions
How much does Intercom Fin cost?
When checked in October 2026, Fin cost $0.99 per outcome, plus an Intercom helpdesk seat from $29 a month on annual billing. Intercom's own calculator example of 120 conversations a month came to about $109.
What is a cheaper alternative to Intercom Fin?
For a small business, SpideyChat is flat-priced at $9.99 or $29.99 a month with no per-outcome fees, and has a free plan. Help Scout ($0.75 per resolution) and Freshchat ($49 per 100 AI sessions) are cheaper per AI conversation than Fin but still metered.
Who owns Intercom now?
Salesforce completed its acquisition of Fin, formerly Intercom, in September 2026, and has said Fin will become part of its Agentforce platform.