Intercom vs Freshchat
Choose Intercom if you want ticketing and a public help center in your core support plan; choose Freshchat if you want a free messaging plan for up to 10 agents. Both offer web and mobile chat, shared inboxes, paid AI agents, and integrations. The deciding questions are whether you need Intercom’s bundled helpdesk features or Freshchat’s lower-cost entry point.
Last updated October 24, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Intercom | Freshchat |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 14-day trial; no free plan published | Free for up to 10 agents |
| Entry paid price | Essential: $19/seat/month new-customer offer; $29 list, billed annually | Growth: $19/agent/month, billed annually |
| Higher paid plans | Advanced $85; Expert $132 per seat/month, billed annually | Pro $49; Enterprise $79 per agent/month, billed annually |
| AI agent pricing | Fin from $0.99 per outcome | Freddy AI Agent $49 per 100 sessions on paid plans |
| AI usage allowance | Not published | 500 trial sessions once per account on paid plans |
| Ticketing and help center | Ticketing and public help center on Essential | NA |
| Customer channels | Chat and email included; SMS and WhatsApp usage-based | Chat and email on Free; social, SMS and WhatsApp on Growth |
| Web and mobile deployment | Web Messenger; iOS and Android SDKs | Website and mobile-app chat widget |
| Automation | Simple automations on Essential; workflows on Advanced | Intelligent routing on Pro |
| Proactive messaging | Product tours and surveys via $99/month add-on | Campaign contacts: 100/month on Free; 500/month on paid plans |
| Integrations | 450+ apps and integrations | Freshworks Marketplace; Shopify, Salesforce, Slack and Jira |
| Trial length | 14 days | 14 days |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Intercom if
- Teams that need ticketing and a public help center in their core plan
- Support teams that need workflow automation on Advanced
- Businesses planning product tours or surveys through an add-on
Choose Freshchat if
- Teams of up to 10 agents starting with a free chat plan
- Teams that want paid social and text messaging channels
- Businesses that prefer Freddy AI Agent session packs
The verdict
Intercom is the better fit for teams that need chat, ticketing, and a public help center together, with workflow automation available on Advanced. Freshchat is the better fit for teams starting with web, mobile, and email messaging: its Free plan covers up to 10 agents, while Growth adds social and text messaging. Compare the plan and AI usage charges you expect to incur, rather than the seat price alone.
Intercom vs Freshchat: common questions
- Does Intercom or Freshchat have a free plan?
- Freshchat publishes a Free plan for up to 10 agents. Intercom publishes a 14-day trial but does not list an ongoing free plan.
- How much do Intercom and Freshchat cost to start?
- Intercom lists Essential at $29 per seat per month on annual billing and currently displays a $19 new-customer offer. Freshchat lists Growth at $19 per agent per month on annual billing. AI and other usage charges may add to either bill.
- How do their AI agent charges differ?
- Intercom prices Fin from $0.99 per outcome. Freshchat prices Freddy AI Agent at $49 per 100 sessions on paid plans and includes 500 trial sessions once per account. Outcomes and sessions are different billing units.
- Can both products handle WhatsApp and SMS?
- Yes. Intercom offers SMS and WhatsApp as usage-based channels on its plans. Freshchat lists SMS and WhatsApp beginning with its paid Growth plan.
- Which includes ticketing and a help center?
- Intercom includes ticketing and a public help center on Essential. Freshchat does not clearly publish those as included features of its standalone Freshchat plans; Freshworks also offers a separate Freshdesk Omni suite.
- Can I use Intercom or Freshchat in a mobile app?
- Yes. Intercom publishes iOS and Android SDKs for its Messenger. Freshchat lists a chat widget for mobile apps, including on its Free plan.
- Which has workflow automation?
- Intercom includes simple automations on Essential and a workflows builder on Advanced. Freshchat lists intelligent routing on Pro.
- Can both connect to other business tools?
- Yes. Intercom publishes more than 450 apps and integrations, with some integrations restricted by plan. Freshchat lists Freshworks Marketplace integrations including Shopify, Salesforce, Slack and Jira; buyers should check the requirements of each app.