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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Crisp vs Intercom (2027): Prices, AI Costs and Which Live Chat to Pick
Choose Crisp if you want live chat and a shared inbox at a flat, predictable price: it's free for 2 seats, and paid plans are priced per workspace (Mini $45 a month for 4 seats, Essentials $95 for 10 and Plus $295 for 20 or more). Choose Intercom if you want AI-first, in-app support for a software product: Essential costs $19 per seat on annual billing ($29 monthly), Advanced $85 and Expert $132, and the Fin AI agent costs $0.99 per outcome. For a small team, Crisp usually costs less than half as much.
- Crisp: Free for 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; Mini $45/month (4 seats); Essentials $95 (10 seats); Plus $295 (20+ seats).
- Intercom: Essential $19/seat (annual), $29 monthly; Advanced $85; Expert $132; 14-day trial, no card.
- Intercom Fin AI: $0.99 per outcome.
- 10 seats: Crisp Essentials $95/month vs Intercom Essential $190/month (before AI).
- Crisp prices per workspace; Intercom per seat plus AI usage.
Crisp vs Intercom at a glance
| Crisp | Intercom | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 2 seats, 100 profiles | No |
| Entry paid plan | Mini $45/month for 4 seats | Essential $19/seat (annual) |
| Mid plan | Essentials $95 for 10 seats | Advanced $85/seat |
| Upper plan | Plus $295 for 20+ seats | Expert $132/seat |
| AI pricing | Check plan | Fin $0.99 per outcome |
| Pricing model | Per workspace | Per seat + per outcome |
| Best for | Small teams, website chat | SaaS, in-app support, AI |
What a real team pays per month
| Seats | Crisp | Intercom Essential (annual, before AI) | Intercom Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Free | $38 | $170 |
| 4 | Mini $45 | $76 | $340 |
| 10 | Essentials $95 | $190 | $850 |
| 20 | Plus $295 | $380 | $1,700 |
The cost of AI
Intercom's Fin AI agent answers questions from your help content and charges $0.99 for each conversation it resolves. At 300 resolved conversations a month, that's $297; at 1,000, $990. The cost is worth it when each resolution saves more than a dollar of agent time, which is often true for SaaS companies with many repetitive questions. Crisp offers chatbot and automation features on paid plans; check its current AI options and limits before comparing totals.
3-year cost for a growing team
A team that grows from 4 to 8 to 12 seats:
| Year (seats) | Crisp | Intercom Essential (annual, before AI) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (4) | Mini $540 | $912 |
| Year 2 (8) | Essentials $1,140 | $1,824 |
| Year 3 (12) | Plus $3,540 | $2,736 |
| Total | $5,220 | $5,472 |
Crisp's flat tiers are cheaper until you pass 10 seats; at 12 seats Crisp Plus costs more than Intercom Essential for that year, before Intercom's AI usage.
Features that decide the choice
| If you need… | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A free plan | Crisp | 2 free seats |
| Predictable flat pricing | Crisp | Per workspace |
| In-app chat and product tours | Intercom | Messenger built for SaaS |
| AI that resolves conversations end to end | Intercom | Fin |
| Many part-time helpers | Crisp | Seats included in each tier |
| Enterprise controls such as SSO and SLAs | Intercom Expert | Advanced governance |
Three real-world scenarios
A small online store with 3 people answering chats
Crisp Mini at $45 a month covers 4 seats. Intercom Essential would cost $57 for 3 seats before AI.
A SaaS startup with in-app support
Intercom Essential with Fin answers common questions inside the product. Budget the seats plus $0.99 per resolution.
An agency where 9 people answer occasionally
Crisp Essentials at $95 a month covers up to 10 seats; Intercom would charge per seat.
Start Crisp free → Free for 2 seats · Affiliate link
Hidden costs to watch
- Intercom's AI outcomes at $0.99 each.
- Intercom's monthly billing: $29 instead of $19 on Essential.
- Crisp's jump from 10 to 20+ seats ($95 to $295).
- Crisp's free plan limit of 100 customer profiles.
Alternatives worth comparing
| Tool | Entry price | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Tidio | Free for 50 conversations; Starter $24.17 | Cheapest for small stores |
| Help Scout | Free for 5 users; AI $0.75 per resolution | Email plus chat, cheaper AI |
| Zendesk | Suite Team $55/agent (annual) | Omnichannel suite |
See Crisp pricing, Intercom pricing, Help Scout vs Intercom and best live chat software.
Who should choose which
Choose Crisp if you're a small business or agency that wants website chat with predictable costs and several people answering. Choose Intercom if you run a software product, want to talk to users inside the app and expect AI to handle a large share of repetitive questions.
How to choose in 5 steps
- Count the people who answer chats.
- Estimate monthly conversations and how many AI could resolve.
- Price both with AI included.
- Install both widgets on a test page and try them for a week.
- Compare response times and total cost.
Mistakes to avoid
- Comparing seat prices without counting AI outcomes.
- Paying per seat for many occasional helpers.
- Turning on AI before your help articles are ready.
Terms explained
- Workspace pricing: a flat fee for a group of seats.
- Seat: one person who can answer conversations.
- Fin: Intercom's AI agent, billed per outcome.
- Messenger: Intercom's chat widget for websites and apps.
Ease of use and setup
Crisp can be live in minutes: paste the widget code, invite teammates and write saved replies. Intercom also installs quickly on a website, but getting full value means installing the Messenger in your app and preparing help articles for Fin. Teams without a dedicated support lead usually find Crisp faster to run day to day.
Questions to ask before choosing
- How many people answer chats, and are they full-time?
- Do customers need help inside your app or only on your website?
- How many conversations could AI resolve each month?
- Do you need SSO, SLAs or multibrand support?
Integrations
Both connect with popular CRMs, ecommerce platforms and Slack, and both offer APIs. Intercom has a large app store aimed at SaaS companies; Crisp integrates with common website builders and store platforms and works with Zapier and Make.
Our verdict
Crisp is the better choice for small teams that want affordable, flat-priced live chat. Intercom is the better choice for SaaS companies that want in-app messaging and AI that resolves conversations, as long as each $0.99 outcome costs less than an agent's time.
How we compiled this page
We compared Crisp's and Intercom's official pricing pages on October 29, 2026.
FAQ
Is Crisp cheaper than Intercom?
For most small teams, yes: 4 seats cost $45 a month on Crisp Mini versus $76 on Intercom Essential (annual) before AI.
Does Crisp have a free plan?
Yes, for 2 seats and 100 customer profiles. Intercom has a 14-day trial.
How much does Intercom's AI cost?
$0.99 per outcome.
Which is better for SaaS?
Intercom, thanks to its in-app Messenger and Fin AI.
Which is better for ecommerce?
Crisp or Tidio for small stores; Gorgias if you need order actions inside tickets.
Can I move from Intercom to Crisp?
Yes. Replace the widget, rebuild saved replies and export conversation history where available.
Can I try both for free?
Crisp has a free plan; Intercom offers a 14-day trial.
Which is better for agencies?
Crisp, because its workspace pricing covers several part-time helpers.
Does Crisp have a help center?
Yes, Crisp includes a knowledge base.
Which has better mobile apps?
Both offer iOS and Android apps so agents can reply on the go.
Does Intercom work for ecommerce?
Yes, but its pricing and features are aimed mostly at software companies; stores often prefer Crisp, Tidio or Gorgias.
Is there a contract?
Both offer monthly billing; Intercom's annual billing lowers Essential to $19 per seat.
Does Crisp offer a trial of paid plans?
Crisp's free plan works as a permanent starting point; upgrade when you need more seats.
Sources
crisp.chat/en/pricing and intercom.com/pricing, checked October 29, 2026.
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