Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Live Chat Software

Intercom vs Freshchat

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Intercom #1 in Live Chat Software 9.4/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Intercom
Freshchat #2 in Live Chat Software 9.2/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Freshchat

Intercom leads on 0 checks, Freshchat on 3, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreIntercom · 9.4/10
  • Lowest starting priceFreshchat · $19/user/mo
  • Free planonly Freshchat
  • Free trialboth

Intercom scores higher on our rubric for live chat software: 9.4 against 9.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #2.

Freshchat offers free plan; Intercom doesn't. Freshchat is cheaper to start at $19/mo against $29/mo. Freshchat leads on listed integrations: 1000 apps versus 450 apps.

Intercom is the better fit for mature teams needing advanced customer messaging. Freshchat is the better fit for freshworks-oriented support teams.

  • Intercom fits best

    Mature teams needing advanced customer messaging

  • Freshchat fits best

    Freshworks-oriented support teams

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Intercom 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Freshchat 9.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.2
Ranking #1 in Live Chat Software #2 in Live Chat Software
Best for Mature teams needing advanced customer messaging Freshworks-oriented support teams
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $29/seat/mo $19/user/mo (best)
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 14 days 14 days
Free trial length 14 days · no card needed 14 days · no card needed
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Support Email, Live chat, Community, Docs · 24/7 Email, Live chat, Phone, Community, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, 2FA SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations 450+ integrations 1,000+ integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Intercom 3/3 · Freshchat 3/3
Website chatbot ✓ ✓
Live agent chat ✓ ✓
Visitor tracking ✓ ✓
Specs
Chat channels Omnichannel Omnichannel
Included agent seats Not checked yet 10 agents
Listed integrations 450 apps 1000 apps (best)
Our review
Pros
  • Combines AI chat, human handoff, inboxes, tickets, and help content
  • Tracks visitors and leads with page views, identification, and reporting
  • Connects with 450+ apps, including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Shopify
  • Free plan includes web and mobile chat, shared inboxes, and email connection
  • No-code AI chatbots, customer journeys, routing, and SLA policies
  • Supports live chat plus social, text, and other messaging channels
Cons
  • No free plan for teams comparing low-cost entry options
  • Essential starts at $29 per seat per month with annual billing
  • Advanced and Expert pricing rises to $85 and $132 per seat monthly
  • Freddy AI Agent is an add-on on the Growth plan
  • Advanced routing, audit logs, and authentication require higher tiers
  • Platform access is centered on web and API, with five named integrations
Our verdict

Intercom brings website and mobile-app messaging, AI-assisted conversations, human-agent chat, ticketing, and customer support tools into one platform. It is designed for support, sales, and ecommerce teams that need more than a basic chat…

Read the review →

Freshchat is Freshworks software for customer conversations across websites, mobile apps, and messaging channels. It is designed for sales, marketing, and customer-support teams that need live-agent chat, shared inboxes, AI-powered…

Read the review →
  1. IntercomLive Chat Software 9.414-day trial
  2. FreshchatLive Chat Software 9.2Free plan · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Intercom — where it wins

    • Combines AI chat, human handoff, inboxes, tickets, and help content
    • Tracks visitors and leads with page views, identification, and reporting
    • Connects with 450+ apps, including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Shopify

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan for teams comparing low-cost entry options
    • Essential starts at $29 per seat per month with annual billing
    • Advanced and Expert pricing rises to $85 and $132 per seat monthly
  • Freshchat — where it wins

    • Free plan includes web and mobile chat, shared inboxes, and email connection
    • No-code AI chatbots, customer journeys, routing, and SLA policies
    • Supports live chat plus social, text, and other messaging channels

    Where it doesn't

    • Freddy AI Agent is an add-on on the Growth plan
    • Advanced routing, audit logs, and authentication require higher tiers
    • Platform access is centered on web and API, with five named integrations
  • Intercom9.4/10 · 14-day trial

    A broad customer messaging suite for teams that need chat, automation, and handoff.

    Visit IntercomFull verdict →
  • Freshchat9.2/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A flexible Freshworks chat platform with free essentials and deeper paid routing, reporting, and security.

    Visit FreshchatFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update