Best Intercom Alternatives in 2026
The top Intercom alternatives are Freshchat, LiveChat and Zoho SalesIQ: 15 live chat software our editors would look at instead of Intercom, in our ranking order.
Intercom: A broad customer messaging suite for teams that need chat, automation, and handoff. Where it falls short: no free plan for teams comparing low-cost entry options.
Switching from Intercom? For most live chat software buyers the best Intercom alternative is Freshchat, built for freshworks-oriented support teams. On a budget, Brevo Conversations starts at $15/user/mo, against $29/seat/mo for Intercom.
Why People Look for an Intercom Alternative
- 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
- No free plan — 10 of the alternatives below have it
- Paid from $29/mo — Brevo Conversations is $15/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallFreshchat9.2
Freshworks-oriented support teams
Visit Freshchat - Lowest priceBrevo Conversations8.6
Paid plans from $15/user/mo
Visit Brevo Conversations - Best free optionFreshchat9.2
Has a free plan (Intercom has none)
Visit Freshchat - Most included agent seatsFreshchat9.2
10 agents
Visit Freshchat
All 15 Intercom Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forFreshworks-oriented support teams
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $29/mo
- Listed integrations: 1000 apps vs 450 apps
A flexible Freshworks chat platform with free essentials and deeper paid routing, reporting, and security.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Freshchat -
Best forTeams needing polished live chat and reporting
- Better than Intercom:
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $29/mo
A polished live-chat suite for teams that need agents, automation, and detailed reporting.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
9.1/10★★★★★Visit LiveChat -
Best forZoho-centric teams needing broad live chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
A broad live chat suite with strong Zoho integration and a low-cost annual entry tier.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Zoho SalesIQ -
Best forBusinesses prioritizing free team chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
A capable free team-chat platform with optional AI tiers and broad integrations.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit tawk.to -
Best forBrevo users needing simple omnichannel chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $15/mo vs $29/mo
A simple omnichannel chat option for Brevo users with free live chat and AI handoff.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Brevo -
Best forSmall teams needing omnichannel coverage
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $28/mo vs $29/mo
A flexible chat platform for small teams that need web, social, email, and phone channels.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit JivoChat -
Best forSmall teams wanting a free omnichannel inbox
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Listed integrations: 2000 apps vs 450 apps
A capable free inbox for small teams, with paid tiers starting at $45 per workspace monthly.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Crisp -
Best forEnterprises needing routing and on-premise options
A mature live-chat platform for complex routing, AI handoff, and deployment flexibility.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Comm100 -
Best forTeams wanting open-source omnichannel chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $29/mo
A flexible open-source shared inbox for teams managing chat, messaging, and support.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Chatwoot -
Best forEcommerce teams needing chat and social channels
A broad omnichannel support workspace for ecommerce and web-based teams.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Re:amaze -
Best forEcommerce teams needing chatbot-led assistance
- Better than Intercom:
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $29/mo
A chatbot-led support option for ecommerce teams that need human handoff and messaging channels.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit ChatBot -
Best forSmall ecommerce teams wanting affordable chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $17/mo vs $29/mo
Affordable ecommerce chat with bots, visitor tracking, and omnichannel messaging.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Smartsupp -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing classic live chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $15/mo vs $29/mo
A low-cost website chat tool with useful routing, monitoring, and AI support features.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit MyLiveChat -
ChatBeaconVerified
Best forOrganizations needing private deployment and rich media
A broad chat and engagement suite for teams that need AI, live agents, and deployment control.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit ChatBeacon -
Best forBusinesses wanting simple visitor-focused chat
- Better than Intercom:
- Free plan
A focused website chat tool with visitor tracking, AI assistance, and a free plan.
- Website chatbot
- Visitor tracking
- Live agent chat
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Olark
Intercom Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Intercom?
Freshchat: #2 in our Live Chat Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A flexible Freshworks chat platform with free essentials and deeper paid routing, reporting, and security.
Is there a free alternative to Intercom?
Yes. Freshchat, Zoho SalesIQ, tawk.to, Brevo Conversations and JivoChat have a free plan or a free tier (10 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Intercom?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Brevo Conversations starts lowest, at $15/user/mo.
Why do people look for Intercom alternatives?
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.
Which Intercom alternative has the most included agent seats?
Freshchat, with 10 agents.
How do I switch from Intercom?
Export your data from Intercom (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Intercom.
How to Switch from Intercom
- Export your data from Intercom (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Intercom.
Intercom vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Website chatbot | Live agent chat | Visitor tracking | Chat channels | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intercom | No | $29/seat/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 9.4 |
| 1 | Freshchat | Yes | $19/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 9.2 |
| 2 | LiveChat | No | $19/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 9.1 |
| 3 | Zoho SalesIQ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.9 | |
| 4 | tawk.to | Yes | $290/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | Website+messaging | 8.8 |
| 5 | Brevo Conversations | Yes | $15/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.6 |
| 6 | JivoChat | Yes | $28/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.5 |
| 7 | Crisp | Yes | $45/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.4 |
| 8 | Comm100 Live Chat | No | $31/seat/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.3 |
| 9 | Chatwoot | Yes | $19/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.2 |
| 10 | Re:amaze | No | $29/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.1 |
| 11 | ChatBot | No | $19/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 8.0 |
| 12 | Smartsupp | Yes | $17/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 7.9 |
| 13 | MyLiveChat | Yes | $15/seat/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Website | 7.8 |
| 14 | ChatBeacon | No | $33/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Omnichannel | 7.7 |
| 15 | Olark | Yes | $29/seat/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Website+messaging | 7.6 |
Head-to-Head
- Intercom vs Freshchat
- Intercom vs LiveChat
- Intercom vs Zoho SalesIQ
- Intercom vs tawk.to
- Intercom vs Brevo Conversations
- Intercom vs JivoChat
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update