The verdict
For a small team that wants AI to take a share of routine questions from day one, I would look at Intercom first. Start with one channel and measure resolved conversations before widening.
If support is a real function with several agents, and you need routing, triggers, reporting and a large app marketplace, pick Zendesk. Plan time for an admin to set it up properly.
If you are a small team with simple email needs and a tight budget, I would skip both and compare Freshdesk or Help Scout. Both of these tools get expensive once you add the AI and channel features you actually want.
Side by side
| 13 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $29/mo | €19/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | |
| AI chatbot / agent | Yes | Yes |
| AI search & answers | Yes | Yes |
| Custom domain & branding | Yes | Yes |
| Help centre / knowledge base | Yes | Yes |
| Internal wiki | No | Yes |
| Live chat widget | Yes | Yes |
| Native ecommerce (Shopify) integration | Yes | Yes |
| Public help centre | Yes | Yes |
| Shared inbox & ticketing | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Intercom
- Essential$29/mo/seat
- Advanced$85/mo/seat
- Expert$132/mo/seat
Zendesk
- Support Team€25/mo/seat
- Suite Team€69/mo/seat
- Suite Professional€149/mo/seat
Who each is for
Choose Intercom if…
Pick Intercom if you want one inbox for humans and AI, and your help content is good enough for Fin to answer from. Real-time translation helps if customers write in other languages.
It suits teams that like paying for outcomes and can live with a harder-to-predict bill. The higher tiers add workflow automation, private help centres and single sign-on, and the step up per seat can be large.
Skip it if you want one flat, predictable cost.
Choose Zendesk if…
Pick Zendesk if you want ticketing and a knowledge base tied tightly together, with every request given an owner and a status. It scales from a few agents to a multinational team.
It suits teams that need structure: skills-based routing, voice, workforce forecasting and reporting. The AI agent sits in the Suite plans, so check which tier holds the channels you need.
Skip it if your team is small and the needs are basic, because several capabilities are add-ons and the plan price alone will mislead you.
Other options worth a look
Manage customer support tickets across email, chat and social channels with knowledge base tools.
Centralises customer support across email, chat, social and SMS for ecommerce stores with order-data integration.
Powers knowledge bases and help centres with AI search, chatbots and an AI writing agent.
Meta's messaging app and API that lets businesses chat with customers on WhatsApp, from small shops to enterprises.