Intercom is a full customer service suite, and its Fin AI agent is billed per outcome on top of seats. If what your team mostly needs is AI answers across messaging channels, handed over to the tools you already use, SimplyBoost does that on one flat plan. Intercom's company renamed itself Fin in May 2026, and Salesforce completed its acquisition in September 2026.
For most businesses SimplyBoost is the better Intercom alternative: one AI agent on your website, WhatsApp and Instagram for a flat €39, €89 or €169 a month, with no seat fees and no charge per resolution. Intercom charges from $29 per seat a month and adds $0.99 for every Fin outcome, so the bill grows with your team and your volume.
Our verdict
Choose SimplyBoost if you want AI answers across your website, WhatsApp and Instagram at a price you can predict. Seats and resolutions never change the bill, the agent hands over to the helpdesk you already have, and the plans start at €39 a month.
To be fair
Intercom still suits large support teams that run their whole operation in one helpdesk, with ticketing, a help center and in-app messaging.
The capabilities teams most often switch for, side by side.
| Capability | SimplyBoost | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat €39 / €89 / €169 | Per-seat + Fin per-resolution |
| Entry plan | €39 a month (€31 billed yearly), 500 AI replies | Essential $29 per seat a month, billed yearly |
| Higher plans | Growth €89 (2,000 AI replies), Pro €169 (6,000) | Advanced $85, Expert $132 per seat a month |
| AI cost | Included in the plan | $0.99 per Fin outcome |
| Included on every plan | Pay as you go, per conversation | |
| Free trial | 7 days, 100 AI replies, no credit card | 14 days, no credit card |
| Flat pricing (no per-seat or per-resolution) | Yes | No |
| Native WhatsApp | Yes | Partial |
| Native Instagram DMs | Yes | Partial |
| One AI agent across web + social + WhatsApp | Yes | Partial |
| Data hosted in Europe | Yes | Partial |
| Lead capture and scoring | Yes | Yes |
| No-code setup | Yes | No |
Last checked: 7 October 2026. “Partial” = paid add-on, limited, or region/plan option. Verify current details on Intercom’s site.
Once Shopify is connected, SimplyBoost's agent looks up orders after an email code check, changes addresses, starts returns and exchanges, recommends products and builds checkout links. Refunds, discounts and cancellations wait until you approve them. Shopify actions are included from the Growth plan.
Based on public product information checked on 7 October 2026.
Most teams do this in an afternoon and keep Intercom running until the answers look right.
Step 1
Add your public help center articles and website pages as sources, plus PDFs or Word files. The knowledge base guide lists every source type.
Step 2
Describe in plain text how the agent should answer and when it should hand over: refunds, complaints, a request for a person, or triggers of your own.
Step 3
Send handovers to Slack, email, or a Zendesk, Freshdesk or Gorgias ticket. The handover guide has the details.
Step 4
Run your most common questions from last month through the agent and fill the gaps it lists under missing answers.
Step 5
Install the website widget first, then connect WhatsApp and Instagram. You can keep Intercom running until you're happy with the answers.
Plans, limits and yearly prices are on the pricing page. When you're ready, start a 7-day free trial with 100 AI replies, no credit card needed.
That depends on what you use Intercom for. If you need a full helpdesk, look at Zendesk or Freshdesk. If you want AI answers across your website, WhatsApp and Instagram at a flat price, SimplyBoost costs €39, €89 or €169 a month and doesn't charge per seat or per outcome.
Yes, though each one has limits. Chatwoot's free cloud plan covers up to 2 agents and 500 conversations a month for live chat. tawk.to is free as long as you keep its branding. Crisp's free plan includes 2 seats without AI, and Tidio's free plan includes 50 billable conversations. SimplyBoost has a 7-day free trial with 100 AI replies.
Intercom seats start at $29 a month each on annual billing and Fin adds $0.99 per outcome, so three seats plus 500 Fin resolutions come to $582 a month before add-ons. SimplyBoost starts at €39 a month with 500 AI replies, and there are no seat fees.
Yes. It answers from your website, documents and FAQs and hands conversations to your team when needed. It also handles Shopify orders, returns and product recommendations on your website, WhatsApp and Instagram.
Salesforce does. Intercom's company renamed itself Fin on 12 May 2026, and Salesforce completed its acquisition on 10 September 2026. Intercom is still the name of the helpdesk platform.
Intercom's Essential plan is $29 per seat a month, Advanced is $85 and Expert is $132, billed yearly, and Fin costs $0.99 per outcome on every plan. WhatsApp, SMS and phone are pay as you go on top (intercom.com/pricing, checked 7 October 2026).
Zendesk pricing: Per-agent + AI per automated resolution
Crisp pricing: Per-workspace tiers + AI credits
Tidio pricing: Conversation tiers + Lyro AI
Trengo pricing: User bundles + conversations + AI surcharge
Chatbase pricing: Message-credit tiers
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