Last updated
Intercom Fin, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Tidio, Chatbase and SimplyBoost compared on pricing model and fit, with prices checked on each vendor's pricing page on 15 September 2026.
The best AI agent for customer support depends on the helpdesk you already use, how many people answer customers, and how you want to pay. Teams inside Intercom or Zendesk often do best with the built-in agent. Smaller teams that want one flat price across website, WhatsApp and Instagram usually look at lighter platforms.
Disclosure: SimplyBoost publishes this article and appears in it, listed last. Every price below was read on the vendor's own pricing page on 15 September 2026. Prices change often, so confirm them before you buy.
What should you look for in an AI agent for customer support?
- Grounded answers. Ask what the agent does when your content has no answer. The right response is to say so and offer a person.
- Handover. Check which situations trigger it, where your team is alerted, and how the bot steps back once a person replies.
- Actions. Order lookups, returns and bookings are what separate an agent from an FAQ bot.
- Channels. List where your customers write today and confirm each one is supported on the plan you would buy.
- Languages. Ask whether the agent detects the customer's language or replies in one language you set.
- Pricing unit. Vendors bill per seat, per AI outcome, per session, per message credit or per reply. Estimate your monthly volume in the unit each vendor uses before comparing.
1. Intercom Fin
Fin is the AI agent inside Intercom's customer service suite. Intercom seats start at $29 a month, and Fin is priced from $0.99 per outcome, charged at most once per conversation, according to Intercom's pricing page.
Good fit: support teams already running Intercom who want the AI agent and the helpdesk in one product, and who are comfortable with a bill that grows with outcomes.
2. Zendesk AI agents
Zendesk says AI agents are included in every Suite and Support plan, with pricing based on successful outcomes. Support Team starts at $19 per agent a month and Suite Team at $55, both billed yearly, and Copilot is a $50 per agent add-on, per Zendesk's pricing page. The page does not list a per-outcome price.
Good fit: established support teams on Zendesk that want AI inside their existing ticketing, reporting and workflows.
3. Freshdesk Freddy AI Agent
Freshdesk plans start at $19 per agent a month for Growth, $55 for Pro and $89 for Enterprise, billed yearly. Each includes the first 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions, with more at $49 per 100 sessions, per Freshdesk's pricing page.
Good fit: teams that want a full helpdesk with a clear session allowance for the AI agent.
4. Tidio with Lyro
Tidio Starter is $24.17 a month with 100 billable conversations, and Growth starts at $49.17. The Lyro AI agent is an add-on from $32.50 a month for 50 Lyro conversations, and Starter includes 50 one-off Lyro conversations to try it, per Tidio's pricing page.
Good fit: small online stores that want live chat first and a gradual step into AI.
5. Chatbase
Chatbase prices by message credits: Hobby is $40 a month for 700 credits, Standard $150 for 4,000 and Pro $500 for 15,000. Extra credits are $40 per 1,000, and removing the Chatbase branding is $99 a month, per Chatbase's pricing page.
Good fit: teams that want to build a custom AI agent on their documents and are happy to configure it themselves.
6. SimplyBoost
SimplyBoost is an AI support agent for small and growing teams. One agent answers from your own content on your website, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger. It hands conversations to your team by email, dashboard alert, Slack, or a Zendesk, Freshdesk or Gorgias ticket, so it also works alongside an existing helpdesk.
With Shopify connected, the agent checks orders after an email code, starts returns and exchanges, recommends products and builds checkout links. Refunds and discounts wait for your approval. On website chat it books meetings on Google Calendar.
Plans are flat: Starter $39 a month with 500 AI replies, Growth $89 with 2,000, and Pro $169 with 6,000, with no seat or per-outcome fees. New accounts get a 7-day free trial without a credit card. See pricing.
Good fit: teams that want one predictable price across four messaging channels, Shopify stores, and businesses that want support and lead capture from the same agent.
Which AI agent should you choose?
- Already on Intercom or Zendesk with a large team: start with the built-in agent.
- Need a full helpdesk and a set AI allowance: compare Freshdesk sessions with your volume.
- Want to build and tune your own document bot: look at Chatbase.
- Want one flat price for website, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, with Shopify actions and handover to the tools you use: try SimplyBoost.
Also worth a look for Shopify brands: Gorgias combines a helpdesk with an AI agent priced on automated resolutions. Its public pricing page does not list plan prices, so request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest AI agent for customer support?
It depends on the billing unit. Per-seat tools cost more as your team grows, per-outcome tools cost more as volume grows, and flat plans stay fixed within their allowance. Convert your monthly volume into each vendor's unit first.
Can an AI agent work alongside Zendesk or Freshdesk?
Yes. Some agents, SimplyBoost included, answer on messaging channels and create a ticket with the full transcript in Zendesk, Freshdesk or Gorgias when a person is needed.
How were these prices checked?
Each price was read from the vendor's public pricing page on 15 September 2026, in US dollars. Taxes, currency and promotions can change what you pay.