kitio.aiIntercom vs Activechat
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Intercom starts at $39/mo and Activechat starts at $3995 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent
Free trial · $39/moAt a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Shared omnichannel inbox
- Fin AI agent
- Copilot for human agents
- Help center builder
- Workflow automation
- Natural language chatbots
- AI hints for live agents
- Visual chatbot builder
- Knowledge extraction from docs
- Smart chat routing
- Customer CRM tools
| Feature | Intercom | Activechat |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent | Self-hosted customer service automation with AI chatbots and live chat |
| Category | Customer support | Customer support |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Paid |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $3995 one-time |
| Free plan | No, 14-day trial | No |
| Made by | Fin (Salesforce) | Activechat |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Intercom starts at $39/mo and Activechat starts at $3995 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Essential
$39/mo
- Per seat
- Fin AI Agent at $0.99/outcome
- Shared inbox and ticketing
- Public help center
Advanced
$99/mo
- Per seat
- Workflows automation builder
- Multiple team inboxes
- 20 free Lite seats
Expert
$139/mo
- Per seat
- SSO and identity management
- HIPAA support and SLAs
- 50 free Lite seats
2 plans
Company License
$3995 one-time
- One installation
- Unlimited projects
- Chatbots and live chat automation
Developer License
$9995 one-time
- Unlimited installations
- TypeScript source code
- Billing system and dev docs
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Intercom
- Polished messenger and inbox
- AI built into every plan
- Good in-app messaging tools
- Seat and AI costs add up
- Pricing pages change often
- Advanced reporting needs top tiers
Activechat
- One-time payment, no subscription
- Source code on the Developer licence
- Flexible conversation flows
- High upfront cost
- Self-hosting needs technical staff
- No free plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose Intercom if you want:
- Polished messenger and inbox
- AI built into every plan
- Good in-app messaging tools
Watch out: seat and ai costs add up.
Choose Activechat if you want:
- One-time payment, no subscription
- Source code on the Developer licence
- Flexible conversation flows
Watch out: high upfront cost.
Intercom vs Activechat FAQ
What is the difference between Intercom and Activechat?
Intercom: Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent. Activechat: Self-hosted customer service automation with AI chatbots and live chat. Both are customer support tools.
Is Intercom or Activechat cheaper?
Intercom starts at $39/mo and Activechat starts at $3995 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Intercom and Activechat have free plans?
Intercom: No, 14-day trial. Activechat: No.
Who makes Intercom?
Intercom is made by Fin (Salesforce), based in United States.
Who makes Activechat?
Activechat is made by Activechat, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Intercom or Activechat?
Choose Intercom if you value polished messenger and inbox and ai built into every plan. Choose Activechat if you value one-time payment, no subscription and source code on the developer licence.