kitio.aiIntercom vs Desku
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Intercom starts at $39/mo and Desku starts at $39/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At 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
- Unified inbox
- No-code AI chatbot
- Helpdesk ticketing
- Workflow automation
- WhatsApp support
- E-commerce integrations
| Feature | Intercom | Desku |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent | AI helpdesk with live chat, shared inbox and a no-code chatbot |
| Category | Customer support | Customer support |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $39/mo |
| Free plan | No, 14-day trial | Yes |
| Made by | Fin (Salesforce) | Desku |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Both offer: Workflow automation.
Pricing compared
Intercom starts at $39/mo and Desku starts at $39/mo. 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
4 plans
Free
Free
- 2 agents
- 1 shared inbox
- 1 chatbot
Growth
$39/mo
- 6 agents
- 5 shared inboxes
- Shared email inbox
Advance
$79/mo
- 12 agents
- Unlimited inboxes
- Visitor journey tracking
Business
$179/mo
- 25 agents
- AI-powered automations
- Webhook access
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
Desku
- Free plan with two agents
- Built for small e-commerce teams
- Bring your own AI key option
- AI tokens cost extra
- Integrations limited on Growth
- Webhooks only on Business
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 Desku if you want:
- Free plan with two agents
- Built for small e-commerce teams
- Bring your own AI key option
Watch out: ai tokens cost extra.
Intercom vs Desku FAQ
What is the difference between Intercom and Desku?
Intercom: Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent. Desku: AI helpdesk with live chat, shared inbox and a no-code chatbot. Both are customer support tools.
Is Intercom or Desku cheaper?
Intercom starts at $39/mo and Desku starts at $39/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Intercom and Desku have free plans?
Intercom: No, 14-day trial. Desku: Yes.
Who makes Intercom?
Intercom is made by Fin (Salesforce), based in United States.
Who makes Desku?
Desku is made by Desku.
Which should I choose, Intercom or Desku?
Choose Intercom if you value polished messenger and inbox and ai built into every plan. Choose Desku if you value free plan with two agents and built for small e-commerce teams.