kitio.aiIntercom vs Tidio
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Tidio has the lower starting price: about $29 a month, against $39 for Intercom.
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
- Lyro AI agent
- Live chat widget
- Shared inbox
- Automation flows
- Shopify integration
| Feature | Intercom | Tidio |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent | Live chat and Lyro AI agent for small online stores and businesses |
| Category | Customer support | Customer support |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $29/mo |
| Free plan | No, 14-day trial | Yes |
| Made by | Fin (Salesforce) | Tidio |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Tidio has the lower starting price: about $29 a month, against $39 for Intercom.
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
Starter
$29/mo
- 100 billable conversations
- Live chat and ticketing
- 50 one-off Lyro AI conversations
Growth
$59/mo
- Starting price, from 250 conversations
- Advanced analytics and permissions
- Automatic assignment and macros
Plus
$300/mo
- Plus monthly usage
- Dedicated success manager
- Discounted usage rates
Premium
Contact sales
- From 3,000 Lyro AI conversations
- Guaranteed 50% Lyro resolution rate
- Pay-per-resolution billing
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
Tidio
- Quick to install on most sites
- Free plan available
- Affordable AI for small shops
- Several separate usage meters
- Limited for large support teams
- Lyro costs extra on top of plans
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 Tidio if you want:
- Quick to install on most sites
- Free plan available
- Affordable AI for small shops
Watch out: several separate usage meters.
Intercom vs Tidio FAQ
What is the difference between Intercom and Tidio?
Intercom: Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent. Tidio: Live chat and Lyro AI agent for small online stores and businesses. Both are customer support tools.
Is Intercom or Tidio cheaper?
Tidio has the lower starting price: about $29 a month, against $39 for Intercom.
Do Intercom and Tidio have free plans?
Intercom: No, 14-day trial. Tidio: Yes.
Who makes Intercom?
Intercom is made by Fin (Salesforce), based in United States.
Who makes Tidio?
Tidio is made by Tidio, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Intercom or Tidio?
Choose Intercom if you value polished messenger and inbox and ai built into every plan. Choose Tidio if you value quick to install on most sites and free plan available.