Intercom vs Whelp
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Whelp 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
- AI support agents
- Omnichannel inbox
- WhatsApp Business API
- Shopify and Stripe integrations
- Broadcast messaging
- Mobile apps
| Feature | Intercom | Whelp |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent | AI support agents plus one inbox for WhatsApp, chat, SMS and email |
| 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) | Whelp |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Whelp 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
3 plans
Free
Free
- One seat
- Live chat widget
- Unlimited conversations
Standard
$29/mo
- Per seat
- WhatsApp Business API
- Twilio SMS and calls
- Flow-based chatbot
Advanced
$79/mo
- Per seat
- Whelp AI Agents
- Broadcasts
- Mobile chat SDKs
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
Whelp
- Free plan with unlimited conversations
- Wide range of messaging channels
- Clean handoff to human agents
- AI agents need the Advanced plan
- Priced per seat
- Free plan limited to one seat
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 Whelp if you want:
- Free plan with unlimited conversations
- Wide range of messaging channels
- Clean handoff to human agents
Watch out: ai agents need the advanced plan.
Intercom vs Whelp FAQ
What is the difference between Intercom and Whelp?
Intercom: Customer service help desk with messaging, tickets and a built-in AI agent. Whelp: AI support agents plus one inbox for WhatsApp, chat, SMS and email. Both are customer support tools.
Is Intercom or Whelp cheaper?
Whelp has the lower starting price: about $29 a month, against $39 for Intercom.
Do Intercom and Whelp have free plans?
Intercom: No, 14-day trial. Whelp: Yes.
Who makes Intercom?
Intercom is made by Fin (Salesforce), based in United States.
Who makes Whelp?
Whelp is made by Whelp.
Which should I choose, Intercom or Whelp?
Choose Intercom if you value polished messenger and inbox and ai built into every plan. Choose Whelp if you value free plan with unlimited conversations and wide range of messaging channels.