Intercom bills seats, Fin outcomes, and unlimited Copilot as separate lines. Helply prices human agents and AI credits in one plan, and every AI agent draws from the same credit pool.
Intercom’s list prices run $39 to $139 per seat a month ($29 to $132 billed yearly). Fin, its AI agent, adds $0.99 per outcome, and Intercom bills at most one outcome per conversation. For unlimited use of Copilot, Intercom’s assistant for human agents, you pay $35 per agent monthly ($29 billed yearly).
Helply vs. Intercom: the quick verdict
Intercom fits teams that want product tours and in-app messages beside support, or Fin on the help desk they already run. Helply is an Intercom alternative for software, ecommerce, and marketplace teams whose conversation volume is outgrowing their support hiring. Both are full help desks whose AI agents act: Fin through procedures and data connectors, Helply through approved actions in connected tools.
- Intercom: $99 per seat a month on Advanced ($85 billed yearly), plus $0.99 per Fin outcome.
- Intercom Copilot: 10 free conversations per full seat a month; unlimited use is $35 per agent monthly ($29 billed yearly).
- Helply: Starter at $99 a month billed yearly for up to 2 agents, or Plus at $199 for up to 5 agents; both include AI credits.
- Every plan includes the Support Agent for customers and the Assist Agent for teammates. The Team plan includes 2 Background Agents, and Pro and up include all of them.
- At 1,000 conversations a month, Helply Plus costs $239: $199 billed yearly for up to 5 agents and 5,000 AI credits, plus $40 for 1,000 extra credits. At list prices, five Intercom Advanced seats with unlimited Copilot, plus 500 Fin outcomes, come to $1,065 a month billed yearly ($1,165 monthly). Slack Connect, WhatsApp, SMS and SLAs start on Team at $499 a month.
Helply vs. Intercom for your team
AI credits move with your conversations: from 1 per conversation (a summary or triage only) up to 15, the most one conversation can use. Resolving about half end to end is roughly 6.
Helply Plus$239
$199 plan, up to 5 human agents + 1,000 top-up credits ($40), billed annually (15% off)Top-ups at $40 per 1,000 credits, up to 15,000 a month. Assist and Support Agents includedIntercom$1,065
$570 for 5 seats ($85 seat + $29 Copilot)$495 for about 500 AI resolutions ($0.99 per Fin outcome)$826 a month less on Helply (78% less), $9,912 a year
Monthly estimates at list price. Helply prices are from our pricing page: 15% less with annual billing, with credit top-ups at $40 per 1,000; competitor prices are the ones cited on this page, billed yearly where they offer it. Taxes, add-ons and discounts aren't included.
Helply vs. Intercom compared: pricing, Fin, Slack, and product tours
Intercom prices each replying teammate and each Fin outcome. Helply prices plans by human agents, and AI work comes out of a credit pool included in every plan.
| Capability | Helply | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | One help desk where your team works beside three types of AI agent and can take over any conversation | An omnichannel help desk with Fin, its AI agent, built in |
| Pricing | Billed yearly: Starter $99 a month for up to 2 agents, Plus $199 for 5, Team $499 for 10, Pro $999 for 25, Growth $1,999 for 50; each includes AI credits | List prices: $39 to $139 per seat a month ($29 to $132 billed yearly), plus $0.99 per Fin outcome |
| Free trial | 14 days free, no credit card required | 14 days, no credit card; all features, Fin, and add-ons included |
| AI agents | Support Agent investigates across connected tools and can resolve or escalate; the Assist Agent works beside it on every plan, Team adds 2 Background Agents, and Pro and up include all; each uses AI credits | Fin answers and takes actions through procedures and data connectors; one $0.99 outcome per conversation at most |
| Agent assist | Assist Agent on every plan with no add-on fee; it drafts and summarizes, and takes supported actions when your team directs it; it uses your plan’s AI credits | Copilot: 10 free conversations per full seat a month; unlimited at $35 per agent monthly ($29 billed yearly) |
| Customer context | Full support history plus account and CRM data, product usage, and Stripe or Chargebee billing from tools you connect | Customer and company data, custom objects, and 450+ apps, including CRM and product-usage tools |
| Channels | Email, chat, and Slack notifications on every plan; Slack Connect, SMS, WhatsApp, and Discord from Team; Microsoft Teams from Pro; Telegram also supported | Live chat, email, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, and Telegram; social on Advanced and Expert; SMS and outbound WhatsApp billed by usage |
| Phone and voice | Helply keeps supported call information, transcripts, and follow-up with the customer’s history | Phone numbers and minutes billed by usage; Fin Voice through sales, listed at $1.99 per voice outcome |
| Slack | Helply turns customer questions in Slack and Slack Connect channels into trackable tickets (Slack Connect from Team up); you can configure its AI agents to reply in supported conversations | A native Slack channel on every plan, in community and Slack Connect channels, where Fin can answer |
| Product tours and in-app messages | Not offered | Banners and tooltips on every plan; product tours, checklists, and surveys with Proactive Support Plus at $99 a month |
| Background work | Background Agents spot upgrade intent, churn risk, knowledge gaps, and feature requests, then alert the right team; the Team plan includes 2 of them, and Pro and up include all | Reports on every plan; Fin for Success, in early access, reaches out when usage drops and surfaces expansion opportunities |
| Operations agent | Background Agents come with Team and higher plans (Team has 2, Pro and up have all), so there’s no add-on to buy; they use the same credits as the rest of your AI work | Operator tunes Fin, drafts knowledge updates, and runs Routines on a schedule or trigger; it comes in the Pro add-on, from $100 per workspace a month on top of seats |
| Team access | Plans priced by human agents, the people who reply: up to 2 on Starter, 5 on Plus, 10 on Team, 25 on Pro, 50 on Growth; Team and up add agents at $49 a month each | A full seat for each teammate who replies; lite seats (20 on Advanced, 50 on Expert) can add notes but can’t reply |
| Best for | B2B software teams and B2C, ecommerce, and marketplace businesses that want to scale support without adding headcount, with AI credits included in every plan | Teams that want Fin, product tours, and in-app messages in one tool |
Helply and Intercom differ on seats, Fin, and add-ons
One credit bill for every kind of AI work
Intercom charges per Fin outcome, per agent for unlimited Copilot, and per workspace for Operator and AI analysis in its Pro add-on. Helply prices each AI action by effort: 1 credit for a summary, 2 for a drafted reply, 6 for an investigation. No credits go to spam, notifications, auto-replies, or handoffs to a person after the AI has tried.
Five agents on one plan price
Helply prices plans by human agents, the people on your team who reply to customers. Plus covers up to 5 for $199 a month billed yearly, and Team covers 10 for $499 and adds agents at $49 a month each. Intercom charges $85 a month per Advanced seat, billed yearly, for each teammate who replies.
Churn and upgrade signals from Background Agents
Helply’s Background Agents follow customer accounts and work unprompted; the Team plan includes 2 of them, and Pro and up include all. They flag upgrade intent, churn risk, knowledge gaps, and feature requests, then send each one to the team that acts on it. Intercom bundles Operator, which finds knowledge gaps and drafts content, with CX Score in its Pro add-on, from $100 per workspace a month.
Intercom pricing vs. Helply pricing
Intercom lists three plans (Essential, Advanced, and Expert) at $39 to $139 per seat a month ($29 to $132 billed yearly). Fin adds $0.99 per outcome, and unlimited Copilot is $35 per agent monthly ($29 billed yearly). Helply’s plans include AI credits, from Starter at $99 a month billed yearly for up to 2 agents to Growth at $1,999 for 50.
- Essential: $39 per seat a month ($29 billed yearly); no lite seats
- Essential for new customers: $29 per seat a month ($19 billed yearly), for as long as they stay subscribed
- Advanced: $99 per seat a month ($85 billed yearly), with 20 lite seats
- Expert: $139 per seat a month ($132 billed yearly), with 50 lite seats
- Fin AI Agent, on every plan: $0.99 per outcome on chat and email, never more than one per conversation; $9.99 per qualification
- Assumed resolutions count: if a customer gets Fin’s answer and leaves without asking for more, Intercom bills an outcome
- Fin Voice: through sales, listed at $1.99 per voice outcome
- Fin on another help desk (Salesforce, HubSpot, Freshdesk): no seat fees; $0.99 per outcome, with a minimum of 50 outcomes a month ($49.50)
- Copilot: 10 free conversations per full seat a month; unlimited use $35 per agent monthly ($29 billed yearly)
- Pro add-on (Operator plus AI conversation analysis): from $100 per workspace a month; extra Operator credits $0.01 each
- Proactive Support Plus (product tours, surveys, Series): $99 a month with 500 messages
- SMS, phone, and outbound WhatsApp: billed by usage
| Cost line | Helply | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Plan compared | The Plus plan: up to 5 agents and 5,000 AI credits a month (Starter covers up to 2 agents) | List prices: Advanced, the first plan with lite seats (five Essential seats: $145, no lite seats) |
| Seat price | Up to 5 agents included; Team and up add agents at $49 a month each | $85 per seat a month |
| Five teammates | Included in Plus at $199 a month, billed yearly | $425 a month |
| Agent assist | Assist Agent, from the same credits | Unlimited Copilot for five: $145 a month |
| AI billing unit | Per action: 2 credits for a drafted reply, 6 for an investigation across tools, 10 for an end-to-end resolution; 15 at most per conversation | $0.99 per Fin outcome; one outcome per conversation at most |
| AI cost at 1,000 conversations | $40 for 1,000 extra credits; with Plus’s 5,000, that covers about 1,000 conversations at 6 credits each | $495, if Fin resolves 500 of them |
| Not billed | Help desk work with AI off, auto-replies, spam, notifications, tests in the Playground, and handoffs to a person after the AI has tried | Requests for a person, escalations, failed procedures, and spam; Intercom refunds reopened outcomes |
| Spend control | Usage alerts and limits; at Plus’s credit limit, AI pauses until you top up in the app or switch to a higher plan | An optional Fin outcome limit; at the limit, Intercom turns Fin off for the rest of the billing period |
| More teammates | Plus stops at 5 agents; Team covers 10 for $499, and Team and up add agents at $49 a month each | $85 per full seat a month; Advanced includes 20 lite seats, which can’t reply |
| Monthly total | $239 at 1,000 conversations, billed yearly | $1,065 billed yearly, including 500 Fin outcomes |
At list prices and 1,000 monthly conversations, five Advanced seats, unlimited Copilot, and 500 Fin outcomes cost $1,065 a month billed yearly ($1,165 monthly). Helply Plus is $199 a month billed yearly for up to 5 agents and 5,000 AI credits, or $239 with 1,000 extra credits for about 1,000 conversations a month. Slack Connect, WhatsApp, SMS and SLAs start on Team at $499 a month.
Intercom bills $0.99 per Fin outcome on top of seats, and unlimited Copilot adds $29 per agent a month, billed yearly. Helply prices plans by human agents, the people on your team who reply to customers: up to 5 on Plus and 10 on Team. Your AI agents share one credit pool, and usage alerts warn you before it runs low.
Teams that switched
“We went from “help arrives when someone’s awake” to genuine 24/7, and tickets dropped in half. A million users covered around the clock, a daily read on what they need, and we never had to grow the team or pay by the seat to do it.”
- Previous help desk replaced with one complete platform
- 88% resolution rate with true 24/7 coverage across every channel
- 50% fewer support tickets from ~1,000/month
- Helply made a full platform viable for a tiny team at a fraction of per-seat pricing
Switching from Intercom
Move one queue first, and let Intercom keep handling the rest. Check Helply’s answers and actions on that queue, then switch the remaining channels when you’re ready. From Team up, plans include free migration and an onboarding call.
- Start a free 14-day trial (no credit card required) and connect your Intercom workspace.
- Select the supported customer, conversation, and knowledge data to move, then run Helply on one queue.
- Review your Helply workspace, then move your channels over.
- Supported customer data
- Supported conversation history
- Supported knowledge content
Helply or Intercom: which should you choose?
- You want product tours, checklists, and surveys in the same tool as support, through Proactive Support Plus at $99 a month.
- You want to keep your help desk and add Fin, which runs on Salesforce, HubSpot, or Freshdesk with a 50-outcome monthly minimum ($49.50).
- You qualify for Intercom’s Early Stage program (new customer, up to $10M raised, under 15 employees): help desk pricing starts at $65 a month with six Advanced seats, plus up to 93% off usage in year one.
- You want an AI agent that answers phone calls: Fin Voice comes through Intercom sales, listed at $1.99 per voice outcome.
- Your conversation volume is climbing faster than you want to add support hires.
- You want agents and AI credits on one bill: Plus covers up to 5 agents and 5,000 credits for $199 a month billed yearly.
- You’d rather run the Assist Agent on credits than pay Intercom $35 per agent monthly ($29 billed yearly) for unlimited Copilot.
- You want Background Agents watching for upgrade intent, churn risk, knowledge gaps, and feature requests: 2 on Team, all from Pro up.
Frequently asked questions
How is Helply different from Intercom?
Each Helply plan includes human agents and one monthly pool of AI credits for its AI agents. Intercom adds separate seat, Fin, and Copilot charges.
Can Helply replace Intercom?
Yes, for support. Helply covers ticketing, a shared inbox, live chat, reporting, workflows, and a help center, plus three types of AI agent.
How much does Intercom cost?
Intercom lists Essential, Advanced, and Expert at $39, $99, and $139 per seat a month ($29, $85, $132 billed yearly). Fin adds $0.99 per outcome.
How much does Fin AI cost?
Fin costs $0.99 per outcome, or $9.99 per qualification, once per conversation at most. On another help desk, Fin has a minimum of 50 outcomes a month ($49.50).
What counts as a Fin outcome?
A confirmed or assumed resolution, procedure handoff, disqualification, or self-serve routing costs $0.99; a qualification $9.99. Escalations, requests for a person, and spam cost nothing.
Is Fin AI free to use?
No. Intercom bills from $0.99 per Fin outcome; its 14-day free trial, with no card, includes Fin.
What is Intercom called now?
Intercom’s maker renamed itself Fin on May 12, 2026; Intercom stays the help desk’s name. Salesforce acquired Fin, formerly Intercom, on September 10, 2026.
How do Helply agents compare with Intercom seats?
Both charge for teammates who reply. Helply plans include up to 2, 5, 10, 25 or 50 human agents, from Starter to Growth; Intercom charges per seat and gives 20 lite seats on Advanced, 50 on Expert.
How much does Helply cost?
Every plan includes AI credits. Billed yearly, Starter is $99 a month for up to 2 agents, Plus $199 for 5, Team $499 for 10, Pro $999 for 25 and Growth $1,999 for 50. Monthly billing costs about 17% more.
Is Helply cheaper than Intercom for a five-person team?
Yes. At 1,000 monthly conversations, Helply Plus is $239 a month with 1,000 extra credits, billed yearly; Intercom Advanced, unlimited Copilot, and 500 Fin outcomes cost $1,065 billed yearly. Slack Connect, WhatsApp, SMS and SLAs start on Team at $499 a month.
Is Helply an alternative to Intercom and Fin AI?
Yes. Like Fin, Helply’s Support Agent answers customers and takes supported actions; every plan adds the Assist Agent, and Team adds 2 Background Agents.
Can I run Helply alongside Intercom before switching?
Yes. Put one slice of your Intercom queue on Helply for the 14-day trial, then migrate supported history and switch the rest.
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