Crisp vs Intercom
Side-by-side plans, pricing, and feature gates for Crisp and Intercom, verified . Both are primarily live chat tools.
Plans side by side
Every published plan from each vendor, with the headline monthly anchor price. Some prices scale with subscriber count or seats; full detail lives on each tool's page.
Crisp
- Free
2 agents, unlimited conversations, forever free
Free - Mini
Per-workspace flat $45/mo
$45/mo - Essentials
Omnichannel inbox, AI chatbot, knowledge base
$95/mo - Plus
Best Value
$295/mo
Intercom
- Essential
Messenger, shared inbox, ticketing, help center
$29/mo - Advanced
Workflow automation plus 20 free Lite seats
$85/mo - Expert
SSO, HIPAA, SLAs, multibrand, 50 free Lite seats
$132/mo - Fin AI Agent
Standalone AI agent (no seat fee)
Custom
Limits at the entry paid tier
Compares Mini (Crisp) against Essential (Intercom). Both are the lowest-priced non-free, non-custom plan on each side.
| Limit | Crisp | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Team seats | 4 agents | 1 seat (per-seat pricing) |
When Crisp wins
- SaaS startups and small teams that want chat and email in one tool
- E-commerce stores that want WhatsApp and Instagram DM unified with web chat
- Companies migrating off Intercom for cost reasons
Where Crisp is the wrong fit
- Solo operators (the Free plan already covers them)
- Enterprises with strict procurement and SSO requirements (HIPAA and SAML are not headline features)
- Teams that need deep ticket-form customization
When Intercom wins
- SaaS support teams that need both human chat and high-quality AI deflection
- Enterprises wanting messenger, ticketing, and help center in one tool
- Companies deflecting tier-1 with Fin AI
Where Intercom is the wrong fit
- Small teams who can run on Crisp or Help Scout for far less
- Teams averse to per-AI-outcome pricing
- Cost-conscious buyers who don't need the messenger pedigree
Migrating between these tools 1 guide
Long-form migration guide for this exact pair. Each covers the cost math, what you lose, what you gain, and the pair-specific gotchas that bite during cutover.
Common questions
- Is Crisp cheaper than Intercom?
- At the entry tier, Crisp starts at Free versus Intercom at $29/mo. Crisp is cheaper at the entry. Pricing scales differently above that, so check the full plan grid.
- Does Crisp or Intercom have a free plan?
- Only Crisp has a permanent free plan. Intercom only offers a free trial.
- Are Crisp and Intercom in the same category?
- Yes. Both are primarily live chat tools, which is why this is a natural head-to-head comparison.
- Which has more plans, Crisp or Intercom?
- Both Crisp and Intercom ship 4 plans. Tier counts match; the differentiation is in features and pricing structure rather than tier ladder depth.
- Where can I see alternatives to Crisp or Intercom?
- Each tool has a dedicated alternatives page on TierGauge with ranked options and verified pricing: /alternatives/crisp for Crisp and /alternatives/intercom for Intercom. Alternatives are derived from each tool's editor-flagged competitors plus same-category tools we track.
Crisp: https://crisp.chat/en/pricing/ · Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/pricing
Last verified . Pricing changes between refreshes; confirm at the vendor before purchasing.