Intercom alternatives
Merchants usually start this search when seats plus Fin's $0.99 per resolution outgrow an ecommerce support budget. Here are six options for ecommerce support in 2026, and who each one actually fits.
Short answer
If seats plus Fin fees outgrew your budget, ecommerce-native platforms cost less and do more store work: Egentify for flat-rate AI that acts, Gorgias for a classic helpdesk, Richpanel for self-service.
AI agent that acts, flat-rate
Best for Stores that want tickets resolved end to end at a predictable price.
Full disclosure: this is us. Egentify is an AI support agent for Shopify and WooCommerce that resolves tickets instead of deflecting them: order lookups, refunds, address changes, and product recommendations over chat, voice, and email. Every plan is flat-rate with no per-resolution fees, and voice AI is included on Growth and Scale.
Pricing Free forever (50 conversations/mo), then $39 to $399 flat
Start freeEcommerce helpdesk with AI assist
Best for Teams that want a classic helpdesk workflow with AI as a helper.
A helpdesk built specifically for ecommerce, with strong macros and deep Shopify integrations. Its AI Agent is billed per resolution on top of ticket-volume plans, so costs scale with success.
Pricing $50/mo + $1.00/res
Egentify vs Gorgias: full comparisonChat-first with Lyro AI bundles
Best for Small teams that mainly need live chat with an FAQ-answering AI.
An approachable live-chat platform with the Lyro AI agent sold in conversation bundles. Native Shopify actions sit behind the Growth plan, and Lyro leans toward answering questions rather than taking store actions.
Pricing $39/mo base; Lyro is $350/mo at 500 conversations
Egentify vs Tidio: full comparisonEnterprise support suite
Best for Enterprises that need every channel and deep process control.
The enterprise standard, with a vast app ecosystem and every channel imaginable. Setup is heavier than ecommerce-native tools, and costs grow with agent seats and AI add-ons.
Visit ZendeskMulti-brand shared inbox
Best for Small teams running several storefronts from one simple inbox.
A lightweight helpdesk popular with small ecommerce teams running several storefronts from one inbox. AI features are lighter than agent-first platforms.
Visit Re:amazeEcommerce helpdesk with self-service
Best for Stores that want shoppers to self-serve before ever chatting.
An ecommerce-focused helpdesk known for its customer self-service portal, letting shoppers resolve common requests without a conversation.
Visit RichpanelMore roundups: best Gorgias alternatives best Tidio alternatives
Pricing shown for Gorgias, Tidio, and Intercom reflects their published rates as of our last review (2026-05); see each side-by-side comparison for the detailed math. Platforms without figures are listed neutrally; verify current pricing with the vendor.
Do the math
Drag to your monthly volume. Same verified rates as our pricing page, Intercom included.
At 500 conversations, the cheapest alternative runs $409/mo. Egentify Growth is $149. That's $260/mo back.
Estimates, not quotes. Assumes ~75% of conversations resolved by AI and a 5-seat team on Intercom Advanced ($29-$139/seat). Tidio estimated at the ~$0.70/conversation rate of its published 500-conversation Lyro tier, plus the Growth plan. Competitor pricing last reviewed 2026-05.
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Get in touch50 conversations a month, free forever. No card, no sales call.