Intercom vs Tidio (2026)
A head-to-head on price, free access, and staying power. Both live and price-verified as of Jul 20, 2026.
The verdict, first
Intercom
- if a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2011.
- if it is built for SMB & enterprise teams.
Tidio
- if you want a permanent free tier, not just a trial.
- if you lean toward the more recent build, from 2013.
- if it is built for solo & SMB teams.
What each one is
Intercom
What sets it apart Fin, its built-in AI agent, is priced on outcomes: $0.99 per resolution, billed only when Fin resolves the issue or completes a configured action, instead of per conversation or per seat.
Intercom is a customer support platform combining a helpdesk, shared inbox, and multichannel messaging with an AI agent called Fin that answers customer questions and can execute configured workflows. Its pricing separates the two: human seats are billed across Essential, Advanced, and Expert tiers starting at $29 per seat each month on annual billing, while Fin is charged at $0.99 per resolution and only when it resolves an issue or completes a defined action. That outcome-based model for the AI agent, rather than per-conversation or flat automation pricing, is what most distinguishes it. It suits SMB and larger support teams that want AI deflection layered onto a conventional ticketing and live-chat workflow.
Sources Intercom - Pricing · Intercom - Homepage · Fin AI Agent - Pricing · Featurebase - Intercom Pricing 2026
Tidio
What sets it apart Lyro, its AI agent, answers questions from the business's own support content without a separate training step, and AI conversations are metered and billed independently of the seat-based live-chat plans.
Built for small and medium businesses and ecommerce stores, Tidio combines live chat, a rule-based chatbot it calls Flows, a shared help-desk inbox, and an AI agent named Lyro. Lyro answers routine customer questions by drawing on a company's own FAQ and support content, and it works across the website widget and connected channels such as email, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. Pricing splits the product in two: seat-based plans start at $29 per month above a free tier, while Lyro's AI conversations are metered and billed as a separate allowance. It fits teams that want AI question deflection alongside human live chat in one low-setup tool rather than a standalone enterprise support suite.
Sources Tidio - Lyro, the conversational AI agent (help doc) · Tidio - homepage · Tidio - Pricing · eesel AI - Lyro AI pricing breakdown (2025)
Side by side
| Metric | Intercom | Tidio |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $29 | $29 |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2011 | 2013 |
| Best for | SMB & enterprise | solo & SMB |
| Status | Live | Live |
ALL FIGURES = LOWEST PAID MONTHLY PLAN · STATUS & PRICE VERIFIED JUL 20, 2026
Where they differ
Price
Tidio is the cheaper entry at $29/mo, versus $29/mo for Intercom. Both prices are the lowest paid monthly plan, verified Jul 20, 2026.
Free access
Tidio offers a permanent free tier; Intercom is trial-only. A permanent free tier lowers the risk of committing before you have validated the fit.
Track record
Intercom has been operating since 2011; Tidio since 2013. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Intercom or Tidio - which is better in 2026?
Is Intercom cheaper than Tidio?
Does Intercom or Tidio have a free tier?
Are Intercom and Tidio still maintained?
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