Intercom vs Kayako pricing: which is cheaper for your team?
Intercom's cheapest paid tier (Fin AI Agent) lists at $0.99/seat/month plus usage, which beats the other on entry pricing. Mid-tier and enterprise math can flip the answer — use the per-tier table below to see the real cost for your team size at each tier.
Calculate the cost for your team
Intercom pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $39 | $29 | seat/month | Core support plan; Fin billed per outcome. |
| Advanced | $99 | $85 | seat/month | Automation and AI features for growing support teams. |
| Expert | $139 | $132 | seat/month | Collaboration, security, and multibrand controls. |
| Fin AI Agent | $0.99 | $0.99 | outcome | Usage charge per resolved Fin outcome. |
Kayako pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kay AI Agent | $1 | $1 | per resolved ticket | Pay-per-resolution, no seat or setup fee |
| Kayako One Platform | $1 | $1 | per resolved ticket + custom platform | Unified inbox + ticketing + KB + chat; custom annual contract |
Feature by feature
The non-pricing differences that drive the real decision.
| Capability | Intercom | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | seat/month plus usage | resolved ticket |
| Pricing model | Seat pricing plus Fin AI outcome usage | Per-resolution AI agent plus custom-quoted platform |
| Cheapest paid tier | Fin AI Agent at $0.99/outcome | Kay AI Agent at $1/per resolved ticket |
| Mid-tier benchmark | Expert at $132/seat/month | Kayako One Platform at $1/per resolved ticket + custom platform |
| Total paid tiers published | 4 | 2 |
| Last verified | 2026-05-16 | 2026-05-17 |
Best for…
Hand-picked use cases mapped to the winner.
| Use case | Winner |
|---|---|
| Lowest entry price (10-person team) | Intercom Fin AI Agent |
| Most pricing tiers (room to grow) | Intercom (4 tiers) |
| Predictable per-seat billing | Intercom |
| Most recently verified pricing | Kayako |
Choose Intercom when
- Intercom combines teammate seats with Fin AI outcome usage, so the real cost depends on both support staffing and automated resolution volume.
- Entry tier (Fin AI Agent) at $0.99/outcome is your budget ceiling.
- Do not compare Intercom against Zendesk on seat price alone; estimate Fin outcomes and outbound usage.
Choose Kayako when
- Kayako now anchors pricing on a $1 per resolved ticket AI Agent.
- Entry tier (Kay AI Agent) at $1/per resolved ticket is your budget ceiling.
- Enterprise buyers contract for Kayako One with negotiated resolution caps, SSO, and onboarding bundled.
Switching considerations
Watch the hidden fees on both sides. Intercom: Fin outcomes, Proactive Support Plus, Copilot, SMS, WhatsApp, phone, and email campaigns are usage or add-on costs. Kayako: Kayako One platform is sales-led so per-seat costs are not public Always confirm with the vendor before purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a 10-person team, Intercom or Kayako?
At entry tier and 10 seats on annual billing: Intercom Fin AI Agent comes to $1/mo; Kayako Kay AI Agent comes to $1/mo. Intercom is the cheaper entry-tier choice at this team size.
Does Intercom have more pricing tiers than Kayako?
Intercom publishes more paid tiers (4 vs 2). More tiers usually means more granular ways to grow without re-platforming.
Which pricing was verified more recently?
Intercom's pricing was last verified 2026-05-16; Kayako's on 2026-05-17. Both pages link to the vendor's official pricing source so you can re-check before committing.