LiveChat vs Intercom: seat prices and the cost of AI answers
LiveChat now sells Text plans: Essential is $19 per user a month billed annually, with 10 AI resolutions included. Intercom Essential is $29 per seat, plus $0.99 per Fin AI outcome. Both pricing pages read October 19, 2026.
About this guide
Published by StackOnSale. Publisher: Emmanuel Grenier. Guide updated: 2026-10-19.
Research based on official vendor pages, not a hands-on review.
StackOnSale may earn a commission through disclosed affiliate links on the site. This does not decide which tool fits your needs.
Entry plans, billed annually
Per user or seat, in US dollars, before tax. Intercom adds $0.99 per Fin AI outcome.
Sources reviewed 2026-10-19. These are dated plan details, not a live checkout quote. Confirm current pricing and eligibility on the official pages.
Some vendor links on offer pages are disclosed affiliate links; this is not a paid ranking.
| Plan | Recorded price | Billing and limits | Before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text Essential (LiveChat) | $19 per user/month | Billed annually; $25 billed monthly | Includes 10 AI resolutions a month; packages of 50 more cost $49.50. |
| Intercom Essential | $29 per seat/month | Billed annually; $39 billed monthly | Fin AI answers cost $0.99 per outcome on top. StackOnSale has no Intercom offer page. |
The short answer
LiveChat sells its plans to new customers as Text, a product from the same company. Text Essential is $19 per user a month billed annually, or $25 billed monthly, and includes 1 AI agent and 10 AI resolutions a month. Text Growth is $79, or $99 billed monthly, with 10 AI agents and 200 AI resolutions a month. Extra AI resolutions cost $49.50 for a package of 50.
Intercom Essential is $29 per seat a month billed annually, or $39 billed monthly. Fin, its AI agent, costs $0.99 per outcome on top.
For 3 agents billed annually, the cheaper Text plan costs less than Intercom Essential in each case we priced: no AI answers, 200 a month and 500 a month. The table below shows the arithmetic.
Prices were read on livechat.com/pricing and intercom.com/pricing on October 19, 2026, in US dollars. StackOnSale has not tested either product. Our partner link gives a 30-day free trial instead of 14 days and 10% off the first payment.
How each one charges
Text (LiveChat): a price per user per month. Every user who answers chats or tickets needs a seat, and there is no minimum team size. AI resolutions are included each month, 10 on Essential and 200 on Growth, and reset every month. Text counts one resolution when its AI directly solves a customer question; several questions in the same chat count as one. Extra resolutions come in packages of 50 at $49.50, which is $0.99 each.
Essential tracks 50 live visitors at a time and keeps 60 days of conversation history. Growth tracks 400 and keeps unlimited history.
Existing LiveChat customers keep their plan, price and login. The older LiveChat plans, from $19 for Starter to $79 per person for Business billed annually, are listed for them on a separate page.
Intercom: a price per seat plus usage. Fin costs $0.99 per outcome, counted when the customer confirms the issue is resolved, does not ask for more help after Fin answers, or when Fin completes a workflow, handoffs included. Intercom charges at most one outcome per conversation. Advanced includes 20 free Lite seats and Expert 50, for teammates who do not answer customers.
Seat prices side by side
The table lists the plans with a published price. Text Enterprise and Intercom's add-ons are priced on request or separately.
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | What the plan includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text Essential (LiveChat) | $19 per user | $25 per user | 1 AI agent, 10 AI resolutions a month, 50 live visitors tracked, 60-day history |
| Text Growth (LiveChat) | $79 per user | $99 per user | 10 AI agents, 200 AI resolutions a month, 400 live visitors tracked, unlimited history |
| Intercom Essential | $29 per seat | $39 per seat | Messenger, shared inbox and ticketing, public help center; Fin at $0.99 per outcome |
| Intercom Advanced | $85 per seat | $99 per seat | Workflows automation builder, round robin assignment, 20 free Lite seats; Fin at $0.99 per outcome |
| Intercom Expert | $132 per seat | $139 per seat | SSO, HIPAA support, SLAs, 50 free Lite seats; Fin at $0.99 per outcome |
Read on livechat.com/pricing and intercom.com/pricing, October 19, 2026. Prices in US dollars, before tax. Existing LiveChat customers keep their older plans, listed on livechat.com/pricing-legacy.
What AI answers add
Beyond what a plan includes, both vendors charge about $0.99 per AI answer: Intercom per Fin outcome, Text through packages of 50 resolutions at $49.50. The difference is the allowance. Intercom's seat price includes no Fin outcomes. Text includes 10 a month on Essential and 200 on Growth.
Text sells extra resolutions only in packages of 50, so 60 extra answers cost two packages, $99.
Intercom also sells Copilot, an assistant for agents, at $29 per agent a month billed annually or $35 billed monthly, free for 10 conversations per agent each month. Every Text plan includes its AI Copilot, with 5 reply suggestions a month per user on Essential and 50 on Growth.
| AI answers a month | Text Essential | Text Growth | Intercom Essential |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | 3 x $19 x 12 = $684 | 3 x $79 x 12 = $2,844 | 3 x $29 x 12 = $1,044 |
| 200 | $684 + 4 packages x $49.50 x 12 = $3,060 | $2,844, 200 included | $1,044 + 200 x $0.99 x 12 = $3,420 |
| 500 | $684 + 10 packages x $49.50 x 12 = $6,624 | $2,844 + 6 packages x $49.50 x 12 = $6,408 | $1,044 + 500 x $0.99 x 12 = $6,984 |
StackOnSale arithmetic on the published prices, with packages of 50 resolutions bought every month. Text Essential includes 10 resolutions a month and Growth 200. Intercom charges at most one Fin outcome per conversation.
When LiveChat wins
You want a low seat price and few AI answers. Text Essential is $19 per user a month billed annually, against $29 for Intercom Essential, and includes 10 AI resolutions a month.
You expect a few hundred AI answers a month. Text Growth includes 200. For 3 agents billed annually, it costs $2,844 a year with 200 AI answers, against $3,420 for Intercom Essential.
You sell on Shopify. Every Text plan includes a live Shopify catalog.
When Intercom wins
You need a public help center with ticketing in the entry plan. Intercom Essential includes a shared inbox, ticketing and a public help center.
You are an early-stage startup. Intercom advertises up to 93% off and 1 year of Fin free through its Early Stage program, on application.
You have many occasional users. Advanced includes 20 free Lite seats and Expert 50.
You already use another help desk. Intercom sells Fin on its own for tools such as Salesforce, at $0.99 per outcome with a monthly minimum.
What we could not verify
Whether unused resolutions from a Text package carry over to the next month. Intercom's charges for SMS, WhatsApp and phone, which vary by volume and region. Whether either annual price holds at renewal. Tax, which Text adds on top of its listed prices where it applies.
StackOnSale earns a commission if you buy LiveChat or Text through our link. We have no affiliate relationship with Intercom.
Questions
Is LiveChat cheaper than Intercom?
Per seat, yes for a new customer: Text Essential, the plan LiveChat now sells, is $19 per user a month billed annually, against $29 per seat for Intercom Essential. Text includes 10 AI resolutions a month; Intercom charges $0.99 for each Fin outcome. Read October 19, 2026.
What does Intercom's Fin AI agent cost?
$0.99 per outcome, charged at most once per conversation. An outcome counts when the customer confirms the issue is resolved, does not ask for more help after Fin answers, or when Fin completes a workflow, handoffs included.
How many AI answers does Text include?
10 AI resolutions a month on Essential and 200 on Growth. Extra packages of 50 cost $49.50 on either plan.
Is there a free trial?
Both pricing pages offer 14 days without a credit card. Our partner link gives a 30-day free trial instead of 14 days and 10% off the first payment.
What happened to LiveChat Team?
New trials now get Text plans. Existing LiveChat customers keep their plan, price and login, and the older plans, including Team at $49 per person a month billed annually, are listed on a separate LiveChat page.
Does Intercom have a startup discount?
Its Early Stage program advertises up to 93% off and 1 year of Fin free for startups, on application.
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Sources
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