Escape the upgrade trap.
Get everything day one.
HelpSpot includes every feature in one plan. No tiers to climb, no add-ons to buy, no surprises on your bill.
Why teams switch from Intercom
The same frustrations we hear from every Intercom switcher
Complex Pricing Maze
Three pricing tiers, paid add-ons for AI, and support, plus costly professional services.
Predictable Pricing
One flat annual price includes every feature, unlimited tickets, and unlimited data. No tiers, no add-ons, no surprises.
Feature Gatekeeping
Critical features like SLAs, and Multibrand support are locked behind the expensive Expert plan ($132/agent/mo).
All Features Included
HelpSpot includes every feature in one plan. SLAs, automation, and reporting are standard for every team.
Support is an Add-on
Intercom's standard support is digital-only. Getting Premier Support with faster responses costs extra.
Human Support Included
We don't charge you to talk to us. Phone and email support from our US-based team is included for every customer.
Intercom vs HelpSpot
See how the two platforms compare on what matters most
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The $29 plan is basic
The entry-level plan lacks essential workflows, SLAs, and custom reporting. To get standard help desk features, you must jump to the $85/agent Advanced plan.
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Chat-first, not email-first
Intercom is designed for real-time chat. Teams who handle support via email find the conversation-based UI awkward and inefficient.
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Pay-per-seat Copilot
Want AI assistance for your agents? That's another $29 per agent, per month. The costs stack up quickly.
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Data Control Limits
Choosing your data region (EU/US) is restricted to the expensive Advanced and Expert plans. Self-hosting is not an option.
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Everything included
One price gets you every feature we build. SLAs, collision detection, custom fields, and reporting are all standard from day one.
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Built for email teams
HelpSpot is designed for teams who live in email. Familiar inbox workflow, threaded conversations, and a rich editor that works like Outlook or Gmail.
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Unlimited Agent AI
Our AI tools help your agents write faster and work smarter without any additional per-seat fees.
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Your data, your choice
Choose US Cloud, EU Cloud, or Self-Hosted. Complete control over where your customer data lives, at no extra cost.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Comparing Intercom Essential ($29/agent/mo) vs HelpSpot
HelpSpot
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Intercom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Feature | All Inclusive | Essential $29/user/mo |
|
Core Ticketing
|
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| Familiar email-inspired workflow | Chat-first UI | |
| Email-to-ticket conversion | ||
| Collision detection | ||
| Custom fields | ||
| Conditional field logic | $85+ plan | |
| Rich customer replies (images, files, emoji) | ||
| Unlimited mailboxes | $85+ plan | |
|
Portal & Knowledge Base
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||
| Customer portal | ||
| Contact form | ||
| Portal theme customization | Expert plan ($132) | |
| Multi-brand portals | Expert plan ($132) | |
| Knowledge base | ||
| Knowledge base WYSIWYG | ||
|
Automation & Workflow
|
||
| Trigger rules | Simple only | |
| Time based automation rules | $85+ plan | |
| Round-robin assignment | $85+ plan | |
| SLA management | Expert plan ($132) | |
|
AI Features
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||
| AI writing assistance | Included | +$29/seat (Copilot) |
| AI ticket summarization | Included | +$29/seat (Copilot) |
| AI translation | Included | +$29/seat (Copilot) |
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Reporting & Analytics
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||
| Built-in reports | ||
| Custom report builder | $85+ plan | |
| Real-time dashboards | Expert plan ($132) | |
| Scheduled report exports | $85+ plan | |
| Export to Excel/CSV | ||
| Direct SQL database access | Self-hosted | Impossible |
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Pricing Model
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| Feature tiers | 1 tier | 3 tiers + usage fees |
| Add-on costs | None | Many |
| Unlimited tickets | ||
| Cancel anytime | 30-day notice | |
| Refund policy | No refunds | |
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Support & Deployment
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| Phone support | All plans | Paid Add-on |
| Self-hosted option | ||
| EU data residency | Included | $85+ plan |
| Access logs and redaction | Expert plan ($132) | |
| Data & attachment storage | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Implementation help | Free | Paid Add-on |
| API access | Unlimited | Rate limited |
Ready to simplify your support?
The true cost of Intercom
Intercom advertises $29/agent. But essential features require the $85/agent Advanced plan. Here's what a real team actually pays.
Intercom
Advanced Plan ($85/agent/mo)
+ Add-ons for support, onboarding, and AI not included
HelpSpot
Simple pricing, everything included
Save over $8,000 in year one
Migration made easy
We'll help you every step of the way
Export Your Data
Use Intercom's REST API or CSV export tools to download your conversation history and user data.
Import to HelpSpot
Our team works with you to map Intercom conversations to HelpSpot tickets and import your history.
Go Live
Connect your email accounts to HelpSpot. Your team picks up right where they left off, without the usage fees.
Deploy Your Way
Same price, same features. Choose the deployment that works for you.
Same powerful features and pricing across all hosting options.
US Cloud
CloudUS-East Region
Dedicated AWS infrastructure with 99.9% uptime. Managed updates and automated backups.
EU Cloud
CloudFrankfurt Region
GDPR-compliant hosting. Full data sovereignty with all information isolated within the EU.
Self-Hosted
EnterpriseOn-Premise Infrastructure
Complete control on your own hardware. Ideal for air-gapped networks or strict compliance.
Maximum Control & Data ResidencyWhat we believe
We've been building help desk software since 2005. Along the way, we've developed strong opinions about how support should work.
Single Assignment
Every ticket has one owner. Clear accountability means faster resolution and better outcomes.
Read moreHuman-First Support
Support is human-to-human communication. Technology should enhance it, not replace it.
Read moreSimple Pricing
One price. All features. No add-ons, no surprises. Budget with confidence.
Read moreBeyond Shared Mailbox
Email chaos ends here. Get collision detection, automation, and the visibility you need.
Read moreCompare other platforms
See how HelpSpot stacks up against other help desk solutions.
"Of the number of helpdesk systems we looked into, ranging from the off-the-shelf expensive systems to completely 'free', your product was the best looking, simplest for both the customer and the staff, the quickest to set-up and configure and reasonably priced."
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about switching from Intercom
Yes. Unlike Intercom which charges $29/seat extra for Copilot features, HelpSpot includes AI summarization, translation, and writing assistance for every user at no additional cost.
Absolutely. While Intercom requires you to be on their expensive Advanced plan ($85/seat) for EU hosting, HelpSpot offers EU cloud hosting on our standard plan at no extra charge.
HelpSpot is primarily an email-based help desk, focusing on asynchronous communication which allows for deeper, more thoughtful support without the burnout of real-time chat. We integrate with chat tools if you need them, but our core is a robust ticketing system.
We provide a white-glove migration service. We'll help you export your data from Intercom's API and import it directly into HelpSpot, ensuring you don't lose your customer history.
HelpSpot is the best Intercom alternative for teams that primarily handle support through email. Intercom is chat-first and charges premium prices for features email-based teams rarely use. HelpSpot is purpose-built for email ticketing with shared inboxes, SLAs, automation, and AI included in one flat annual price. No per-seat surprises.
Intercom is a chat-first platform. While it handles email, its interface and workflows are optimized for real-time messaging and chatbots. Teams that rely on email ticketing often find it overly complex for their needs. HelpSpot is purpose-built for email support with shared inboxes, ticket management, and SLAs designed for asynchronous communication.
Intercom's Essential plan starts at $29/seat/month, but most teams need Advanced ($85/seat/month) for SLAs and workflows. AI Copilot adds $29/seat. A 10-seat team on Advanced with AI can exceed $13,000/year. HelpSpot includes all features and AI for a flat annual price.
Trusted by teams who made the switch
Trusted by industry leaders
Ready to switch?
We'll help you move.
Start your free trial and our team will help migrate your data, train your agents, and get you up and running. No risk, no commitment.
