Intercom vs LiveAgent 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. |
LiveAgent pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small business | $19 | $15 | agent/month | Ticketing, live chat, basic automations |
| Medium business | $35 | $29 | agent/month | Call center, departments, SLAs |
| Large business | $59 | $49 | agent/month | Advanced reports, audit log, custom roles |
| Enterprise | $85 | $69 | agent/month | Dedicated account manager, white-glove onboarding |
Feature by feature
The non-pricing differences that drive the real decision.
| Capability | Intercom | LiveAgent |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | seat/month plus usage | agent/month |
| Pricing model | Seat pricing plus Fin AI outcome usage | Per-agent helpdesk with paid channel add-ons |
| Cheapest paid tier | Fin AI Agent at $0.99/outcome | Small business at $15/agent/month |
| Mid-tier benchmark | Expert at $132/seat/month | Large business at $49/agent/month |
| Total paid tiers published | 4 | 4 |
| 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 | LiveAgent |
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 LiveAgent when
- Per-agent omnichannel helpdesk.
- Entry tier (Small business) at $15/agent/month is your budget ceiling.
- Enterprise tier sold at $69 per agent annually with named AM; expect line items for every social channel and KB beyond the first.
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. LiveAgent: Each social channel (Facebook, X, Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp): $39/month Always confirm with the vendor before purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a 10-person team, Intercom or LiveAgent?
At entry tier and 10 seats on annual billing: Intercom Fin AI Agent comes to $1/mo; LiveAgent Small business comes to $150/mo. Intercom is the cheaper entry-tier choice at this team size.
Does Intercom have more pricing tiers than LiveAgent?
Both publish 4 paid tiers. The mid-tier benchmark is Expert for Intercom and Large business for LiveAgent.
Which pricing was verified more recently?
Intercom's pricing was last verified 2026-05-16; LiveAgent's on 2026-05-17. Both pages link to the vendor's official pricing source so you can re-check before committing.