4-Way Comparison
Four contenders, one table.
No hiding.
Intercom, HelpScout, LiveChat, Tawk.to and SupportWire compared across every feature that matters. Pricing, AI, channels, integrations, and more.
Feature Comparison
22 features. 7 categories.
No hiding.
Every feature that matters for customer support, compared honestly across 5 platforms.
| Feature | Intercom | HelpScout | LiveChat | Tawk.to | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||||
| Starting Price | $29/seat/mo + AI fees | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | $19/agent/mo (1 agent max) | Free core | Simple per-seat pricing |
| Pricing Model | Per seat + per-resolution | Contact-based, unpredictable | 4 separate products | Free + paid add-ons | Transparent per-seat |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $0.99 per AI resolution | $0.75 per AI resolution | Separate ChatBot product ($52+) | $29-$399/mo add-on | Included in every plan |
| Channels | |||||
| Live Chat | Messenger + proactive | Beacon widget, reactive | Core product | Free live chat | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Add-on ($80+/mo) | Not available (14+ years) | Not available | Not available | All plans |
| Ticketing | Full ticketing system | Shared inbox | Separate HelpDesk ($29+/mo) | Basic ticketing | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Articles + help center | Public only, broken editor | Separate product ($49+/mo) | Hosted on their subdomain | Public and internal |
| AI | |||||
| AI Chatbot | Fin AI (65% resolution rate) | $0.75/resolution add-on | Separate ChatBot ($52+/mo) | Basic add-on | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Trains on help content | Public articles only | Template-based | Not autonomous | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Workflows + bots | Keyword-matching only | Requires ChatBot subscription | Stops when agents offline | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | |||||
| Setup Time | 2-4 weeks | Hours to days | Quick for chat only | Minutes (basic chat) | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Modern, polished | Clean, simple | Clean but aging | Recently refreshed, still dated | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Optimized | Light Beacon widget | Lightweight | ~700KB payload | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Higher tiers only | Limited customization | Enterprise only | $19/mo to remove branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | 12-mo default, no prorated exit | Straightforward | Requires support to cancel | Post-cancellation charges reported | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | |||||
| Data Export | CSV + API export | CSV export available | Limited export | Limited export | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | SOC 2 certified | SOC 2 certified | Security measures in place | No SOC 2, no HIPAA | |
| Analytics | |||||
| Reporting | Deep analytics | Basic dashboards | Strong analytics | Basic reports | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | SLA rules + tracking | No SLA tracking | Basic SLA features | Not available | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Built-in | Satisfaction ratings | Post-chat surveys | Not available | Built-in |
| Integrations | |||||
| Native Integrations | 300+ apps | 100+ apps | 200+ apps | Limited native + Zapier | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | Full REST API | REST API | REST API | Limited API | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
Intercom
$29/seat/mo + AI fees
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
LiveChat
$19/agent/mo (1 agent max)
Tawk.to
Free core
SupportWire
Simple per-seat pricing
Pricing Model
Intercom
Per seat + per-resolution
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
LiveChat
4 separate products
Tawk.to
Free + paid add-ons
SupportWire
Transparent per-seat
Per-Resolution AI Fees
Intercom
$0.99 per AI resolution
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
LiveChat
Separate ChatBot product ($52+)
Tawk.to
$29-$399/mo add-on
SupportWire
Included in every plan
Channels
Live Chat
Intercom
Messenger + proactive
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
LiveChat
Core product
Tawk.to
Free live chat
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
Intercom
Add-on ($80+/mo)
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
LiveChat
Not available
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
Intercom
Full ticketing system
HelpScout
Shared inbox
LiveChat
Separate HelpDesk ($29+/mo)
Tawk.to
Basic ticketing
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
Intercom
Articles + help center
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
LiveChat
Separate product ($49+/mo)
Tawk.to
Hosted on their subdomain
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
Intercom
Fin AI (65% resolution rate)
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
LiveChat
Separate ChatBot ($52+/mo)
Tawk.to
Basic add-on
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
Intercom
Trains on help content
HelpScout
Public articles only
LiveChat
Template-based
Tawk.to
Not autonomous
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
Intercom
Workflows + bots
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
LiveChat
Requires ChatBot subscription
Tawk.to
Stops when agents offline
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
Intercom
2-4 weeks
HelpScout
Hours to days
LiveChat
Quick for chat only
Tawk.to
Minutes (basic chat)
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
Intercom
Modern, polished
HelpScout
Clean, simple
LiveChat
Clean but aging
Tawk.to
Recently refreshed, still dated
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
Intercom
Optimized
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
LiveChat
Lightweight
Tawk.to
~700KB payload
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
Intercom
Higher tiers only
HelpScout
Limited customization
LiveChat
Enterprise only
Tawk.to
$19/mo to remove branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
Intercom
12-mo default, no prorated exit
HelpScout
Straightforward
LiveChat
Requires support to cancel
Tawk.to
Post-cancellation charges reported
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
Intercom
CSV + API export
HelpScout
CSV export available
LiveChat
Limited export
Tawk.to
Limited export
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
Intercom
SOC 2 certified
HelpScout
SOC 2 certified
LiveChat
Security measures in place
Tawk.to
No SOC 2, no HIPAA
SupportWire
Analytics
Reporting
Intercom
Deep analytics
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
LiveChat
Strong analytics
Tawk.to
Basic reports
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
Intercom
SLA rules + tracking
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
LiveChat
Basic SLA features
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
Intercom
Built-in
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
LiveChat
Post-chat surveys
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
Intercom
300+ apps
HelpScout
100+ apps
LiveChat
200+ apps
Tawk.to
Limited native + Zapier
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
Intercom
Full REST API
HelpScout
REST API
LiveChat
REST API
Tawk.to
Limited API
SupportWire
Full REST API
Go Deeper
Read the full story
Want more than a feature table? Read our detailed comparison with reviews, pain points, and real user feedback.
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