Intercom vs Crisp chat - Tested and compared

Intercom - a quick overview

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Founded in Dublin, Ireland in 2011 by Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, David Barrett, and Ciaran Lee, Intercom is a leading customer communications platform that helps businesses deliver personalized support and engagement at scale. Intercom’s core function is to provide AI-powered chatbots, live chat, help desk tools, and automated messaging for sales and support teams across web and mobile.

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Intercom serves over 143,000 companies worldwide—from startups to global enterprises—empowering customer-facing teams with features like real-time messaging widgets, CRM integrations, advanced automation workflows, user segmentation tools, and robust analytics. Its intuitive interface makes it a favorite among sales reps, marketers, product managers, and customer support professionals seeking to build stronger relationships with their users.

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In the following section we’ll break down Intercom’s features, pros/cons, pricing details—and compare them directly with Crisp Chat and Ringly.io to help you decide which solution best fits your business needs.

Intercom's features

• Live Chat & Messaging:
  Intercom’s live chat widget lets businesses engage website visitors and customers in real time, supporting both sales and support use-cases. It offers proactive messaging, bots for lead qualification, and automated responses. While Crisp chat also provides live chat with automation, Intercom’s interface is more polished but can be pricier for similar capabilities.
• Automated Workflows & Bots:
  Intercom automates repetitive tasks using customizable bots that answer FAQs, qualify leads, or route conversations to the right team. This reduces manual workload and speeds up response times—similar to Crisp’s bot automation but with deeper integration into customer journeys. However, Ringly.io stands out by automating not just chats but also phone calls end-to-end.
• Knowledge Base Integration:
  Intercom includes a built-in knowledge base so customers can self-serve answers 24/7 via help articles linked directly in the chat window. This improves resolution rates without agent intervention—a feature also found in Crisp. Ringly.io takes this further by letting its AI phone agent instantly reference your actual docs during calls without extra training.
• Customer Segmentation & Targeted Messaging:
  With advanced segmentation tools, Intercom enables personalized campaigns based on user behavior or attributes—helpful for onboarding flows or upsell prompts. Crisp offers basic segmentation; however, Intercom’s analytics-driven targeting is more robust for larger teams needing granular control.
• Multi-Channel Support (Email + In-App):
  Intercom supports multi-channel outreach: send messages via email or within your app alongside web chat—all managed from one dashboard. While Crisp covers similar channels (including SMS), neither platform natively handles voice/phone support like Ringly.io does through AI-powered phone agents.
• Analytics & Reporting:
  Detailed dashboards track conversation volume, response times, customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), and campaign performance so you can optimize support operations over time. Both Intercom and Crisp offer analytics; however, actionable call analysis—like mood detection or call outcome summaries—is unique to Ringly.io.
• Integrations & API Access:
  Intercom connects with hundreds of business tools (CRMs like Salesforce/HubSpot; e-commerce platforms) via native integrations and APIs for custom workflows—a strength shared by both competitors here.
• Customizable Workflows & Triggers:
  Set rules to automate actions such as assigning tickets based on topic or escalating urgent issues automatically—ideal for scaling teams who need efficiency at volume levels beyond what entry-level solutions provide.

While Intercom excels at web-based messaging automation with strong analytics and integrations suited to SaaS/e-commerce brands needing deep customization, it lacks native voice channel automation—the area where Ringly.io delivers unique value by handling complex phone interactions automatically using your own business data as context.

Intercom Pros and Cons

• Intuitive user interface – Many users praise Intercom’s modern design and easy navigation, making it quick to adopt for teams of all sizes.
• Powerful live chat & messaging – Real-time communication tools are highlighted as highly effective for engaging customers and resolving issues quickly.
• Strong automation features – Custom bots, automated workflows, macros, and snippets help reduce manual work while improving response speed.
• Seamless omnichannel experience – Conversations across web and mobile apps flow into a single shared inbox; this unified approach is especially valued by support teams handling high volumes or multiple channels.
• Extensive integrations & API options – Hundreds of integrations with other tools (analytics, cobrowsing, session replays) allow businesses to expand functionality as needed without switching platforms.

• High pricing & add-on costs – Users frequently mention that Intercom is expensive compared to alternatives; costs can escalate quickly with add-ons like product tours or advanced AI features. This makes budgeting difficult for startups or growing businesses. Ringly.io’s transparent pricing model helps avoid these surprises.
• Limited traditional ticketing capabilities – While conversational support is strong, some reviewers feel that classic ticket management features are less robust than in dedicated help desk solutions (like Zendesk). Ringly.io offers more advanced ticketing out-of-the-box.
• Complex pricing structure – The combination of per-seat fees plus extra charges for certain modules makes it hard to estimate total cost upfront; this complexity can be frustrating during procurement planning.
• Basic support behind paywalls/SLA limitations – Essential customer service features such as SLAs or priority support may only be available on higher-tier plans—potentially leaving smaller teams underserved unless they upgrade plans. With Ringly.io you get core SLA management included at every tier.
• Steep learning curve for advanced functions – While basic use is straightforward, several users report that configuring more complex automations or analytics requires significant time investment or technical skillset not always present in smaller organizations.

These insights reflect what actual customers experience day-to-day—not just the feature list—and highlight both where Intercom excels and where there may be gaps depending on your business needs.

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Crisp chat - a quick overview

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Founded in Nantes, France in 2015 by Baptiste Jamin and Valerian Saliou, Crisp is a fast-growing customer support platform built for startups and small businesses. The company offers a unified inbox that brings together live chat, email, social messaging (like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp), helpdesk features, CRM tools, and powerful AI-powered automations—all designed to make customer conversations smooth and efficient. With over 600,000 users worldwide and a team spread across the globe working remotely from day one, Crisp stands out for its lightweight chat widget (just 164KB!), easy setup, and focus on user feedback.

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Crisp’s target audience includes ecommerce brands, tech startups, agencies—any business that wants to deliver top-notch support without complexity or high costs. Key features include real-time chat with visitors on your website or app; integrations with popular tools like Shopify; automated workflows; customizable help centers; analytics; and flexible pricing plans starting at $25/month. In the next section we’ll look at Crisp’s features side by side with Intercom and Ringly.io—including pros/cons of each platform as well as pricing details so you can pick the best fit for your business.

Crisp chat's features

• Multi-channel inbox – Crisp centralizes conversations from over 10 channels (including WhatsApp, Messenger, email, live chat, phone calls, and more) into a single unified inbox. This makes it easy for teams to manage all customer interactions in one place and collaborate efficiently. While Intercom also offers omnichannel support, Crisp’s approach is especially user-friendly for small to medium businesses that want broad coverage without complexity.
• Live chat with automation – The core of Crisp is its customizable live chat widget that supports real-time messaging on your website or app. Automation options like canned responses and chatbot flows help resolve common questions quickly. Compared to Intercom’s advanced AI-powered bots (like Fin), Crisp’s automation is simpler but easier to set up for non-technical users.
• Knowledge base integration – You can build a searchable help center within Crisp so customers can self-serve answers directly from the chat widget or via your site. However, reviews note that Intercom’s knowledge base offers deeper customization and better mobile optimization. Ringly.io takes this further by letting its AI agent instantly learn from your docs or website—no manual setup required—so answers are always accurate and current.
• Team collaboration tools – Features like shared inboxes, internal notes, assignment rules, and collision detection let multiple agents work together seamlessly on customer issues without overlap or confusion. This collaborative focus matches Intercom but at a lower price point; however, neither platform routes phone calls with context as Ringly.io does through smart AI call transfers.
• Integrations & API access – Crisp connects easily with popular business tools (CRMs, e-commerce platforms) via native integrations or Zapier/Make.com workflows. This allows you to automate tasks such as ticket creation or CRM updates during chats—a benefit shared by both competitors but made even more powerful in Ringly.io where custom actions happen automatically during live phone calls.
• Mobile & desktop apps – Agents can reply on the go using dedicated apps for Mac/Windows/iOS/Android devices—a must-have for distributed teams needing flexibility outside the browser environment. Both Intercom and Ringly.io offer strong mobile experiences too.
• Pricing & scalability – One of Crisp’s biggest advantages is affordability: there’s a free plan (with limited seats/features) plus paid tiers well below Intercom’s entry price point. For startups or SMBs watching costs closely while still wanting robust functionality across channels—including voice—Ringly.io provides enterprise-grade automations at competitive rates designed specifically for e-commerce growth.

Crisp excels at delivering an intuitive multichannel support experience ideal for smaller businesses seeking value without sacrificing essential features found in pricier solutions like Intercom—but when it comes to deep automation across both digital and voice touchpoints out-of-the-box (such as instant order status checks by phone), only Ringly.io truly closes every loop between customer inquiry and resolution automatically.

Next, let's look at Crisp chat's pros and cons. We studied dozens of reviews from real Crisp chat users from platforms like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. Then we identified commonalities and summarized the main pros and cons of Crisp chat based on real user feedback for you here:

Pros

• User-friendly interface – Many users praise Crisp for its clean design and intuitive setup, making it easy to onboard teams quickly without a steep learning curve.
• Excellent customer support – The support team is consistently described as responsive, helpful, and quick to resolve issues or answer questions.
• Multi-channel communication – Users value the ability to manage conversations across multiple channels (website live chat, email, social media) all in one inbox.
• Powerful chatbot & automation tools – The built-in AI chatbot builder is appreciated for its ease of use and flexibility in automating repetitive tasks.
• Smooth integrations & advanced features – Integrations with tools like Zapier/Make are highlighted as useful for connecting workflows; features such as live translation also stand out.
• A good value for money (for some) – Especially startups or smaller businesses find the pricing competitive compared to alternatives like Intercom or Zendesk—though this is not universal (see cons).

Cons

• Lack of advanced analytics/customization options – Several reviewers mention that analytics are too basic or not customizable enough; deeper insights into user behavior can be hard to obtain without third-party tools.
• Cumbersome interface at scale / learning curve for advanced use – While simple tasks are easy, more complex setups can feel overwhelming due to a cluttered UI or hidden settings. Some users report it takes time to fully understand all capabilities.
• Bugs & reliability issues with widgets/mobile apps – Occasional bugs have been reported with the web widget not loading properly or mobile app notifications being delayed/missed entirely. This can disrupt timely customer responses.
• Email marketing limitations / campaign management gaps – Users note missing features such as scheduling single-shot emails or A/B testing campaigns directly within Crisp; this limits marketing automation potential compared to dedicated platforms.
• Poor CRM capabilities/integration challenges – The built-in CRM is seen by many as limited: it's essentially a contact list rather than a full-featured CRM system. Integration problems with other CRMs via Zapier/Integrately are also noted.
• No free plan/high cost at higher tiers – While some find entry-level pricing fair, others complain about high costs when scaling up (especially after recent price increases), lack of free plan access beyond trials, and certain premium features locked behind expensive tiers.
• Lack of personalized onboarding/support calls – Some customers express frustration that onboarding help is limited mostly to documentation/screenshots rather than live video calls unless they pay extra—a pain point if your team prefers hands-on guidance.
• No conversation closure/management issues – Conversations sometimes remain open indefinitely by default ("never-ending conversations"), leading to cluttered inboxes unless manually managed—this impacts workflow efficiency over time.
• Lack of granular customization on lower plans – Customizing message appearance often requires upgrading plans; those on lower tiers may feel restricted in branding/personalization options until they pay more.

If you're considering Ringly.io instead: while every platform has trade-offs, Ringly.io offers robust analytics out-of-the-box, a streamlined UI designed specifically to avoid clutter even at scale, and flexible onboarding options—including direct video sessions—without requiring costly upgrades. Additionally, our CRM integrations work seamlessly across popular sales stacks. We’ve focused on ensuring conversations close automatically when resolved so your inbox stays tidy.

Pricing - Intercom vs Crisp chat

Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.

Intercom pricing

Additional Pricing Details

• Fin AI Agent: $0.99 per successful resolution (charged only for resolved conversations).
• Add-ons: Proactive Support Plus ($99/month), usage-based charges for SMS ($0.01–$0.09/SMS), email campaigns ($0.00025–$0.045/email), phone calls ($0.0035/minute).
• Annual Discounts: Plans are typically cheaper when billed annually; more free Lite seats included.

Contract & Billing Policies

• Users can choose between monthly and annual contracts.
• Monthly: Auto-renews each month; cancel anytime before next renewal to avoid further charges.
• Annual: Auto-renews yearly unless canceled at least 30 days before renewal.
• Discounts may apply for annual commitments.
• Additional usage (e.g., extra seats or messages) is prorated and billed in arrears as needed.

Cancellation Fees

• No cancellation fees for ending a monthly subscription; you simply won’t be charged after the current term ends. For annual contracts, cancellation takes effect at the end of the contract period—no early termination refunds.

Refund Policy

• Intercom does not offer refunds or money-back guarantees if you cancel partway through your paid period—your access continues until the end of your paid term but unused time is not refunded.

Notes

• Prices may vary slightly depending on whether you pay monthly vs annually and based on negotiated enterprise agreements.
• “Lite” seats are limited-access user licenses included in higher-tier plans when billed annually.
• For precise quotes tailored to your business size and needs—including add-ons—it’s best to use Intercom’s online calculator or contact their sales team directly since some costs depend on actual usage volume and seat count.

Crisp chat pricing

Ringly.io pricing

Ringly.io has simple, usage-based pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments. Test drive it risk-free for 14 days, then scale up or down on month-to-month terms—or book a demo for fully tailored enterprise support.

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Online customer reviews: Intercom vs Crisp chat

What users are saying about Intercom:

Total reviews and average rating:
- G2: 4.5/5 from 2,936 reviews
- Capterra: 4.5/5 from 1,040 reviews
- TrustRadius: 8.8/10 from 600 ratings

"Time saver for all teams" – Lillian G., Human Resources
Quickly and simply, I can access the Macros and write/update the articles in the assistance center... Streamlining the process of submitting tickets to the correct division for handling user concerns... It’s a time saver for all teams because they can deal with it themselves...

"Expensive and inflexible pricing" – Anonymous Reviewer
Many reviewers find Intercom's pricing structure to be expensive and inflexible, particularly for small businesses and startups, with additional costs for advanced features making it challenging to justify the investment...

What users are saying about Crisp Chat:

Total reviews and average rating:
- G2: No specific review count or score found in search results.
- Capterra: No specific review count or score found in search results.
*No consolidated total number of reviews or average star rating is available from major platforms based on current online sources; prospective buyers should be cautious.*

"Nice and intuitive design" – Anonymous Reviewer
Excellent customer service (responsive and helpful support). Easy management of multiple websites/accounts from one account. Competitive pricing compared to other services...

"Lacking depth in analytics tools" – Anonymous Reviewer
Lacking depth and clarity in analytics tools (more filters needed). Difficulties in editing user accounts for larger businesses. Insufficient help documentation...

What users are saying about Ringly.io:

Ringly.io is known for its simplicity, and a focus on e-commerce, with features like abandoned cart recovery and order status lookups. It has a 4.8 star rating from 12 reviews on Product Hunt and other platforms.

"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.

"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."

"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.

"How to automate customer service? -> Ringly.io" - Sidra Husnain, Founder.

Intercom vs Crisp chat: Which is best for you?

Who Intercom is best for…

• Larger teams or fast-growing companies – Intercom shines for SaaS, e-commerce brands, and businesses handling many conversations and needing advanced automations, custom workflows, or deep analytics.
• Businesses with tech resources – If you have staff to dig into setup, configure detailed bots, and integrate lots of tools, Intercom offers lots of power and customization.
• Enterprises looking for polished user experiences – Intercom’s interface is modern and its analytics are strong, helping customer support, sales, and marketing teams work together all in one platform.
• Companies with bigger budgets – If price is not a main concern and you want wide feature coverage (chat, email, in-app), Intercom can deliver—just know that costs (and add-ons) add up quickly.

Who Crisp Chat is best for…

• Small businesses, agencies, and startups – Crisp is easy to get started with and keeps things simple for new or smaller teams.
• Anyone wanting multichannel chat in one inbox – If you need to talk with customers across live chat, email, and social channels (like WhatsApp and Messenger) without hassle, Crisp makes that possible on one screen.
• Value-focused teams on a budget – Crisp’s plans start lower than Intercom, with a free option for those just starting out. It’s good for teams who need multi-agent chat and some automation without breaking the bank.
• Teams looking for good support and easy onboarding – Crisp is known for being user-friendly and having a helpful support team, making onboarding fast and simple.

Who Ringly.io is best for…

• Businesses of all sizes that want to automate phone and chat support – Ringly.io uses smart AI to handle both calls and chat, making it a future-proof choice for customer service—whether your team is one person or a large company.
• E-commerce and online stores looking to boost customer happiness and sales – With features like instant order lookups, automated cart recovery, and personalized recommendations (all by phone or chat!), Ringly.io is made for online retailers who want happy, loyal customers.
• Teams who want real results without complexity – Ringly.io is easy to set up, closes conversations for you, works with your existing tools, and keeps pricing simple with no hidden fees. It scales as you grow, so you don’t have to switch platforms down the road.
• Anyone who wants AI-powered, human-sounding service across more channels – If you want your team (and your customers) to get support even after hours, or you wish your agents didn’t have to handle routine calls, Ringly.io does that automatically—and sounds just like a real person.

Why pick Ringly.io? It stands out by blending phone and digital support—powered entirely by AI—so you never miss a lead, run out of coverage, or get stuck with tricky manual tickets. Whether you’re a startup or enterprise, Ringly.io means less work, happier customers, and support that just works.

Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice

Highly Rated: 4.8/5

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Founded in 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by Maurizio Isendoorn and Ruben Boonzaaijer, Ringly.io is revolutionizing e-commerce customer service with AI phone agents. Designed for online businesses, Ringly handles customer calls on autopilot—solving support issues, recovering abandoned carts, and even boosting sales—at just 20% of the cost of human agents.‍

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With 2,300+ customers, Ringly.io is the go-to solution for e-commerce stores looking to scale without scaling their support team. With award-winning technology (BubbleCon 2024's "Most Innovative App"), Ringly.io transforms your phone system into a revenue-driving powerhouse—without the headaches of traditional call centers.‍

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Features that make Ringly.io the #1 alternative to Intercom and Crisp chat:

No-code setup, instant results – Ringly.io is ready to go in minutes. Just add your website, docs, or text—no engineering required—and your AI phone agent instantly understands your business. It even updates automatically as your website changes.‍‍‍

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AI-powered sales & support – Ringly.io does both inbound and outbound calls. Recover 35%+ of abandoned carts with automated follow-up calls, provide real-time order tracking from Shopify, and convert more customers with personalized AI-driven conversations—not just reactive support.‍‍

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Advanced analytics for smarter decisions – Ringly.io gives you real-time call data, customer intent tracking, and performance reports—helping you optimize support and sales strategies.‍‍‍

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Scalable pricing without enterprise contracts – Ringly.io offers transparent, scalable pricing—pay for what you use, no locked-in contracts.‍

Final Thoughts: Which Support Platform Should You Choose?

Picking the right customer support tool can feel overwhelming, but it really comes down to your team's goals, channels, and growth plans. Each solution in this comparison—Intercom, Crisp Chat, and Ringly.io—delivers value in different ways. Let's quickly recap the highlights and when you might consider each one.

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• Intercom:
  • Best for bigger teams or rapidly scaling businesses who need advanced chatbots, segmented targeting, and robust analytics.
  • Offers deep integrations and automation—but at a higher and sometimes unpredictable price point.
  • Consider Intercom if you have tech resources (and budget!) to maximize its full suite for chat, email, and in-app messaging.
• Crisp Chat:
  • Ideal for startups, small businesses, and agencies wanting easy setup and unified multichannel support without extra complexity.
  • Known for user-friendly design and responsive support, but can lack customization, advanced analytics, and deeper automation.
  • Choose Crisp if you want good value on a budget, especially for chat/social/email—but have simple needs and don’t rely heavily on voice or data insights.
• Ringly.io:
  • Stands out for automating both phone and chat, powered by human-like AI that handles support, sales, cart recovery, and order lookups 24/7.
  • Combines the simplicity and clear pricing of Crisp with the advanced automations and analytics of Intercom—plus native phone support.
  • Best for modern e-commerce businesses (or any team seeking growth) who want to scale without hiring more agents or dealing with cluttered inboxes or manual tickets.

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If you’re looking for a support solution that saves you time, keeps customers happy, grows with your team, and covers both chat and voice seamlessly, Ringly.io gives you an advantage—without the steep costs or usability headaches. As customer expectations evolve, having smart, AI-powered automation integrated across every channel is quickly becoming the new standard.

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With Ringly.io, you’re not forced to choose between affordability or advanced capabilities—you get both, without trade-offs. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling up, Ringly.io is the subtle upgrade that quietly puts your business ahead… and lets your team focus on what matters most.

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Ready to see what powerful, effortless support feels like? Compare plans or start your free trial today.

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