AI agents can now answer most routine customer questions, recommend products and pass hard cases to a person. The tools look similar on the surface, but their pricing models and strengths differ a lot.
We compared six popular options for small and mid-sized businesses using each vendor’s published information.
Last updated: October 17, 2026. Prices and features change often, so always confirm on the official website before you buy.
Key takeaways
- Best all-round for selling and support: Text (formerly LiveChat), with the AI agent bundled into every plan.
- Best budget start: Tidio, thanks to its free plan.
- Best for SaaS and larger support teams: Intercom Fin.
- Best Shopify-only help desk: Gorgias.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Starting price | How AI is priced | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text | $19/user/month (yearly) | Resolutions included (10 or 200/month), then $49.50 per 50 | Ecommerce and sales-focused support |
| Tidio | Free; Starter $24.17/month | Lyro add-on from $32.50/month for 50 conversations | Small stores on a budget |
| Intercom Fin | $29/seat/month | From $0.99 per Fin outcome | SaaS and high-volume support |
| Gorgias | About $10/month Starter (reported) | Pay per AI resolution | Shopify brands |
| Zendesk | $55/agent/month (Suite Team, reported) | AI features by plan and add-ons | Established support teams |
| Chatbase | Free; Hobby $32/month (reported) | Message credits | Simple website chatbots |
Prices as published or reported in October 2026; always check the vendor’s site.
1. Text – best for turning chats into sales
Best for: Ecommerce and teams that want AI to sell and support
Starting price: Essential $19/user/month (billed yearly)
Text (the company behind LiveChat) now bundles its AI Agent into every plan. The agent learns from your website and files, works in 46 languages, recommends products with add-to-cart cards on Shopify and hands chats to people with full context. Custom skills let it tag chats, create tickets and route conversations.
Watch out for: per-user pricing and capped AI resolutions (10 on Essential, 200 on Growth). Read our full Text review.
2. Tidio – best budget option
Tidio combines live chat, a help desk and the Lyro AI agent, with a free plan that includes 50 lifetime Lyro conversations. It is quick to install and popular with small stores, but Lyro is priced as an add-on. See Text vs Tidio.
3. Intercom Fin – best for SaaS
Fin charges from $0.99 per outcome and can be used with Intercom’s help desk (from $29 per seat). It suits software companies with large help centers. See Text vs Intercom Fin.
4. Gorgias – best Shopify help desk
Gorgias is built around ecommerce order data and charges for AI per resolved conversation. It is strong for Shopify brands with high ticket volume. See Text vs Gorgias.
5. Zendesk – best for established support teams
Zendesk is a full support suite with messaging, ticketing and AI. It is powerful but usually more than a small business needs.
6. Chatbase – best simple website chatbot
Chatbase trains a chatbot on your content and adds actions on higher plans. It is a good fit if you do not need live chat or a help desk.
How to choose
- Mostly selling online? Start with Text or Gorgias.
- Tight budget and low volume? Try Tidio’s free plan.
- Large help center and many repetitive questions? Compare Intercom Fin’s per-outcome pricing.
- Only need a FAQ bot? Chatbase or a simple tool may be enough.
Related guides
- How to Set Up the Text AI Agent (Step-by-Step)
- How to Train an AI Agent on Your Website, Files and FAQs
- How to Write AI Agent Instructions (With Prompt Templates)
- How to Add the Text Chat Widget to Your Website or WordPress
- How to Connect the Text AI Agent to Shopify
- How to Create a Custom Skill for the Text AI Agent
- Text AI Agent Pricing 2026: Plans, AI Resolutions and Real Costs
- Text vs Tidio (2026): Which AI Chat Platform Is Better?
- Text vs Intercom Fin (2026): AI Customer Service Compared
- Text vs Gorgias for Shopify Stores (2026)
Frequently asked questions
Which AI customer service tool is cheapest?
Tidio and Chatbase have free plans for low volume. For real business use, compare the total cost of seats plus AI resolutions; our ROI guide shows how.
Can AI agents replace my support team?
They can handle a large share of repetitive questions, but you still need people for complex, emotional and high-value conversations.
Final verdict
For most online businesses that want chat to drive sales as well as answer questions, Text is the strongest all-round choice, with a 14-day free trial and no card required. Choose Tidio for the lowest entry cost and Intercom Fin for large SaaS help centers.
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