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7 alternatives to Intercom

Intercom is a Communication product. The community recommends 7 alternatives: 7 open source, 7 self-hostable and 7 free to use. They are ranked by community votes, ratings and favorites, with the key differences from Intercom highlighted.

Last updated:

I

About Intercom

Customer service platform with live chat messenger, shared inbox, help center and the Fin AI agent.

Closed source
Not self-hostable
Subscription
Web
iOS
Android
View detailsVisit website

Quick picks

Chatwoot logo

Best open-source pick

Chatwoot

Open source, MIT license

Chatwoot logo

Best self-hosted pick

Chatwoot

Run it on your own server

Chatwoot logo

Best free pick

Chatwoot

Free to use

All alternatives

  1. 0
    1.

    Chatwoot

    Communication

    Customer communication platform (alternative to Intercom & Zendesk).

    Open source · MIT
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite
  2. 0
    2.

    FreeScout

    Ticketing

    Email-based customer support application, help desk and shared mailbox (alternative to Zendesk and Help Scout).

    Open source · AGPL-3.0
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite
  3. 0
    3.

    Libredesk

    Ticketing

    Open-source, self-hosted customer support desk in a single binary. A lightweight alternative to Intercom, Zendesk, Chatwoot.

    Open source · AGPL-3.0
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite
  4. 0
    4.

    Live Helper Chat

    Communication

    Live Support chat for your website.

    Open source · Apache-2.0
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite
  5. 0
    5.

    Tiledesk

    Communication

    All-in-one customer engagement platform from lead-gen to post-sales, from WhatsApp to your website. With omni-channel live agents and AI-powered chatbots (alternative to Intercom, Zendesk, Tawk.to and Tidio).

    Open source · MIT
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite
  6. 0
    6.

    Usertour

    Miscellaneous

    Usertour is an open-source user onboarding platform. It allows you to create in-app product tours, checklists, and surveys in minutes—effortlessly and with full control.The open-source alternative to Userflow and Appcues

    Open source · AGPL-3.0
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite
  7. 0
    7.

    Zammad

    Ticketing

    Easy to use but powerful open-source support and ticketing system.

    Open source · AGPL-3.0
    Self-hostable

    Compared with Intercom

    • + Open source (Intercom is not)
    • + Self-hostable (Intercom is not)
    • + Free to use (Intercom is paid)
    DetailsWebsite

Intercom vs. alternatives

ServiceOpen sourceSelf-hostedLicensePricingPlatformsRatingVotes
Intercom
Current
NoNoproprietarySubscriptionWeb / iOS / Android——
ChatwootYesYesMIT———0
FreeScoutYesYesAGPL-3.0———0
LibredeskYesYesAGPL-3.0———0
Live Helper ChatYesYesApache-2.0———0
TiledeskYesYesMIT———0
UsertourYesYesAGPL-3.0———0
ZammadYesYesAGPL-3.0———0

FAQ

What is the best alternative to Intercom?

Community-recommended alternatives to Intercom include Chatwoot, FreeScout, Libredesk, Live Helper Chat, Tiledesk, and Usertour. Compare open source, self-hosting, pricing and platforms to choose.

Is there a free alternative to Intercom?

Yes. Chatwoot, FreeScout, Libredesk, Live Helper Chat, Tiledesk, and Usertour can be used for free; the open-source, self-hostable ones can be run on your own server at no cost.

Is there an open-source alternative to Intercom?

Yes. Open-source alternatives include Chatwoot, FreeScout, Libredesk, Live Helper Chat, Tiledesk, and Usertour.

Can I self-host an alternative to Intercom?

Yes. Chatwoot, FreeScout, Libredesk, Live Helper Chat, Tiledesk, and Usertour can run on your own server, so you keep control of your data.

Other Communication services

Services in the same category that haven't been suggested as Intercom alternatives yet. If one fits, add it as an alternative.

  • MT
    Microsoft Teams

    Microsoft's workplace chat and video meeting app, integrated with Microsoft 365 files and calendars.

  • D
    Discord

    Voice, video and text chat platform organized into community servers and channels, popular with gamers and online communities.

  • Z
    Zoom

    Video conferencing platform for meetings, webinars and screen sharing, with team chat and phone add-ons.

  • T
    Twilio

    Cloud communications API platform for programmable SMS, voice calls, WhatsApp messaging, email and verification.

  • M
    Mailchimp

    Intuit's email marketing platform for newsletters, audience management and automated campaigns.

  • S
    Slack

    Team messaging platform organized into channels, with direct messages, huddles, file sharing and thousands of integrations.

Know another Intercom alternative?

Once added, the community can vote and the best suggestions rise to the top.