Comparison
Chatbase vs Intercom
Chatbase is the DIY AI-agent builder; Intercom is the enterprise suite whose AI (Fin) bills per outcome. Chatbase is cheaper to start but charges $99 a month to hide its badge; Intercom is more complete but far more expensive. SupportLime sits between: AI answers with sources, inbox and tickets, flat price, no branding fee.
Side by side
| Chatbase | Intercom | SupportLime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Hobby $40, Basic $150, Business $500 per month (monthly rates); no free plan | Essential $29/seat, Advanced $85/seat, Expert $132/seat per month (annual rates) | Flat monthly: Free, $29, $79, $199 |
| What you pay for | Message credits; replies on stronger models consume several credits each | Fin AI agent $0.99 per outcome, 50-outcome monthly minimum when used standalone | AI replies only (1 reply = 1 reply) |
| Teammates | 2 / 3 / 5 seats | Per seat, every teammate costs | Unlimited teammates on every paid plan |
| Remove branding | $1,188 per year to remove | n/a | No branding on paid plans, no extra fee |
| When you hit the limit | Auto-recharge credits at $40 per 1,000 | Billed per outcome, including "assumed" resolutions when a visitor goes quiet | Assistant pauses, inbox keeps working |
| Setup | Quick; one agent per plan, $300/year per extra agent | Workflows, seat admin, onboarding | One script tag, 5-minute setup |
| Human inbox and tickets | Helpdesk features on higher plans | Yes, per seat | Inbox, takeover, tickets included |
Figures from each vendor's public pricing page and reviews, checked October 2026. Full write-ups: Chatbase alternative, Intercom alternative.
What people say
- Chatbase
“Charged three times after I explicitly told them to close my account… they refused to refund the charges”
Trustpilot, September 2026 - Chatbase
“Our plan conditions became significantly less favorable over time”
Trustpilot, October 2026 - Intercom
“tickets that take a human 1 min to respond to now cost you $0.99 ($60+/hour)”
Hacker News, June 2026 - Intercom
“we would be forcibly migrated to seat-based pricing… paying 3 to 4 times our current expenditure”
Hacker News, May 2025
Frequently asked questions
- Which has an inbox?
- Intercom has a full inbox. Chatbase has a conversation log. SupportLime has a shared inbox with tickets on every plan.
Other comparisons
Or skip both
SupportLime: AI answers with sources, inbox and tickets, unlimited teammates, one flat price. Free plan, no card.