AI support desks, compared honestly

Each page covers where the AI's answers come from, what three products and two people cost, and when the other tool is the better choice. Prices from each vendor's own page, checked 3 November 2026. Prices from each vendor's own page, checked 3 November 2026.

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Help desks and AI support agents

Inboxes with an AI agent that answers your customers by email and chat.

Intercom Fin alternative $29/seat + $0.99/outcome The best-known AI agent. Ellie also writes the help centre it answers from, with no seat or per-outcome fees.
Zendesk alternative from $55/agent + AI resolutions The enterprise suite. Ellie Desk is founder-sized: knowledge from your product and no per-agent fees.
Help Scout alternative free, then $25/user A friendly inbox with a help centre you write. Ellie writes it for you, with no per-user or per-resolution fees.
Productlane alternative $29/user + $0.79/resolution The closest match: an inbox plus a self-updating help centre. Ellie adds captured screenshots and no seat fees.
Crisp alternative free, then $45/workspace Flat-priced chat with a free plan. Ellie also writes the help centre and runs several products in one inbox.

The quickest comparison is your own support inbox.

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14-day trial with Support included, no card. Prices are each vendor's own, checked 3 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.