Intercom Fin vs Zendesk AI: What 300 Chats a Month Cost

Intercom Fin and Zendesk AI agents both bill for every question the AI resolves. That works when volume is low and steady. It gets harder to budget as volume grows, because each extra resolved question adds to the bill. Here is what each costs at 300 AI-answered chats a month, using the prices on their own pricing pages on October 21, 2026.

The prices

• Intercom Fin: from $0.99 per Fin outcome. Used with another helpdesk, a minimum monthly commitment applies, for example 50 outcomes. Intercom seats start at $29 per seat a month.
• Zendesk AI agents: $2.00 per automated resolution pay-as-you-go, less with a committed volume. Suite Team ($55 per agent a month, billed yearly) includes 5 automated resolutions per agent a month; Suite Professional includes 10.

The math at 300 chats a month

Assume the AI answers 300 chats a month and 65% of them count as resolved. That is 195 resolutions.

• Intercom Fin: 195 at $0.99 is about $193 a month, plus seats if you run Intercom.
• Zendesk AI: 195 at $2.00 is $390 a month at pay-as-you-go rates, before your plan's included resolutions, plus agent seats.

At 600 chats, the resolution fees double. That is the part teams find hard to plan for.

When per-resolution pricing is fine

If you already run Intercom or Zendesk, your volume is low, and the AI resolves questions well, paying per resolution is simple and the bill stays small. If that describes you, stay where you are.

When a prepaid plan fits better

If you are a small team that answers support from an inbox, or your volume swings from month to month, a prepaid plan is easier to budget. CertifChat's Starter plan is $29 a month for 3,000 replies. The same 300 chats at about 2.5 AI replies each are 750 replies, and any extra spend is a top-up or an auto-recharge capped by a limit you set.

Work out your own number

1. Count last month's chats and how many the AI answered.
2. Estimate how many of those would count as resolved under each vendor's definition.
3. Multiply by the price per resolution, then add seats and any minimums.
4. Compare with a prepaid plan's price for the same number of replies.

The side-by-side pages for Intercom Fin and Zendesk AI show the same numbers in a table, and the glossary explains per-resolution pricing.