Three popular support tools, side by side with SupportWire, across 22 features in 7 categories. Pick the one that fits how your team actually works.
SupportWire charges per seat plus $0.49 per AI resolution, half of Intercom Fin’s $0.99 per resolution, with a free plan and no sales call.
Updated June 2026
Feature comparison
22 features.
7 categories.
No hiding.
Every feature that matters for customer support, compared honestly across 4 platforms.
| Feature | Intercom | HelpScout | Tawk.to | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||||
| Starting Price | $29/seat/mo + AI fees | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | Free core | Free / $39 / $79 per month |
| Pricing Model | Per seat + per-resolution | Contact-based, unpredictable | Free + paid add-ons | Base + per-seat extras |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $0.99 per AI resolution | $0.75 per AI resolution | $29-$399/mo add-on | $0.49 per resolution — half of Fin |
| Channels | ||||
| Live Chat | Messenger + proactive | Beacon widget, reactive | Free live chat | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Add-on ($80+/mo) | Not available (14+ years) | Not available | All plans |
| Ticketing | Full ticketing system | Shared inbox | Basic ticketing | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Articles + help center | Public only, broken editor | Hosted on their subdomain | Public and internal |
| AI | ||||
| AI Chatbot | Fin AI (65% resolution rate) | $0.75/resolution add-on | Basic add-on | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Trains on help content | Public articles only | Not autonomous | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Workflows + bots | Keyword-matching only | Stops when agents offline | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | ||||
| Setup Time | 2-4 weeks | Hours to days | Minutes (basic chat) | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Modern, polished | Clean, simple | Recently refreshed, still dated | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Optimized | Light Beacon widget | ~700KB payload | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Higher tiers only | Limited customization | $19/mo to remove branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | 12-mo default, no prorated exit | Straightforward | Post-cancellation charges reported | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | ||||
| Data Export | CSV + API export | CSV export available | Limited export | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | SOC 2 certified | SOC 2 certified | No SOC 2, no HIPAA | |
| Analytics | ||||
| Reporting | Deep analytics | Basic dashboards | Basic reports | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | SLA rules + tracking | No SLA tracking | Not available | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Built-in | Satisfaction ratings | Not available | Built-in |
| Integrations | ||||
| Native Integrations | 300+ apps | 100+ apps | Limited native + Zapier | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | Full REST API | REST API | Limited API | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
Intercom
$29/seat/mo + AI fees
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
Tawk.to
Free core
SupportWire
Free / $39 / $79 per month
Pricing Model
Intercom
Per seat + per-resolution
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
Tawk.to
Free + paid add-ons
SupportWire
Base + per-seat extras
Per-Resolution AI Fees
Intercom
$0.99 per AI resolution
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
Tawk.to
$29-$399/mo add-on
SupportWire
$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin
Channels
Live Chat
Intercom
Messenger + proactive
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
Tawk.to
Free live chat
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
Intercom
Add-on ($80+/mo)
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
Intercom
Full ticketing system
HelpScout
Shared inbox
Tawk.to
Basic ticketing
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
Intercom
Articles + help center
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
Tawk.to
Hosted on their subdomain
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
Intercom
Fin AI (65% resolution rate)
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
Tawk.to
Basic add-on
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
Intercom
Trains on help content
HelpScout
Public articles only
Tawk.to
Not autonomous
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
Intercom
Workflows + bots
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
Tawk.to
Stops when agents offline
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
Intercom
2-4 weeks
HelpScout
Hours to days
Tawk.to
Minutes (basic chat)
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
Intercom
Modern, polished
HelpScout
Clean, simple
Tawk.to
Recently refreshed, still dated
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
Intercom
Optimized
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
Tawk.to
~700KB payload
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
Intercom
Higher tiers only
HelpScout
Limited customization
Tawk.to
$19/mo to remove branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
Intercom
12-mo default, no prorated exit
HelpScout
Straightforward
Tawk.to
Post-cancellation charges reported
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
Intercom
CSV + API export
HelpScout
CSV export available
Tawk.to
Limited export
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
Analytics
Reporting
Intercom
Deep analytics
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
Tawk.to
Basic reports
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
Intercom
SLA rules + tracking
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
Intercom
Built-in
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
Intercom
300+ apps
HelpScout
100+ apps
Tawk.to
Limited native + Zapier
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
Intercom
Full REST API
HelpScout
REST API
Tawk.to
Limited API
SupportWire
Full REST API
Go deeper
Read the full story.
Feature tables only tell half of it. Each deep-dive walks through pricing traps, real Trustpilot quotes, and where the product breaks down for growing teams.
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