Intercom Fin, Tidio and Chatbase all offer an AI agent that can answer customer questions, but they price it in three different ways and fit different setups. That makes it easy to compare the wrong numbers.
This guide explains what to compare and gives the documented facts we could verify. Some vendor pages could not be loaded in full, so it is shorter than our usual comparisons and says plainly where details were not confirmed.
How we researched this: we did not run hands-on tests for this article. It is based on the vendor’s own documentation and public sources, checked on 11 November 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm details on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Key takeaways
- Fin is priced from $0.99 per outcome with no seats required, per Intercom, but the page we read did not define an outcome.
- Tidio prices through plans with separate meters for billable conversations, Lyro AI conversations and Flows visitors.
- Chatbase sells monthly plans with message credits, from Hobby at $32 a month on yearly billing, with extra credits at $40 per 1,000.
- We could not confirm data-handling terms or certifications for any of the three, so ask each vendor in writing.
- Estimate your own monthly volume and ask each vendor for a total cost at that volume before you decide.
Why compare Fin, Tidio and Chatbase
Intercom Fin, Tidio and Chatbase all put an AI agent in front of your customers to answer questions. They are not the same kind of product. Fin is an AI agent from Intercom that its pricing page says can be used with your existing helpdesk. Tidio is a live chat and support platform with an AI agent called Lyro as an add-on. Chatbase is a platform for building and deploying AI agents trained on your own content, sold on monthly plans with message credits.
That difference shapes the comparison. This article is a decision framework with documented facts, not a ranking, and it is shorter on detail than we would like where vendor pages did not load or did not say. We mark those gaps clearly. For the general method, see our guide to comparing AI tools side by side fairly.
What this article does not cover
We could not load some vendor documentation, so we do not describe integrations, supported languages, security certifications or data retention for any of the three. Where you see “not confirmed”, ask the vendor in writing.
Quick overview table
| Item | Intercom Fin | Tidio | Chatbase |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI agent, usable with Intercom or an existing helpdesk per Intercom | Live chat and support platform with Lyro AI agent add-on | AI agent builder trained on your content |
| Main pricing unit | Per Fin outcome, from $0.99 | Monthly plans with separate meters for billable conversations, Lyro conversations and Flows visitors | Monthly plans with message credits |
| Free option | Not listed on the page we read | Free plan with 50 Lyro conversations (lifetime) | No free plan listed; 7 day trial on paid plans |
| Seats | Fin needs no seats; Intercom plans are per seat | Up to 10 seats on Free, Starter and Growth | 2 seats on Hobby, up to unlimited on Enterprise |
| Enterprise | Not described on the page we read | Premium, contact for pricing | Custom, with SSO, audit logs and HIPAA-eligible listed |
Figures are from vendor pages read on 11 November 2026. Tidio’s Lyro marketing claim of resolving about 75% of conversations on average is Tidio’s own claim, and we have not verified it.
Criteria that matter
- What counts as a billable unit. An outcome, a conversation, a message credit.
- How cost scales. With volume, seats or content.
- Fit with your current tools. Do you already run a helpdesk?
- Human handoff. How the AI passes to your team.
- Control and safety. What the AI is allowed to answer, and how you check it.
- Data and security. What each vendor says about data use.
Intercom Fin: documented facts
Intercom’s pricing page lists Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per Fin outcome with no seats required. The page uses the word outcome, but the version we read did not define what counts as an outcome or state a minimum commitment, so ask Intercom for the exact definition in writing. Intercom also lists seat plans per month: Essential at $19 (shown with a struck-through $29 and a note that new customers save 35%), Advanced at $85 with 20 free Lite seats, and Expert at $132 with 50 free Lite seats. Each includes Fin AI Agent. The page offers a billing toggle but did not state the price for each billing option.
The page says Fin can be set up in under an hour on your current helpdesk, answers email, live chat and phone, can take action on external systems and hands off to agents in your preferred inbox. These are Intercom’s own descriptions. We have not verified them.
Tidio: documented facts
Tidio’s pricing page lists Free at $0 a month, Starter at $24.17, Growth from $49.17, Plus from $300 plus usage, and Premium by contact. The Free plan lists 50 billable conversations, 100 Flows visitors, 50 Lyro conversations (lifetime) and 10 seats. Lyro is an add-on from $32.50 a month for 50 Lyro conversations, with paid self-serve limits from 50 to 1,000 Lyro conversations a month. Higher volumes need Plus or Premium. Premium adds a guaranteed 50% Lyro resolution rate and pay-per-resolution billing. Tidio says annual billing is “2 months free” and offers a 7 day trial.
A third-party pricing analysis dated August 2026 (prices re-checked 14 October 2026) describes Tidio’s three meters: billable conversations, Lyro conversations and Flows visitors. A billable conversation is one that includes a message from a human agent, and Lyro’s replies do not count towards it. The same analysis says growth past 10 seats or 2,000 conversations moves a team to Plus, and notes the pages do not state overage rates for lower plans. Check these with Tidio.
| Tidio meter | What it counts | Where the limit shows |
|---|---|---|
| Billable conversations | Conversations with a human agent message | 50 on Free, 100 on Starter, from 250 on Growth |
| Lyro AI conversations | Conversations handled by the AI agent | 50 on Free (lifetime), 50 to 1,000 a month as an add-on |
| Flows visitors | Visitors reached through automation flows | 100 on Free and Starter, from 2,000 for paid Flows |
Chatbase: documented facts
Chatbase’s pricing page lists four plans, with yearly billing saving 20%. Hobby is $32 a month ($40 monthly billing) with 700 message credits and 2 seats. Basic is $120 ($150) with 4,000 credits, 3 seats, helpdesk inbox, voice and API access. Business is $400 ($500) with 15,000 credits and 5 seats. Enterprise is custom with SSO, audit logs, custom roles, white-labelling, SLAs and HIPAA-eligible listed. Add-ons include extra credits at $40 per 1,000 (they do not expire), removal of Chatbase branding at $99 a month and extra agents at $25 each a month. All paid plans have a 7 day trial. Helpdesk integrations such as Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot and Intercom start at Basic.
Chatbase’s team documentation describes owner and member roles. It says owners manage billing and all AI agents, and members can update training data and view analytics. The page we read had no privacy or data-handling statements.
Pricing models compared
The three price the AI differently, which makes headline numbers hard to compare.
| Model | Fin | Tidio | Chatbase |
|---|---|---|---|
| You pay for | Each outcome, from $0.99 | A plan plus Lyro conversations bought as an add-on | A plan with message credits |
| Predictability | Varies with how many outcomes occur | More predictable within quotas; check what happens beyond them | Predictable within credits; extra credits at $40 per 1,000 |
| Risk to check | The definition of an outcome | Overage and band jumps | Credits consumed per message by model or feature |
To compare fairly, estimate your monthly volume of customer questions, then ask each vendor what that volume would cost in total. Our guide to reading an AI tool’s pricing page walks through the arithmetic.
Privacy, accuracy and safety
We could not confirm data-handling terms for any of the three from the pages we read. Before you connect customer conversations to an AI agent, ask each vendor how conversation data is stored, whether it is used to train models, how long it is kept and where it is processed. Our guide on protecting company data when using AI tools has a question list.
Accuracy matters too. An AI agent that invents a refund policy can cost money and trust, so read about how hallucinations arise and how to reduce them. If you want to understand how a bot grounded on your own content works, see how to build a custom chatbot from your own documents.
Who each may suit
Fin may suit you if
- You already use Intercom or another helpdesk and want AI answers on top, priced per outcome.
Tidio may suit you if
- You want live chat, flows and an AI add-on in one product, with a free plan to try.
Chatbase may suit you if
- You want to train an agent on your own content and pay a flat monthly plan with credits.
Look elsewhere or ask more questions if
- You need audited security claims, which we could not verify here.
- You expect high volume and cannot yet estimate it.
For a lighter first step, AI for customer support triage shows how to start without a customer-facing bot.
How to run your own test
- Export 50 real customer questions from your inbox, including awkward ones.
- Load the same help content into each tool.
- Run all questions and mark each answer as correct, partly correct, wrong or a good handoff.
- Record what each run cost in outcomes, conversations or credits.
- Ask each vendor your data and security questions in writing.
See how to test an AI tool before you pay for it for a fuller method.
Decision checklist
- Do I already have a helpdesk the AI must work with?
- What is my monthly volume of customer questions?
- What exactly is a billable unit, in writing?
- What happens when I exceed a quota?
- What do the vendors say about data use and retention?
- Have I confirmed current prices on each vendor page?
Frequently asked questions
What is a Fin outcome?
Intercom prices Fin from $0.99 per outcome, but the page we read did not define the term. Ask Intercom for the exact definition and any minimums.
Does Tidio have a free plan?
Yes. Tidio lists a Free plan at $0 with 50 billable conversations, 100 Flows visitors, 50 Lyro conversations (lifetime) and 10 seats.
How much is Chatbase?
Chatbase lists Hobby at $32 a month on yearly billing ($40 monthly), Basic at $120 ($150) and Business at $400 ($500), plus custom Enterprise. Confirm on its pricing page.
Which is best for a small business?
We cannot say without tests. Tidio lists a free plan, Chatbase lists a 7 day trial on paid plans, and Fin is priced per outcome. Try each on real questions.
Can these work with my existing helpdesk?
Intercom says Fin can be used with your current helpdesk. Chatbase lists helpdesk integrations from its Basic plan. For Tidio, check the vendor page.
Are the AI answers accurate?
Vendor claims such as Tidio’s 75% average resolution are their own marketing, which we did not verify. Test with your own content and check for invented answers.
Conclusion
Fin, Tidio and Chatbase answer customer questions with AI but sell it differently: per outcome, as an add-on to a support platform, or as an agent builder with credits. Decide which model fits your setup, work out your own volume, and ask each vendor for written definitions and data terms. If you are still shaping the requirement, begin with how to choose an AI tool.
Sources
- Intercom, pricing, accessed 11 November 2026
- Intercom, pricing FAQ, accessed 11 November 2026
- Tidio, pricing, accessed 11 November 2026
- Drag, Tidio pricing analysis (August 2026, third-party), accessed 11 November 2026
- Chatbase, pricing, accessed 11 November 2026
- Chatbase Docs, team settings, accessed 11 November 2026
