Softwr

Software · head to head

8x8 Contact Center vs Intercom

8x8 Contact Center logo

8x8 Contact Center

Software

Integrated cloud communications and contact center

From
$85/month
Rated
-
Intercom logo

Intercom

Software

The only AI customer service solution you need

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Intercom has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 8x8 Contact Center listed on G-Cloud 14 directly by 8x8 UK Limited (not a reseller) at £0.68 to £113.40 per user per month for 8x8 Contact Centre; Intercom pricing is high and unpredictable with confusing per-seat, per-feature, and usage-based structure that makes cost estimation difficult
  • They diverge on capability: 8x8 Contact Center covers Voice, Intercom covers AI-powered inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 8x8 Contact Center and Intercom actually diverge.

Attributes where 8x8 Contact Center and Intercom differ
Attribute8x8 Contact CenterIntercom
Starting price$85/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19872011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 8x8 Contact Center

  • Voice
  • Digital channels
  • IVR
  • ACD
  • WFM
  • Quality management
  • Analytics
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Intercom

  • AI-powered inbox
  • Live chat
  • Chatbots
  • Help center
  • Product tours
  • Customer data platform
  • Automation
  • Mobile SDKs

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

8x8 Contact Center

  • Unified communicationsnot Intercom
  • Contact centernot Intercom
  • Remote worknot Intercom
  • Customer support

Intercom

  • Customer support
  • Lead generationnot 8x8 Contact Center
  • User onboardingnot 8x8 Contact Center
  • Product adoptionnot 8x8 Contact Center
  • Customer engagementnot 8x8 Contact Center

Both are used for customer support, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

8x8 Contact Center

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 directly by 8x8 UK Limited (not a reseller) at £0.68 to £113.40 per user per month for 8x8 Contact Centre

Intercom

  • Pricing is high and unpredictable with confusing per-seat, per-feature, and usage-based structure that makes cost estimation difficult
  • API rate limited to 1,000 calls per minute, which may constrain integrations for high-volume data users
  • Does not support multiple language versions of knowledge base articles, requiring creation of duplicate articles for each language

Pricing, plan by plan

8x8 Contact Center

$85/month
  • X6$85/month
    • Voice contact center
    • ACD
    • IVR
  • X7$110/month
    • X6 + Digital channels
    • Quality management
  • X8$140/month
    • X7 + WFM
    • Speech analytics
    • Advanced AI

Intercom

Free
  • Essential$29/month
    • Fin AI Agent
    • Messenger
    • Shared inbox
  • Advanced$85/month
    • Multiple team inboxes
    • Workflow automation
    • Round robin assignment
  • Expert$132/month
    • SSO
    • HIPAA support
    • SLAs

Which should you pick?

Choose 8x8 Contact Center if

  • You need voice.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want digital channels.

Choose Intercom if

  • You need ai-powered inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want live chat.

Questions people ask

Is 8x8 Contact Center or Intercom better?
Neither clearly leads. 8x8 Contact Center starts at $85/month and Intercom at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 8x8 Contact Center or Intercom?
Intercom has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $85/month for 8x8 Contact Center and Free for Intercom.
Does 8x8 Contact Center or Intercom run on more platforms?
8x8 Contact Center runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android. Intercom runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Intercom for free?
Yes. Intercom has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 8x8 Contact Center starts at $85/month.
What is 8x8 Contact Center best used for?
8x8 Contact Center is most often used for unified communications, contact center, remote work, customer support. Of those, unified communications and contact center are not what Intercom is typically brought in for.
What can 8x8 Contact Center do that Intercom cannot?
8x8 Contact Center covers Voice, Digital channels, IVR, ACD. Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Live chat, Chatbots, Help center. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Intercom: Is there a free tier and what are the limitations?

Intercom offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required and access to all features and add-ons. After trial, Essential plan starts at $29/seat/month. Free Lite seats are available on paid plans: 20 with Advanced, 50 with Expert.

Source
Intercom: Does Intercom support single sign-on (SSO)?

Yes, Intercom supports SAML SSO with identity provider integration, but it is only available on the Expert plan ($132+/seat/month). SSO also works with Intercom's mobile apps on iOS and Android.

Source
Intercom: Can I export my data from Intercom?

Yes. You can export conversations in CSV format via the Data Export feature in Reports, apply filters to refine exports, and use the REST API to programmatically access conversation and customer data.

Source
Intercom: What would a team of 10 cost on Intercom?

Minimum cost would be $290/month for 10 Essential seats at $29/seat/month. Advanced plan costs $850/month for 10 seats. Prices increase with additional add-ons like Fin AI ($0.99 per resolution), SMS, WhatsApp, or email campaigns.

Source

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