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Technology · head to head

Intercom vs Jira

Intercom logo

Intercom

Technology

The only AI customer service solution you need

From
Free
Rated
-
Jira logo

Jira

Technology

The #1 software development tool used by agile teams

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Intercom pricing is high and unpredictable with confusing per-seat, per-feature, and usage-based structure that makes cost estimation difficult; Jira free tier strictly limited to 10 users with only 2 GB storage; unsuitable for growing teams
  • They diverge on capability: Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Jira covers Scrum boards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Intercom and Jira actually diverge.

Attributes where Intercom and Jira differ
AttributeIntercomJira
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud, Web
Founded20112002

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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 Intercom

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

Only in Jira

  • Scrum boards
  • Kanban boards
  • Roadmaps
  • Agile reporting
  • Custom workflows
  • Issue tracking
  • Sprint planning
  • DevOps integration

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Intercom

  • Customer supportnot Jira
  • Lead generationnot Jira
  • User onboardingnot Jira
  • Product adoptionnot Jira
  • Customer engagementnot Jira

Jira

  • Software development teams leveraging AI-powered Rovo for trend analysis and bottleneck identificationnot Intercom
  • Organisations requiring integrated issue tracking, project planning, and team alignment toolsnot Intercom
  • Enterprises with 1,000+ users needing advanced analytics, security controls, and custom deployment optionsnot Intercom

Where each one falls short

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

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

Jira

  • Free tier strictly limited to 10 users with only 2 GB storage; unsuitable for growing teams
  • Per-seat pricing ($7.91–$14.54/user/month) accumulates significantly for large teams; 50-person team costs £3,955–7,270 monthly
  • Enterprise tier requires annual billing and sales contact; no transparent per-user pricing available
  • Premium features (cross-team planning, advanced automation) available only at $14.54/user/month tier or above

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Jira

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 users
    • 2 GB storage
    • 100 automation rule runs per month
  • Standard$7.91/user/month
    • Up to 100,000 users per site
    • 250 GB storage
    • 1,700 automation rule runs per month
  • Premium$14.54/user/month
    • Unlimited storage
    • 1,000 rule runs per month per paid user
    • 70 credits per user monthly for Rovo
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • 150 credits per user monthly for Rovo
    • Multiple sites (up to 150)
    • Unlimited automation rule runs

Which should you pick?

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.

Choose Jira if

  • You need scrum boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Web.
  • You also want kanban boards.

Questions people ask

Is Intercom or Jira better?
Neither clearly leads. Intercom starts at Free and Jira at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Intercom or Jira?
Intercom starts at Free and Jira at Free.
Does Intercom or Jira run on more platforms?
Intercom runs on Web, iOS, Android. Jira runs on Cloud, Web.
Can I use Intercom for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Intercom best used for?
Intercom is most often used for customer support, lead generation, user onboarding, product adoption. Of those, customer support and lead generation are not what Jira is typically brought in for.
What can Intercom do that Jira cannot?
Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Live chat, Chatbots, Help center. Jira covers Scrum boards, Kanban boards, Roadmaps, Agile reporting. Both handle Slack, 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
Jira: What is Jira's free tier?

Jira's Free plan supports up to 10 users, includes 2 GB storage, allows 100 automation rule runs per month, and provides community support only. Ideal for small teams or evaluation.

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
Jira: How much does Jira Standard cost?

Jira Standard costs $7.91 per user per month and includes 250 GB storage, 1,700 automation rule runs per month, Rovo Search/Chat/Agents, and 9/5 regional support with 2-hour response time for critical issues.

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
Jira: What is included in Jira Premium?

Jira Premium costs $14.54 per user per month and includes unlimited storage, 1,000 rule runs per user per month, 70 monthly Rovo credits, 24/7 support with 1-hour critical response, and 99.9% uptime SLA.

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
Jira: Does Jira offer an Enterprise plan?

Yes, Jira Enterprise is available with custom pricing (contact sales). It includes up to 150 sites, 150 monthly Rovo credits per user, unlimited automation runs, 24/7 support with 30-minute critical response, and 99.95% uptime SLA.

Source
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