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Technology · head to head

Intercom vs Missive

Intercom logo

Intercom

Technology

The only AI customer service solution you need

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Missive logo

Missive

Customer Support

Team inbox and chat for productive teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Missive each plan caps users rather than only pricing them, at 5 on Starter and 50 on Productive
  • They diverge on capability: Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Missive covers Shared inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Intercom and Missive actually diverge.

Attributes where Intercom and Missive differ
AttributeIntercomMissive
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Mac, Windows
CategoryTechnologyCustomer Support
Founded20112015

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

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 Missive

  • Shared inbox
  • Team chat
  • Email
  • Tasks
  • Calendar
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Asana

Both cover

  • HubSpot
  • GDPR
  • 2FA

What people use each for

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

Intercom

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

Missive

  • Shared team inbox across email, SMS and social messagesnot Intercom
  • Collaborating on customer conversations with internal comments and tasksnot 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

Missive

  • Each plan caps users rather than only pricing them, at 5 on Starter and 50 on Productive
  • Integrations, automation rules and API access all require the Productive plan at $24 per user per month
  • Rules are capped at 1,000 per workspace even on the paid tiers
  • SAML SSO and IP restriction are Business only at $36 per user per month
  • AI features need either Missive AI credits or a bring your own key arrangement rather than being included

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

Missive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 users
    • Basic features
    • Email & chat
  • Starter$14/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Shared inboxes
    • Rules & automation
  • Productive$18/month
    • Starter + Calendars
    • WhatsApp
    • SMS
  • Business$26/month
    • Productive + API
    • SAML SSO
    • Priority support

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.
Intercom review

Choose Missive if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want team chat.
Missive review

Questions people ask

Is Intercom or Missive better?
Neither clearly leads. Intercom starts at Free and Missive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Intercom or Missive?
Intercom starts at Free and Missive at Free.
Does Intercom or Missive run on more platforms?
Intercom runs on Web, iOS, Android. Missive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Mac, Windows.
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 Missive is typically brought in for.
What can Intercom do that Missive cannot?
Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Live chat, Chatbots, Help center. Missive covers Shared inbox, Team chat, Email, Tasks. Both handle HubSpot, GDPR, 2FA.

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
Missive: How much does Missive cost per month?

Missive charges $14/user/month for Starter (up to 5 users), $24/user/month for Productive (up to 50 users), and $36/user/month for Business (unlimited users).

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
Missive: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, Missive offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required to start.

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
Missive: Does Missive offer yearly billing discounts?

Yes, Missive provides a 20% discount for yearly billing compared to monthly pricing on all plans.

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
Missive: Which plan includes SSO authentication?

The Business Plan at $36/user/month includes SAML SSO, IP restriction, and advanced analytics features.

Source
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