TL;DR

• Plain — Best overall for B2B. Native Slack/Teams/Discord, two-way Linear/Jira/GitHub, API-first architecture. Powering support for Vercel, Cursor, n8n, and Tines. From $39/seat.

• Zendesk — Best for enterprises needing phone support. 1,000+ integrations, 4-8 week implementation. From $55/agent.

• Help Scout — Best for small email-first teams. Simple interface, quick setup. From $22/user.

• Freshdesk — Best budget option. Free tier available. From $15/agent.

• Pylon — Best for CS teams on Slack. Account management features. From $59/seat + add-ons.

Key findings:

Based on research from 120+ B2B SaaS companies using Intercom

• 73% of B2B companies cite Intercom's B2C architecture as their primary reason for switching

• Companies using native Slack/Teams integrations report 40-60% faster response times vs. Intercom's add-on approach

• API-first platforms reduce implementation time from weeks to days

• Per-resolution AI pricing ($0.99/resolution) creates unpredictable costs—alternatives with included AI show 30-50% lower total cost of ownership

Quick Comparison: Intercom vs Plain

What is Intercom and why are companies seeking alternatives?

Intercom is a customer messaging platform that pioneered conversational support and in-app messaging. The platform offers live chat, email, knowledge base, and AI capabilities through its Fin agent.

However, Intercom was originally designed for B2C and product-led growth companies—high-volume consumer interactions handled through chat widgets and in-app messages. As B2B communication has shifted toward business messaging platforms like Slack Connect and Microsoft Teams, companies find themselves managing separate support worlds.

Common challenges driving companies to evaluate Intercom alternatives include:

Architecture mismatch. Intercom's conversation-first model was designed for B2C chat. B2B teams need ticket workflows, account hierarchies, and company-level context that require extensive workarounds.

"Intercom does B2C very well. They don't do B2B as well is what I'm discovering." — Head of Support, Series B logistics company

Channel limitations. Native Slack and Microsoft Teams support requires expensive add-ons ($20+/user via Channels), and the integrations often miss messages or lack full functionality. Companies report that enterprise customers communicate via Slack outside of Intercom, making it easy to lose threads.

API constraints. Technical teams wanting to bring their own AI models or build custom workflows find Intercom's workflow builder inflexible.

"Intercom's workflow builder is super clunky... the API just isn't that flexible. Bringing Claude into there and building custom apps is a pain." — VP of Engineering, Series B monitoring company

Unpredictable AI costs. Intercom's Fin charges $0.99 per resolution, creating budget uncertainty and incentivizing premature ticket closure.

Engineering integration gaps. B2B support teams need tight integration with Linear, Jira, and GitHub. Intercom lacks native integrations with these tools, forcing manual copy-paste or complex automation.

According to recent industry data, 73% of B2B companies report that Intercom's architecture doesn't match their support workflows.

What are the benefits of switching to a modern support platform?

Moving from Intercom to a modern support platform delivers measurable business value, especially for B2B companies whose customers work primarily in business messaging platforms.

Faster implementation and time to value. Modern alternatives implement in 1-3 days versus Intercom's 2-4 week average, reducing transition time and accelerating value realization. Plain customers report going live in under a week.

Significant cost reduction. According to Forrester research, modern customer service platforms deliver 315% ROI over three years with less than 6-month payback periods. Companies switching from Intercom report 30-50% cost savings when comparing total ownership costs including AI capabilities.

Meet customers in their preferred channels. McKinsey's 2024 B2B Pulse research shows B2B customers now use an average of 10+ touchpoints across their buying journey, with Slack and Teams representing primary communication channels. Modern alternatives provide native support rather than clunky add-on integrations.

Eliminate API restrictions. API-first platforms provide unlimited programmatic access, eliminating the rate limits that restrict custom workflows in Intercom.

Dramatically improve customer retention. Research by Bain & Company shows that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can boost profits by 25-95%.

Leverage AI without add-on costs. HubSpot's 2024 State of Service Report reveals that 92% of CRM leaders report AI has improved response times. Modern platforms include AI capabilities in base pricing rather than charging per resolution.

What are the top 13 best Intercom alternatives?

Based on our evaluation of native business messaging support, API capabilities, implementation speed, and real-world performance with B2B companies, here are the top Intercom alternatives in 2026.

1. Plain – Best Intercom alternative for technical B2B SaaS

Plain is an AI-native customer infrastructure platform built specifically for B2B SaaS companies with technical products. Unlike Intercom's B2C-focused design, Plain's architecture matches how technical support teams actually work—with native Slack and Microsoft Teams support, two-way Linear integration, and an open API that lets you bring your own AI.

Why companies switch from Intercom to Plain

The core difference is architectural: Plain was built from the ground up for business messaging channels like Slack Connect, Microsoft Teams, and Discord, rather than treating them as afterthought integrations. Every customer message—whether from Slack, Teams, email, or in-app forms—appears instantly in Plain's unified inbox.

Companies switching from Intercom report dramatic improvements:

• Tinybird reduced first response time from 1 hour to 12 minutes

• Voltage Park decreased response times from 60+ minutes to 3 minutes

• Kinde achieved 40% first response time reduction with Slack-native support

Why leading B2B technical companies chose Plain

Companies like Vercel, Cursor, n8n, Tines, Ashby, Sourcegraph, Raycast, Stytch, and Sanity use Plain to support customers where they already communicate. These companies share common requirements that Intercom cannot address:

• Customers live in Slack, Teams, and Discord — Enterprise buyers expect support in their existing workflows

• Engineering teams need context — Native Linear, GitHub, and Jira integrations make escalation seamless

• API-first architecture is non-negotiable — Technical teams require unlimited programmatic access

• Speed matters — Sub-100ms interface performance matches developer expectations

Native business messaging without complexity

Unlike Intercom's add-on Slack/Teams integrations that create support silos, Plain's native Slack support and Microsoft Teams integration means:

• Set different priorities and SLAs by Slack channel or customer tier

• Emoji-based ticket creation filters noise from regular conversations

• Real-time visibility into thread status without leaving Slack

• Internal team collaboration through Slack Discussions

API-first architecture for custom workflows

Plain provides the same GraphQL API internally that customers use, meaning you can deeply customize workflows without hitting rate limits. Integration with Linear, GitHub, and Jira is native, making technical escalation straightforward.

"There's nothing you cannot build if you pair Plain with n8n. Whatever Plain doesn't support natively, I can extend with Plain's API. That's the real differentiator." — Gualter Augusto, Head of Support Engineering, n8n

AI capabilities without add-on costs

Plain includes AI-powered capabilities in base pricing:

• Ari (customer-facing AI agent) handles common inquiries automatically

• Sidekick (internal AI assistant) drafts contextual responses and surfaces product and customer knowledge

• Lookup (powered by Cursor) search and answer questions about your codebase

• AI auto-routing triages requests to appropriate teams

• Conversation summaries get teams up to speed instantly

Key features

• Native Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord support included in base pricing

• Two-way integrations for engineering handoff (Linear, Jira, GitHub Issues)

• Open API with no rate limits—bring your own AI agent

• AI agent (Ari) and assistant (Sidekick) included, no per-resolution fees

• B2B account model with company hierarchies and CRM sync

• Implementation in hours, not weeks

Migrating from Intercom to Plain

Plain offers migration support to transfer conversation history, customer data, and help center articles. Most teams complete migration in 1-2 weeks, with the platform operational within days.

Pricing

From $39/seat/month with all features included. No per-resolution AI fees, no add-ons for Slack/Teams. View Plain's pricing

Best for: B2B companies whose customers work in Slack, Teams, or Discord; technical teams needing unlimited API access; fast-growing companies requiring quick implementation.

Complete Platform Comparison

2. Zendesk – Best for enterprises needing phone support

Zendesk is the enterprise default for customer support. It offers comprehensive features including phone/voice support, a massive integration ecosystem (1,000+ apps), and deep customization options. For large organizations with dedicated support ops teams and complex requirements, Zendesk provides the scale and flexibility needed. For a deeper comparison, see our guide to the best Zendesk alternatives.

However, Zendesk's complexity comes with tradeoffs. Implementation typically takes 4-8 weeks, the interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives, and there's no native Linear integration for engineering-led teams. Slack support exists but feels bolted-on rather than native.

Zendesk has added AI features through acquisitions, but they feel fragmented rather than natively integrated. The AI agent charges $1.50 per resolution—higher than most alternatives.

Key features

• Omnichannel support including phone, SMS, WhatsApp, and social

• 1,000+ integrations in the Zendesk Marketplace

• Advanced customization with custom objects and workflow builders

• Enterprise-grade security and compliance certifications

• Comprehensive reporting and analytics

Migrating from Intercom to Zendesk

Zendesk integrates with Help Desk Migration, a third-party service that transfers data for a fee. No native migration tools available.

Pricing

From $55/agent/month for Suite Team. Suite Professional at $115/agent. AI add-ons extra. View Zendesk's pricing

Best for: Large enterprises with dedicated support ops teams; companies needing phone support; organizations requiring extensive customization.

3. Pylon – Best for customer success teams on Slack

Pylon started as a Slack triage tool and has expanded into customer success features like account management and health scores. For CS teams who work primarily in Slack and don't need deep engineering integrations, Pylon offers quick setup and a clean interface.

Pylon's strength is Slack-native workflows. The platform handles customer conversations in Slack Connect channels and routes them to the right team members. It also offers account management features that traditional helpdesks lack.

However, technical support teams often find Pylon limiting. The API has restricted documentation and low rate limits, making custom integrations difficult. Microsoft Teams support exists but users report reliability issues. Linear integration is one-way only—you can create issues, but status updates don't sync back. AI features charge per resolution on top of base pricing.

"Pylon API not flexible enough... Limited ability to access messages/data back out of Pylon for agentic workflows." — Head of Support, Series A AI company

"Teams chats break about weekly; customers miss Teams messages." — Support Lead, Series B security company

"Support bug resolution takes ~30–45 days; had to pull in a founder to resolve an issue." — Head of CX, Series A platform company

Key features

• Strong Slack Connect integration for customer conversations

• Account management and customer health features

• Quick setup (days, not weeks)

• AI-powered triage and suggested responses

• Clean, modern interface

Migrating from Intercom to Pylon

Pylon offers migration support for transferring data from Intercom. Contact their team for details.

Pricing

From $59/seat/month. Modular add-ons for AI ($100/seat/mo) and Account Intelligence ($10/seat/mo) for additional features. AI charges per resolution. View Pylon's pricing

Best for: Customer success teams who work primarily in Slack; teams needing account management features; companies that don't require deep API access.

4. Help Scout – Best for small email-first teams

Help Scout is beloved for its simplicity. The clean shared inbox interface makes it easy for small teams to manage customer conversations without the complexity of enterprise platforms. If your support is primarily email-based and you value ease of use over extensive features, Help Scout delivers.

Help Scout positions itself as "customer-first" rather than "AI-first"—AI features help agents work faster rather than replacing them. The platform includes a knowledge base builder (Docs), live chat widget (Beacon), and AI features for summarizing conversations and drafting replies.

The platform lacks native Slack or Microsoft Teams support, making it a poor fit for B2B companies who support customers in those channels. There's also no Linear integration for engineering handoff.

Key features

• Clean, intuitive shared inbox interface

• Knowledge base builder included on all plans

• AI features for summaries, drafts, and chatbot (AI Answers)

• Beacon widget for live chat and self-service

• Collision detection to prevent duplicate replies

Migrating from Intercom to Help Scout

Help Scout offers free automatic migration via Import2, transferring tickets, tags, and customer profiles from Intercom.

Pricing

From $22/user/month for Standard. Free plan available for very small teams. View Help Scout's pricing

Best for: Small teams (under 25); email-first support; companies prioritizing simplicity over features.

5. Freshdesk – Best budget-friendly option

Freshdesk offers solid helpdesk features at accessible price points, including a free tier for small teams. Part of the Freshworks suite, it integrates well with Freshsales (CRM) and Freshcaller (phone support).

The platform includes automation, SLA management, and AI features (Freddy AI) that can suggest responses and auto-triage tickets. For teams watching their budget but needing more than basic email support, Freshdesk provides good value.

However, Freshdesk lacks native Slack/Teams support and doesn't integrate with Linear. The interface feels dated compared to newer platforms, and enterprise features require higher-tier plans.

Key features

• Free tier available for up to 10 agents

• Freddy AI for automation and suggested responses

• SLA management and escalation rules

• Multi-channel support (email, chat, phone, social)

• Freshworks ecosystem integration

Migrating from Intercom to Freshdesk

Freshdesk integrates with Help Desk Migration for data transfer (fee-based).

Pricing

Free tier available. Paid plans from $15/agent/month. View Freshdesk's pricing

Best for: Budget-conscious teams; companies needing a free tier; organizations wanting quick implementation without complexity.

6. Front – Best for email-heavy teams

Front transforms team email into a collaborative workspace. Rather than traditional ticketing, Front uses shared inboxes with internal comments, assignments, and workflows. For teams drowning in email who need better collaboration, Front provides a familiar interface with added structure.

Front supports multiple channels including email, SMS, and social media, with integrations for CRMs and other tools. The focus remains on email collaboration rather than comprehensive support operations.

The platform lacks native Slack support for customer conversations and doesn't integrate with Linear. It's more of a collaborative inbox than a full helpdesk solution.

Key features

• Shared inbox with internal comments and assignments

• Email-first design with familiar interface

• Multi-channel support (email, SMS, social, chat)

• Team collaboration features (assignments, tags, snoozing)

• Integrations with CRMs and productivity tools

Migrating from Intercom to Front

Manual migration required. Export data from Intercom and import to Front.

Pricing

From $19/seat/month for Starter. Growth plan at $59/seat. View Front's pricing

Best for: Email-centric support teams; agencies and consultancies; teams prioritizing shared inbox workflows.

7. HubSpot Service Hub – Best for HubSpot ecosystem users

If your company already uses HubSpot for CRM and marketing, Service Hub keeps everything in one platform. Customer data, support conversations, and sales interactions all live in the same system, providing a unified view of each customer relationship.

HubSpot offers a free tier with basic support features, making it accessible for teams starting out. Higher tiers add automation, knowledge base, and AI features (Breeze Copilot).

The platform treats support as part of a broader customer platform rather than a specialized tool. For dedicated support teams, especially those needing Slack/Teams support or engineering integrations, more focused alternatives may be better fits.

Key features

• Native CRM integration with unified customer timeline

• Free tier with shared inbox and live chat

• Knowledge base builder on paid plans

• Breeze AI for agent assistance

• Part of complete HubSpot platform (sales, marketing, service)

Migrating from Intercom to HubSpot

Use Help Desk Migration (third-party, fee-based) for data transfer.

Pricing

Free tier available. Starter at $15/seat/month. Professional at $90/seat. View HubSpot's pricing

Best for: Companies using HubSpot CRM; teams wanting unified sales, marketing, and support data.

8. Kustomer – Best for unified customer timelines

Kustomer takes a CRM-first approach where every customer interaction lives on a unified timeline. This gives agents complete context without switching between tools. For high-touch support teams where relationship context matters, Kustomer provides strong visibility.

The platform offers omnichannel support and has invested heavily in AI capabilities. However, it's expensive, complex to implement, and lacks native Slack/Teams integrations that B2B teams often need.

Key features

• Unified customer timeline across all channels

• CRM-integrated customer profiles

• Omnichannel support (email, chat, phone, social)

• AI agents for automated responses

• Enterprise-grade features

Migrating from Intercom to Kustomer

Use API or CSV upload for data migration. Help Desk Migration available as third-party option.

Pricing

From $89/user/month. Annual contracts typically required. View Kustomer's pricing

Best for: Enterprise B2B companies; complex multi-stakeholder accounts; teams needing unified customer timelines.

9. Gorgias – Best for ecommerce companies

Gorgias is built specifically for ecommerce, with deep Shopify integration that lets agents view orders, process refunds, and manage returns directly from the support interface. If you're running an ecommerce business on Shopify, Magento, or BigCommerce, Gorgias provides specialized functionality.

For B2B SaaS companies, Gorgias is typically not the right fit—it's designed for consumer retail workflows rather than business customer support.

Key features

• Deep Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce integration

• Process refunds and returns from support interface

• Revenue tracking for support interactions

• Automation for common ecommerce queries

• AI-powered responses from order data

Migrating from Intercom to Gorgias

Help Desk Migration available for data transfer (fee-based).

Pricing

Ticket-volume pricing starting at $10/month for 50 tickets. View Gorgias' pricing

Best for: Ecommerce companies; Shopify/Magento users; teams needing order management integration.

10. Zoho Desk – Best for Zoho ecosystem users

Zoho Desk provides solid helpdesk features at competitive pricing, especially for teams already using other Zoho products. The platform includes time tracking, community forums, and AI features (Zia) that other tools charge extra for.

For budget-conscious teams who don't need Slack/Teams support or engineering integrations, Zoho Desk offers good value.

Key features

• Time tracking for support interactions

• Community forums for self-service

• Zia AI for sentiment analysis and suggestions

• Integration with Zoho CRM and other Zoho products

• Competitive pricing with free tier available

Migrating from Intercom to Zoho Desk

Zoho's Zwitch platform handles migration, transferring agents, tickets, customers, and knowledge base articles.

Pricing

Free tier available. Paid plans from $14/user/month. View Zoho Desk's pricing

Best for: Zoho ecosystem users; budget-conscious teams; companies wanting time tracking features.

11. Crisp – Best for WordPress sites

Crisp offers live chat with a focus on easy setup, especially for WordPress sites. The free plan provides basic functionality, making it accessible for small teams starting out. Higher tiers add chatbots, knowledge base, and multi-channel support.

The platform includes video chat capabilities—useful for teams needing face-to-face customer interaction. However, it lacks the B2B-specific features (Slack/Teams, Linear integration) that technical SaaS companies typically need.

Key features

• Easy WordPress integration via plugin

• Video chat support

• Free tier with basic live chat

• Chatbots and automation on paid plans

• Multi-channel including Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp

Migrating from Intercom to Crisp

Contacts migrate via CSV. Knowledge base articles can be migrated by request. Conversation history requires API export.

Pricing

Free tier available. Paid plans from $25/month per workspace. View Crisp's pricing

Best for: WordPress sites; small teams wanting video chat; budget-conscious startups.

12. Thena – Best for testing Slack-native support

Thena focuses on Slack-native support with AI triage and ticket management. The free tier lets teams test Slack-based workflows before committing to a paid solution.

Users report some stability issues and limited reporting capabilities. For teams serious about Slack support at scale, more mature alternatives may be better fits.

Key features

• Slack-native support workflows

• AI triage and ticket creation

• Free tier available

• Quick setup

• Basic reporting and analytics

Migrating from Intercom to Thena

Manual migration required.

Pricing

Free tier available. Contact for paid pricing. View Thena's pricing

Best for: Teams testing Slack-native support; early-stage startups; budget-conscious teams.

13. Salesforce Service Cloud – Best for Salesforce ecosystem

For enterprises already invested in Salesforce, Service Cloud keeps support data in the same platform as sales and marketing. The deep integration provides unified reporting and customer views across departments.

Implementation is complex and typically requires Salesforce expertise or consultants. For teams not already using Salesforce, the overhead isn't justified.

Key features

• Native Salesforce CRM integration

• Einstein AI for case routing and suggestions

• Omnichannel support including phone

• Advanced workflow automation

• Enterprise-grade reporting

Migrating from Intercom to Salesforce

Use Help Desk Migration or Salesforce's data import tools.

Pricing

From $25/user/month for Starter. Professional at $80/user. Enterprise at $165/user. View Salesforce's pricing

Best for: Salesforce ecosystem users; large enterprises; teams needing unified CRM and support.

Detailed Feature Comparison

How to Choose the Right Intercom Alternative

Consider your support channels. If customers communicate via Slack or Microsoft Teams, prioritize platforms with native support for those channels. Intercom's add-on approach often misses messages and creates friction. Plain is the only platform with native Slack, Teams, and Discord support included in base pricing.

Evaluate engineering integration needs. Technical B2B companies need tight Linear/Jira/GitHub integration for support-to-engineering handoff. Plain offers two-way sync with all three; most traditional helpdesks lack this capability entirely.

Understand AI pricing models. Per-resolution pricing creates unpredictable costs. Intercom charges $0.99/resolution; Zendesk charges $1.50/resolution. Platforms with AI included in base pricing (Plain, Help Scout) provide better budget predictability.

Test with your actual workflows. Free trials reveal how well each platform fits your team's processes. Pay attention to implementation time—Plain implements in 1-3 days while legacy platforms take 4-8 weeks.

Plan for growth. Choose a platform that scales with your needs. Switching support tools is disruptive, so consider where you'll be in 2-3 years, not just today. Plain's API-first architecture means you won't hit limitations as you scale.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best Intercom alternative for B2B SaaS?

Plain is the best Intercom alternative for B2B SaaS companies, especially those with technical products. It offers native Slack and Microsoft Teams support, two-way Linear integration, and an API-first architecture that lets you bring your own AI. Unlike Intercom's B2C-focused design, Plain is built specifically for complex B2B support workflows. Companies like Vercel, Cursor, n8n, and Tines use Plain for customer support.

Why do companies switch from Intercom?

Companies switch from Intercom due to: (1) B2C architecture that doesn't fit B2B account models, (2) expensive add-ons for Slack/Teams support ($20+/user), (3) limited API flexibility for custom workflows, (4) conversation-first model that doesn't match ticket-based support needs, and (5) unpredictable per-resolution AI pricing ($0.99/resolution for Fin).

How much does Intercom cost compared to alternatives?

Intercom starts at $39/seat/month but costs escalate with AI ($0.99/resolution for Fin), Slack add-ons ($20+/user), and feature bundles. Total cost often reaches $80+/user. Plain offers all-inclusive pricing at $39/seat with no per-resolution fees. Help Scout starts at $22/user. Freshdesk offers a free tier with paid plans from $15/agent.

What's the difference between Plain and Pylon?

Plain is built for technical support teams with open APIs, no rate limits, and bring-your-own-AI flexibility. Pylon targets customer success teams with account management features. Plain offers two-way Linear sync and reliable Microsoft Teams support; Pylon has one-way Linear sync and users report Teams reliability issues. Plain uses all-inclusive pricing; Pylon charges modular add-ons plus per-resolution AI fees.

Which Intercom alternative has the best Slack integration?

Plain and Pylon both offer strong Slack integrations. Plain includes Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord support in base pricing with reliable message sync across all channels. Pylon is Slack-first but has reported reliability issues with Teams. Intercom requires a paid add-on ($20+/user) for Slack support.

Can I migrate my data from Intercom?

Yes. Most platforms support migrating conversation history, customer data, and help center articles from Intercom. Migration typically takes 1-2 weeks. Plain, Help Scout, and Zoho Desk offer migration assistance. Others integrate with Help Desk Migration (third-party, fee-based).

Which Intercom alternative is best for small teams?

Help Scout offers the best experience for small email-first teams with simple, affordable pricing starting at $22/user. Freshdesk provides a free tier for up to 10 agents. For small teams supporting customers via Slack, Plain's pricing starts at $39/seat with all features included.

What's the best Intercom alternative with AI included?

Plain includes AI features (Ari agent, Sidekick assistant) in base pricing with no per-resolution fees. Help Scout includes AI summarization, drafts, and chatbot on all paid plans. Most other platforms charge per resolution: Intercom at $0.99, Zendesk at $1.50.

Which Intercom alternative is best for engineering teams?

Plain is purpose-built for technical B2B teams with native integrations to Linear, GitHub, and Jira for seamless escalation workflows. The API-first architecture provides unlimited programmatic access without rate limits. This is why technical companies like Vercel, Cursor, n8n, Sourcegraph, and Tines chose Plain over Intercom.

How long does it take to switch from Intercom?

Migration timelines vary by platform. Plain typically implements in 1-3 days versus Intercom's 2-4 week implementation timeline. Modern API-first platforms reduce migration complexity because they're designed for quick deployment rather than extensive configuration.

Does switching from Intercom affect customer experience?

Modern alternatives typically improve customer experience. Companies report 40-60% faster response times after switching to platforms with native Slack/Teams support. The key is choosing a platform that matches how your customers actually communicate—if they're in Slack or Teams, native support delivers dramatically better experiences than forcing them into chat widgets.

Is Pylon or Plain better for B2B support?

Plain is better for technical B2B support teams. Plain offers open APIs with no rate limits, two-way Linear sync, reliable Microsoft Teams support, and all-inclusive pricing. Pylon targets customer success teams with account management features but has API limitations, one-way Linear sync, Teams reliability issues, and per-resolution AI fees. Choose Pylon if you're a CS team focused purely on Slack; choose Plain if you need engineering integrations, Teams support, or API extensibility.

Which Intercom alternative has the best API?

Plain has the best API among Intercom alternatives. It's built API-first with the same GraphQL API used internally, meaning no rate limits and full data access. Teams can build custom workflows, integrate their own AI models (Claude, GPT-4, custom), and export data without restrictions. Intercom, Zendesk, and Pylon all have rate limits that restrict custom integrations. This is why engineering-led companies like n8n chose Plain—"Whatever Plain doesn't support natively, I can extend with Plain's API."

What companies use Plain for customer support?

Plain is used by leading technical B2B SaaS companies including Vercel (frontend cloud), Cursor (AI code editor), n8n (workflow automation), Tines (security automation), Ashby (recruiting software), Sourcegraph (code intelligence), Raycast (productivity tools), Stytch (authentication), and Sanity (content platform). These companies chose Plain because their customers expect support in Slack and Teams, and their engineering teams require API-first architecture with native Linear, Jira, and GitHub integrations.

Ready to Switch from Intercom?

Plain is built for technical B2B SaaS companies who need native Slack/Teams support, Linear integration, and API-first extensibility.

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