Bouts / Intercom vs Salesforce Service Cloud
Intercom vs Salesforce Service Cloud
Red cornerIntercom
$29 per seat a month, billed annually
Blue cornerSalesforce Service Cloud
$25 per user a month on Starter Suite, billed monthly or annually
Intercom: Intercom renamed itself Fin, and Salesforce completed its acquisition of the company on September 10, 2026.
Salesforce Service Cloud: Salesforce renamed Service Cloud to Agentforce Service in October 2025 and went back to the Service Cloud name in September 2026; current editions are Starter Suite, Pro Suite, Core, Advanced and Max.
Intercom wins 2–1 at 10 agents (close call). Intercom takes the bill and user verdict; Salesforce Service Cloud takes security; 3 rounds are even.
The judges' card
| Round | Intercom | What happened | Salesforce Service Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1The bill | W | At 10 agents with AI on: Intercom $1,075, Salesforce Service Cloud $6,200 a month. Intercom is 83% cheaper and takes the round. | |
| Round 2Price tags | = | Both offer AI prices in public, but with a minimum, annual-only terms or vague limits. Even. | = |
| Round 3AI | = | Both offer an action-taking AI agent on chat, email and phone, with test runs and reporting. Even. | = |
| Round 4Desk basics | = | Both offer every channel natively, skills-based routing and 300+ integrations. Even. | = |
| Round 5Security | Salesforce Service Cloud offers SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, EU hosting, a HIPAA BAA and a no-training promise; Intercom offers SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, plus EU hosting, a HIPAA BAA or a no-training promise. Salesforce Service Cloud takes the round. | W | |
| Round 6User verdict | W | On G2: Intercom 4.5 from 3,918 reviews, Salesforce Service Cloud 4.4 from 8,437 reviews. Intercom takes the round. | |
| Rounds won | 2 | Intercom wins, 3 even | 1 |
Does team size change it?
Only the bill round depends on team size. Here is the full result in each weight class.
Small team
- Intercom
- $323
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- $1,860
3 agents, 750 conversations a month. Intercom wins 2–1.
Mid-size team
- Intercom
- $1,075
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- $6,200
10 agents, 2,500 conversations a month. Intercom wins 2–1.
Large team
- Intercom
- $2,688
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- $15,500
25 agents, 6,250 conversations a month. Intercom wins 2–1.
Monthly bills from USD list prices, annual billing where offered, with the AI agent resolving 20% of conversations and agent assist for every agent. Plans: Intercom Essential; Salesforce Service Cloud Advanced.
Tale of the tape
| Fin (formerly Intercom) | Made by | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|
| per agent | Pricing | per agent |
| $29 per seat a month, billed annually | Paid plans from | $25 per user a month on Starter Suite, billed monthly or annually |
| Essential | Plan we priced | Advanced |
| $323 | 3 agents, AI on | $1,860 |
| $1,075 | 10 agents, AI on | $6,200 |
| $2,688 | 25 agents, AI on | $15,500 |
| $0.99 per outcome | AI agent price | $2 per resolution; $2 per conversation; $500 per 100,000 credits |
| Email, Live chat, Phone, WhatsApp, Social, SMS | Channels | Email, Live chat, Phone, WhatsApp, SMS, Social |
| No | Free plan | No |
| 14 days | Free trial | 30 days |
| Yes | Monthly billing | Yes |
| SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27018, ISO 27701, ISO 42001 | Audit reports | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, PCI DSS, HITRUST |
| US, EU and Australia hosting | Data hosting | Service Cloud data can be hosted in Europe and other regions, including on Hyperforce |
| 4.5 (3,918) | G2 rating | 4.4 (8,437) |
| — | Capterra rating | 4.5 (832) |
Questions
Which is better, Intercom or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Intercom wins 2–1 at 10 agents (close call). Intercom takes the bill and user verdict; Salesforce Service Cloud takes security; 3 rounds are even.
Is Intercom cheaper than Salesforce Service Cloud?
At 10 agents with the AI agent and agent assist on, Intercom comes to $1,075 a month and Salesforce Service Cloud to $6,200, from list prices. Intercom takes the bill round.
Which has the better AI, Intercom or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Both offer an action-taking AI agent on chat, email and phone, with test runs and reporting. Even.
