Help desks now charge for seats and AI. Enter your agents and how many conversations you expect AI to resolve, and we’ll compare the real monthly and yearly cost.
Help desk cost calculator
Enter your agents and expected AI resolutions. We compare seat and AI costs side by side.
Cheapest for your team
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| Help desk | Plan | Seats / mo | AI / mo | Total / mo | Per year |
|---|
List prices checked October 2026 on each vendor’s pricing page, in US dollars before tax. Promotions, add-ons and usage fees beyond those shown aren’t included. Your inputs stay in your browser.
How AI is charged
- Zendesk: 5 (Team plans) or 10 (Professional) automated resolutions per agent are included each month; extras cost $1.50-$2.
- Freshdesk: the first 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions are included; then $49 per 100.
- Intercom: Fin is billed from $0.99 per outcome.
Vendors define a “resolution”, “session” and “outcome” differently, so treat AI costs as estimates. Compare plans in our best help desk software guide or read Zendesk vs Freshdesk.
Frequently asked questions
Which help desk is cheapest?
For small teams without much AI use, Freshdesk Growth and Zendesk Support Team both start at $19/agent billed yearly.
Is AI cheaper than an agent?
Often, at $1-$2 per resolution, but only for questions AI can actually resolve. Start with a small share of tickets.