AI Support Cost Calculator
Most AI support tools charge per resolution. See what that really costs you per year, and how much is avoidable.
| Tool | Per resolution | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Zendesk AI | $ | $18,000 |
| Intercom Fin | $ | $11,880 |
| Gorgias AI Agent | $ | $10,800 |
| Help Scout AI Answers | $ | $9,000 |
| Convoton paid plans | $ | $2,400 |
List prices checked September 2026, see sources below. Edit any price to match your quote.
How this is calculated
- AI resolutions per year = monthly conversations × the share handled by AI × 12.
- Annual cost per tool = AI resolutions per year × that tool's price per resolution.
- What you keep = the most expensive tool in the table, minus Convot.
Per-resolution pricing looks small per ticket and adds up with volume, which is why the yearly number matters more than the unit price. At the defaults (2,000 conversations a month, half handled by AI) that is 12,000 AI resolutions a year. The calculator counts AI resolutions only and leaves out seat or plan fees, which every tool here charges on top.
Sources and what each price means
Checked on each vendor's public pricing page in September 2026. Vendors change prices, so check before you buy.
- Intercom Fin: $0.99 per outcome. Charged once per conversation when Fin resolves it or completes a handoff workflow. Seats are extra, from $29 per seat a month. Source: intercom.com/pricing.
- Zendesk AI agents: about $2.00 per automated resolution pay as you go, about $1.50 committed (third-party estimates). Zendesk's pricing page explains per-resolution billing but shows no dollar rate. It includes 5 resolutions per agent a month. The committed rate is lower; third-party breakdowns put it near $1.50 at low volume, falling toward $1.00 above 5,000 a month. The calculator uses $1.50 as an editable estimate.
- Gorgias AI Agent: $0.90 per automated interaction billed annually, $1.00 billed monthly. Sold in bundles of 30 to 530 interactions on every plan. Source: gorgias.com/pricing, checked 3 October 2026.
- Help Scout AI Answers: $0.75 per resolution, pay as you go. Source: helpscout.com/pricing.
- Convot Cove AI: $0.20 per resolved conversation on every paid plan, from $49 a month. Not on the free Community plan. convot.io/pricing
Not in the table because they do not price per resolution: Freshdesk includes 500 Freddy AI sessions, then $49 per 100 sessions. Crisp bundles AI credits into each plan (about $25 of credits on Essentials). A session or a credit is not a resolution, so a straight comparison would mislead.
Questions
How much does Intercom Fin cost per resolution?
Intercom lists Fin at $0.99 per outcome, charged once per conversation, on top of seat fees from $29 per seat a month (checked September 2026).
How much does Zendesk AI cost per resolution?
Zendesk includes 5 automated resolutions per agent a month (10 on Suite Professional), then bills each one; it does not publish the rate, and third parties report about $2.00 pay as you go. Committed plans cost less; Zendesk does not show that rate in US dollars on its pricing page, and third-party breakdowns put it near $1.50 at low volume, falling toward $1.00 at high volume.
What counts as a resolution?
Each vendor defines it slightly differently, but it generally means the AI answered and the customer did not ask for a human or more help. Convot charges $0.20 per conversation Cove AI resolves.
Is Convot the cheapest AI option?
Per resolution, yes, against Intercom, Zendesk, Gorgias and Help Scout. Some tools, like Crisp, bundle AI credits into the plan instead of charging per resolution, so they are not directly comparable.
Does this include seat or plan fees?
No. It counts AI resolutions only. Every tool here also charges a plan or seat fee. Convot's paid plans start at $49 a month for the whole team.
Related: AI savings calculator, Convot vs Intercom, Convot vs Zendesk, how Cove AI works.