What is the best AI customer service software?
Aftersales leads for teams that want an AI agent that resolves and takes actions, priced per resolution, with a helpdesk included. The bigger differences between the rest are what they bill for and how much of the build you do yourself.
| Tool | Billed per | Published AI price | Runs on | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aftersales | Resolution, once per conversation | $0.99; free when Agent can't help | Aftersales, or inside Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshdesk | SMB to enterprise |
| Intercom Fin | Outcome | $0.99 | Intercom or your current helpdesk | SMB to enterprise |
| Zendesk AI agents | Automated resolution | 5 to 10 per agent included; pay-as-you-go listed at $2.00 | Zendesk | Mid-market, enterprise |
| Salesforce Agentforce | Conversation or Flex Credits | $2 per conversation, or $500 per 100,000 credits | Salesforce | Enterprise |
| Sierra | Outcome | Quote only | Sierra platform, connected to your systems | Enterprise |
| Decagon | Conversation or resolution | Quote only | Decagon platform, connected to your systems | Enterprise |
| Ada | Conversation (resolution option) | Quote only | Ada platform, connected to your helpdesk | Enterprise |
| HubSpot Customer Agent | Resolved conversation (credits) | $0.50 (50 credits at $0.01) | HubSpot Service Hub | SMB, mid-market |
| Freshdesk Freddy AI Agent | Session | 500 included, then $49 per 100 | Freshdesk | SMB, mid-market |
| Tidio Lyro | Lyro conversation | From $32.50/month for 50 | Tidio | Small business |
Checked October 2026. Confirm current prices on each vendor's site.
How did we compare AI customer service software?
We scored each tool on the same six questions and checked every price on the vendor's own website in October 2026. Where a vendor does not publish prices, we describe its pricing model instead of guessing.
- Resolution or deflection. Does the AI finish the job (find the account, apply the policy, take the action) or does it answer an FAQ and hope the customer goes away? Deflection counts a conversation as handled when the customer stops replying; resolution means the problem is fixed. See how to measure resolution rate.
- What you pay for. Per resolution, per outcome, per conversation, per session or per credit. Per-conversation and per-session pricing charge you when the AI fails too.
- Actions. Can the AI call your systems (orders, refunds, subscriptions, CRM records) with permissions you control?
- Guardrails. Spend limits, escalation rules, banned topics and a clean handoff to a person with context attached.
- Where it runs. Its own helpdesk, inside the one you already have, or a separate platform you integrate.
- Fit by size. Self-serve setup and public prices for small teams; security, SSO and data controls for enterprises.
We are Aftersales, so we put our own product first. Each card says where another tool is the better pick, including for us.
What are the 10 best AI agents for customer service?
Each card lists the billing unit, because it decides your bill more than the headline price.
1. Aftersales: best overall for resolution with actions and a helpdesk included
Aftersales Agent resolves conversations end to end. It reads intent, sentiment and language from the first message in 31 languages, then follows procedures your team writes in plain language (or imports from existing macros). Each step maps to a connector or API with explicit, revocable permissions: verify and act on Shopify orders, issue Stripe refunds, update Salesforce, or call your own systems through the Aftersales API and webhooks.
Guardrails cover spend and value limits, escalation on sentiment, keywords, customer tier or legal language, brand voice and banned phrases. When Agent hands off, the person gets the conversation, the data Agent looked up and what it already tried. Customers see a median 71% of conversations resolved by Agent after 90 days. Around it sit Copilot for human replies, a shared Inbox and Insights with quality Monitors on every conversation.
- Best for
- SMB to enterprise teams that want AI to resolve and act, with predictable per-resolution pricing
- Pricing
- Free plan (1 seat, first 50 Agent resolutions free). Starter $24, Growth $69, Scale $109 per seat/month billed annually (20% more monthly). Agent $0.99 per resolution, counted once per conversation; conversations Agent can't help with are free. Agent alone inside Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud or Freshdesk: $0.99 per resolution with a minimum monthly commitment. See pricing
- Strengths
- Billed only on resolution; actions with permissions and spend guardrails; runs in its own helpdesk or inside Zendesk, Salesforce or Freshdesk; GDPR DPA, US-hosted; SSO/SCIM on Scale; HIPAA support with a signed BAA on the Enterprise plan
- Watch out for
- A newer company (founded 2024). We don't list an AI voice agent, so voice-first contact centers should look at Sierra, Decagon or Ada. Integrations beyond Shopify, Stripe, Salesforce, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Slack and Jira go through the API or webhooks, so confirm specific connectors on a call
2. Intercom Fin: best for in-product support and a polished messenger
Fin is Intercom's AI agent. It runs inside Intercom's helpdesk and messenger, and Intercom also sells it on its own for other helpdesks, including Salesforce, with no seats required. Intercom bills $0.99 per outcome, which counts when the customer confirms the answer, doesn't ask for more help, or a workflow completes. See Intercom pricing and our Intercom alternative page.
- Best for
- SaaS and app teams that support customers inside their product
- Pricing
- Fin $0.99 per outcome. Intercom seats: Essential $29, Advanced $85, Expert $132 per seat/month billed annually. Fin on another helpdesk has a minimum monthly commitment
- Strengths
- Mature agent, strong messenger and in-app experience, works on other helpdesks
- Watch out for
- An outcome includes conversations where the customer simply doesn't come back, which sits closer to deflection than confirmed resolution; seats are billed separately
3. Zendesk AI agents: best for large teams standardized on Zendesk
Zendesk includes AI agents in its Suite plans with an allowance of automated resolutions per agent, then bills extra resolutions in committed bundles or pay-as-you-go. It is the low-friction choice if your workflows, reporting and integrations already live in Zendesk. See Zendesk pricing.
- Best for
- Mid-market and enterprise teams already on Zendesk
- Pricing
- Suite Team $55 and Suite Professional $115 per agent/month billed annually, with 5 and 10 automated resolutions per agent/month. Extra resolutions: committed rate from sales, pay-as-you-go listed at $2.00. Copilot add-on $50 per agent/month annual
- Strengths
- Native to Zendesk, large app marketplace, enterprise controls
- Watch out for
- Pay-as-you-go resolutions cost about twice Aftersales or Fin; actions often depend on marketplace apps. Aftersales Agent can also run inside Zendesk at $0.99 per resolution
4. Salesforce Agentforce: best for enterprises whose customer data lives in Salesforce
Agentforce is Salesforce's agent platform. For customer-facing service agents, Salesforce lists $2 per conversation, or Flex Credits at $500 per 100,000 credits with a standard action using 20 credits. Its advantage is direct access to Salesforce records, flows and permissions. If you run Service Cloud and want per-resolution billing instead, Aftersales Agent runs inside Salesforce Service Cloud too.
- Best for
- Large Salesforce customers with admins who can build and govern agents
- Pricing
- $2 per conversation, or Flex Credits ($500 per 100,000; 20 credits per standard action, 30 per voice action). Salesforce licenses are separate
- Strengths
- Deep CRM data and permissions, voice actions, enterprise governance
- Watch out for
- Per-conversation pricing charges for conversations the agent fails; building usually needs Salesforce admin or partner time
5. Sierra: best for enterprise brands that want a managed, outcome-priced build
Sierra builds AI agents for large consumer brands across chat, SMS, WhatsApp, email and voice. It says it uses outcome-based pricing, so you pay when the agent delivers the agreed result. Expect a sales-led deployment rather than self-serve setup. Compare it in Decagon vs Sierra.
- Best for
- Enterprises with high volume, complex journeys and voice in scope
- Pricing
- Outcome-based; quote only
- Strengths
- Voice and messaging, outcome-based contracts, enterprise security (it lists SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR)
- Watch out for
- No public prices or self-serve trial; you still need a helpdesk for human agents
6. Decagon: best for enterprises that want procedures-as-code across chat, email and voice
Decagon's agents follow Agent Operating Procedures (AOPs), natural-language workflows that its customers' CX teams edit without heavy engineering. It covers chat, email and voice. Decagon offers per-conversation or per-resolution pricing and says most of its customers choose per conversation. See our Decagon alternative page.
- Best for
- Enterprise CX teams with voice and complex workflows
- Pricing
- Per conversation or per resolution; quote only
- Strengths
- Natural-language procedures, voice agents, enterprise deployments
- Watch out for
- Prices aren't published; per-conversation billing charges for escalations too; a separate helpdesk is still needed
7. Ada: best for enterprises that want a dedicated AI agent platform alongside their helpdesk
Ada is an AI customer service platform for enterprises, covering messaging, email and voice, and connecting to the helpdesk you already run. Ada sells mainly on per-conversation pricing and offers a resolution-based model for some enterprise customers. See our Ada alternative page.
- Best for
- Enterprises that want an AI layer in front of an existing helpdesk
- Pricing
- Conversation-based by default, resolution-based on request; quote only
- Strengths
- Long track record in enterprise AI support, voice, messaging and email, many industries
- Watch out for
- No public prices; another platform to run alongside your helpdesk
8. HubSpot Customer Agent: best value for teams already on HubSpot
HubSpot's Customer Agent runs inside Service Hub and is billed in HubSpot Credits. A resolved conversation uses 50 credits ($0.50 at $0.01 per credit), and HubSpot counts a resolution when the conversation isn't handed to a human within 72 hours. Paid Service Hub plans include a monthly credit allowance. On price per resolution it is the cheapest published option here.
- Best for
- SMB and mid-market teams that run sales and service in HubSpot
- Pricing
- $0.50 per resolved conversation (50 credits). Service Hub Professional from $90 and Enterprise from $150 per seat/month annual; credit allowances of 3,000 and 5,000 a month
- Strengths
- Lowest published price per resolution, CRM context from HubSpot
- Watch out for
- The 72-hour rule counts silence as resolution; best value only if you are on HubSpot; check which plans include the agent
9. Freshdesk Freddy AI Agent: best for Freshdesk teams that want built-in AI
Freddy AI Agent is built into Freshdesk with 500 sessions included, then sold in packs of sessions. See Freshdesk pricing.
- Best for
- SMB and mid-market teams on Freshdesk
- Pricing
- 500 sessions included, then $49 per 100 sessions. Freshdesk Growth $19, Pro $55, Enterprise $89 per agent/month annual. Freddy AI Copilot $29 per agent/month (Pro and Enterprise)
- Strengths
- Included allowance, low seat prices, native to Freshdesk
- Watch out for
- Sessions are billed whether or not they resolve; actions need apps. Aftersales Agent can run inside Freshdesk at $0.99 per resolution
10. Tidio Lyro: best for small websites starting with an AI chatbot
Lyro is Tidio's AI agent for live chat, sold in packs of Lyro conversations on top of Tidio plans. It is quick to set up on a small site. See Tidio pricing.
- Best for
- Small businesses that want a low-cost AI chatbot
- Pricing
- Lyro from $32.50/month for 50 conversations. Tidio Starter $24.17/month annual (100 billable conversations, 50 one-off Lyro conversations)
- Strengths
- Fast setup, low entry price, chat-first
- Watch out for
- Billed per Lyro conversation rather than resolution; limited actions; fewer controls for larger teams
How much does an AI customer service agent cost per month?
On list prices, HubSpot is cheapest per resolution if you already run HubSpot; Aftersales and Fin cost about the same per resolution, and per-conversation tools cost more because failed conversations are billed too.
Example assumptions: 5,000 AI-handled conversations a month, 60% resolved by AI (3,000), five human agents, annual billing, list prices only. Sales-led tools are left out because they don't publish prices.
| Tool | AI cost | Seats | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aftersales (Growth) | 3,000 x $0.99 = $2,970 | 5 x $69 = $345 | $3,315 |
| Intercom Fin (Advanced) | 3,000 x $0.99 = $2,970 | 5 x $85 = $425 | $3,395 |
| HubSpot (Professional) | 3,000 x $0.50 = $1,500, less about $30 of included credits | 5 x $90 = $450 | About $1,920 |
| Freshdesk Freddy (Pro) | 4,500 extra sessions x $0.49 = $2,205 | 5 x $55 = $275 | $2,480 |
| Zendesk (Suite Professional, pay-as-you-go) | 2,950 x $2.00 = $5,900 | 5 x $115 = $575 | $6,475 |
| Agentforce (per conversation) | 5,000 x $2 = $10,000 | Salesforce licenses extra | $10,000 plus licenses |
Checked October 2026. Confirm current prices on each vendor's site.
Two things move these numbers more than the rate card. First, the billing unit: Freshdesk and Agentforce charge for all 5,000 conversations, while Aftersales charges for the 3,000 Agent resolved. Second, what counts as resolved: a definition that treats silence as success bills more conversations than one that requires the problem to be fixed. Zendesk committed rates are lower than pay-as-you-go; ask for a quote.
Model your own volume. Start a 14-day free trial and see how many of your conversations Agent resolves before you pay for one.
What guardrails should an AI customer service agent have?
The safest AI agents can only do what you have explicitly allowed, cap what they can give away, and hand off with context. Ask every vendor to show these five controls in a demo:
- Scoped permissions. Each action (refund, cancel, update address) is a separate permission you can revoke.
- Value limits. A maximum refund or credit per conversation and per customer, with anything above going to a person.
- Escalation triggers. Negative sentiment, legal language, VIP or high-value tiers and specific keywords route to humans.
- No advice it shouldn't give. Medical, legal and financial advice should always escalate to people.
- Handoff with context. The human sees what the AI looked up and tried, so the customer doesn't repeat themselves.
In Aftersales these live in each procedure, and Insights Monitors score every conversation, AI and human, so you are not relying on sampling. Security details are on the security page.
Which AI customer service software should you choose?
Pick by your size, your current helpdesk and how you want to pay.
- Best overall, resolution with actions and a helpdesk included: Aftersales.
- On Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud or Freshdesk and not moving: Aftersales Agent on its own, or the native Zendesk, Agentforce or Freddy agents.
- In-product support for a SaaS app: Intercom Fin.
- Enterprise with voice-first contact center: Sierra, Decagon or Ada. They are stronger than Aftersales on AI voice.
- Salesforce-native enterprise with admin capacity: Agentforce.
- Lowest published price per resolution: HubSpot Customer Agent, if you run HubSpot.
- Small website testing an AI chatbot: Tidio Lyro or the Aftersales Free plan.
For more options, see the best Intercom Fin alternatives, AI agents for ecommerce and our AI customer service by industry pages.