Intercom alternative from Germany: SilentChat compared
Intercom is the broader platform and charges per seat plus per AI outcome. SilentChat costs a fixed monthly price with AI conversations included and runs in Germany. For small and mid-sized support teams focused on website chat, SilentChat is considerably cheaper; if you need more channels, multibrand or HIPAA, Intercom is the better fit.
Two pricing models
Intercom charges per seat: Essential costs $19, Advanced $85 and Expert $132 per seat per month billed annually; $29, $99 and $139 billed monthly. On top comes the Fin AI agent at $0.99 per outcome — counted when the customer confirms the resolution, doesn't ask for further help, or Fin completes a workflow. The copilot for agents costs $29 per agent per month billed annually, $35 billed monthly.
SilentChat charges per plan: Starter €19, Growth €49, Professional €129 per month, each with fixed limits for agents, chats and AI conversations. Annual billing saves 20%.
All prices exclude VAT, as of 21 September 2026; sources are listed at the end. We make SilentChat — read the comparison with that in mind.
A worked example
A team of 5 agents where the AI handles 300 requests a month:
- Intercom Essential: 5 × $19 + 300 × $0.99 = $392 per month billed annually, $442 billed monthly (both without copilot).
- SilentChat Growth: €49 per month on monthly billing — 5 agents and 300 AI conversations are included.
The units differ: Intercom counts outcomes, SilentChat counts conversations in which the AI replies. SilentChat also applies a fair-use limit for very long conversations (terms § 4 (4)). Intercom bills in US dollars.
At a glance
Where Intercom is stronger
- Breadth: multibrand messenger, HIPAA support, SLAs and free lite seats for colleagues who only help occasionally (depending on plan).
- Channels: besides Messenger and email there are SMS, WhatsApp and phone, billed by usage.
- Fin: an AI agent that can also complete workflows.
- Longer trial: 14 instead of 7 days.
Where SilentChat is stronger
- Predictable cost: the price depends on the plan, not on the number of AI answers. Within a plan, another agent costs nothing extra — only above the agent limit (Starter 3, Growth 5, Professional 15) do you need the next plan.
- Low entry: €19 per month for three agents.
- Runs in Germany: application at Hetzner in Falkenstein, AI at IONOS in Germany; chat data never goes to a US provider. At Intercom, the EU region is only available from Advanced and only for new workspaces; billing and support data may still leave the region.
- In German: interface, help center and support.
Which one fits?
Intercom fits if you need many channels from one vendor, look after several brands, have HIPAA requirements, or run a large team with colleagues who only help occasionally.
SilentChat fits if website chat and email are your main channels, you want to know your costs up front, and the application and AI should run in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I switch from Intercom to SilentChat?
- Yes. You embed the widget with a script tag, let SilentChat read your website into the knowledge base (from Growth) and invite your team. There is currently no automatic import of Intercom data.
- How is AI billed at SilentChat?
- Every plan includes a fixed number of AI conversations per month: Starter 50, Growth 300, Professional 1,000, Enterprise 3,000. Once reached, your agents take over. There are no extra charges.
- Where does SilentChat process my data?
- In Germany: the application runs at Hetzner in Falkenstein, the AI at IONOS in Germany. A data processing agreement is included on every plan.
- Can I try SilentChat for free?
- Yes, 7 days on the Professional plan, no credit card.
Sources
- Intercom: pricing (retrieved 16 September 2026)
- Intercom help: Regional Data Hosting
- SilentChat: pricing
- SilentChat: subprocessors