Below is a concise, practical comparison of leading conversational-support tools so you can match features, scale, and costs to your use case. I grouped platforms by typical buyer needs (SMB, product-led SaaS, ecommerce, enterprise, and custom/open-source) and summarized strengths, channels, AI/automation, ease of setup, and pricing signals.

Selection criteria (what I compared)

• Channels: web chat, mobile SDK, SMS, WhatsApp, social, voice, email.
• AI & automation: bots/LLMs, handoff, agent assist, RAG/KB use.
• Integrations & customization: CRM/commerce, APIs, developer tools.
• Scale & governance: enterprise features, security/compliance.
• Pricing model: seat-based, conversation-based, tier signals.

Quick side-by-side summaries (high-level picks)

• Best for product-led SaaS / in-app support: Intercom — strong in-app messaging, proactive product experiences, and agent Copilot options. (intercom.com)
• Best broad helpdesk with strong messaging & apps ecosystem: Zendesk Suite — full ticketing + messaging + AI agents for multichannel support. (zendesk.com)
• Best cost-effective, mid-market omnichannel + AI: Freshworks (Freshdesk / Freshchat) — easy to start, Freddy AI add-ons. (freshworks.com)
• Best ecommerce-focused support: Gorgias — built for Shopify/ecommerce workflows and order-driven automations. (gorgias.com)
• Best lightweight shared-inbox + simple pricing for small teams: Help Scout — shared inbox, docs, free tier and contact-based pricing. (helpscout.com)
• Best enterprise contact-center / CCaaS with advanced AI & voice: Genesys Cloud — full contact center, bots, agent copilot and per-user tiers for CX. (genesys.com)
• Best enterprise conversational cloud focused on scale & generative AI: LivePerson — messaging-first, large-channel coverage and generative AI capabilities. (liveperson.com)
• Best open-source / highly customizable conversational AI: Rasa — developer-first, self-host or managed enterprise options for full control. (rasa.com)
• Best pure-play enterprise generative/conversational AI platform (conversational automation at scale): Ada — no‑code builder, performance-based pricing and multi-channel messaging focus. (ada.cx)
• Enterprise CRM-first option with deep Microsoft ecosystem ties: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service — omnichannel + Copilot features and contact‑center bundles. (microsoft.com)
• Enterprise CRM-first / broad ecosystem: Salesforce Service Cloud — full-service CRM + Einstein AI and Service Cloud tiers for very large deployments. (business.com)

Short vendor notes (what each is best at + one caveat)

• Intercom — Best for in-app and product-led journeys, proactive messages, and conversational support tightly integrated into the product experience. Pricing is modular (inbox + Copilot add-ons) and geared to SaaS/product teams. Caveat: costs can scale quickly with message volume and add-ons. (intercom.com)

• Zendesk Suite — Best for teams that need a complete ticketing + messaging + voice/knowledge stack with many integrations and apps. Good built-in automation and AI agents. Caveat: advanced features often require Suite/upper tiers or add-ons. (zendesk.com)

• Freshworks (Freshdesk / Freshchat) — Best for lower-to-mid-market teams who want omnichannel ticketing plus Freddy AI assistants. Offers free/start tiers and easy upgrade path. Caveat: some advanced AI features are add-ons and session-limited. (freshworks.com)

• HubSpot Service Hub — Best when you want free/cheap live chat tightly integrated with HubSpot CRM and marketing/sales tooling. Good for small-to-medium teams relying on HubSpot already. Caveat: advanced service automation and AI are in higher tiers. (blog.hubspot.com)

• Help Scout — Best for small teams wanting a human-centric shared inbox, knowledge base, and simple pricing (contact-based). Caveat: not an enterprise contact center — fewer advanced CCaaS features. (helpscout.com)

• Gorgias — Best for ecommerce (Shopify) where agents need deep order data and macros; strong at automating order/shipping queries. Caveat: ecommerce-focused — less suited for complex B2B workflows. (gorgias.com)

• Ada — Best for enterprise-grade conversational AI and multilingual messaging (strong in APAC use cases), performance-based pricing and no-code bot building. Caveat: pricing tends to be custom and can be performance/volume-based, so cost predictability needs evaluation. (ada.cx)

• LivePerson — Best for large-scale, messaging-first enterprise CX with rich channel support (WhatsApp, RCS, Apple Messages, etc.) and agent-assist/analytics capabilities. Caveat: enterprise pricing and procurement process. (liveperson.com)

• Genesys Cloud — Best for full contact center needs (voice + digital) with built-in AI, workforce engagement, and per-user packaged tiers for CX. Caveat: strong for contact centers but heavier to implement than pure live-chat SaaS. (genesys.com)

• Rasa — Best when you need full control, host on-prem, build custom NLU/dialogue, or embed into a secure/private environment. Caveat: requires engineering resources and ops to deploy and maintain. (rasa.com)

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service & Salesforce Service Cloud — Both are best when you need CRM-first service with deep enterprise integrations, advanced routing, and large-scale AI/case management. They target large organizations and come with complex licensing and implementation. Choose based on your existing CRM ecosystem (Microsoft or Salesforce). (microsoft.com)

How to pick (decision rubric)

• If you’re a startup / small product team: prioritize Intercom (in-app + proactive), Freshchat, or HubSpot (if you already use HubSpot). Look for easy SDKs, low setup time, and predictable pricing. (intercom.com)

• If you run ecommerce: pick Gorgias (Shopify-first workflows) or Ada for higher automation and multilingual conversational commerce. (gorgias.com)

• If you’re a mid-market support team that wants a classic helpdesk + chat: Freshdesk or Zendesk are both safe choices — compare the suites for AI features and integration counts. (freshworks.com)

• If you’re enterprise / contact center: Genesys, LivePerson, Salesforce Service Cloud, or Microsoft Dynamics are the primary options — evaluate voice, WEM (workforce engagement), AI tokens, and carrier/telephony integration costs. (genesys.com)

• If you need full control, privacy, or want to build custom assistants: use Rasa (self-host or managed) — it takes engineering but gives full ownership. (rasa.com)

Implementation & operational tips

• Start with a single channel and a clear containment goal (e.g., automate 30% of FAQ traffic). Measure