Dispatch vs Intercom Fin
Fin is a well-regarded AI agent billed at $0.99 per outcome, available on Intercom or on top of other helpdesks. Dispatch is built for Shopify storefronts, sells as well as supports, and runs on your own AI key at model cost.
Bring your own AI key and pay your provider at cost — no per-resolution fees. Dispatch plan pricing: see dispatch.osroc.io.
At a glance
Both put AI in front of a helpdesk. Fin is general-purpose and multichannel; Dispatch is Shopify-native and priced at model cost.
| Intercom Fin | Dispatch | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI agent for support, on Intercom's helpdesk or on top of others | AI shopping and support assistant for your Shopify storefront, in front of your helpdesk |
| AI pricing | $0.99 per outcome; $9.99 per qualification; standalone minimum 50 outcomes/month. Requests for a human aren't billed | Your own AI key at your provider's list price, about 3.7¢ to 11¢ per conversation on certified models; no per-resolution fees. Dispatch plan pricing: see dispatch.osroc.io |
| Also requires | Intercom seats ($29, $85 or $132 per seat/month), or standalone with your helpdesk | A Dispatch plan. Works with Gorgias, Zendesk, Slack or email |
| Helpdesks | Intercom; standalone with Salesforce, HubSpot, Freshworks, Dixa, Front, Zoho, Sprinklr, Gorgias, and Zendesk (documented) | Not a helpdesk: hands off to Gorgias, Zendesk (beta), Slack live threads or email, with summary and transcript; team replies show in the chat |
| Channels | Chat, email and more; Fin Voice on custom pricing | Storefront chat widget (handoffs continue by email, Slack or your helpdesk) |
| AI models | Chosen by Intercom | Your choice: Claude, GPT, open models on DigitalOcean, or anything on OpenRouter |
| Shopping | Support-focused | Product cards with add to cart, answers from your catalog and policies |
Sources (checked 2026-10-17): fin.ai/pricing, intercom.com/pricing, Intercom: Fin AI Agent outcomes, Fin for Zendesk. Prices checked 17 October 2026; check the vendor's site for current pricing.
Where Intercom Fin is the better fit
- You need AI across many channels, including voice.
- You're not on Shopify, or Shopify is one of several platforms you support.
- You want a vendor that tunes and stands behind the AI's answers, billed only on outcomes.
Where Dispatch is the better fit
- You run a Shopify store and want catalog answers, product cards and add to cart in the chat.
- You want to pay model cost on your own key rather than $0.99 per outcome.
- You want to choose and switch models yourself.
What the AI costs at your volume
Fin bills $0.99 per outcome; Dispatch on your key costs the model price per conversation. Assumes the AI fully resolves 60% of conversations (vendors only bill resolved ones); Dispatch's model cost applies to every conversation, resolved or not. Both columns leave out the platform plan: Intercom Fin's required base plan and Dispatch's own plan fee.
| AI conversations / month | Intercom Fin $0.99 per outcome |
Dispatch on your key Claude Haiku 5.5 to Claude Sonnet 5.5 |
|---|---|---|
| 500 300 resolved by AI |
$297 | $18.60 – $55.80 |
| 2,000 1,200 resolved by AI |
$1,188 | $74.40 – $223 |
| 10,000 6,000 resolved by AI |
$5,940 | $372 – $1,116 |
Dispatch column: raw model cost on your own key, from the cheapest to the priciest certified model in the table on the cost calculator. It excludes Dispatch's own plan fee, just as the vendor column excludes their base plan. Try your own numbers.
Questions
How much does Intercom Fin cost?
$0.99 per outcome, with qualifications at $9.99, according to fin.ai/pricing on 17 October 2026. Standalone use on another helpdesk has a 50-outcome monthly minimum. On Intercom's own helpdesk you also pay for seats, from $29 per seat per month.
Is Dispatch a Fin alternative?
For Shopify storefronts, yes: both answer shoppers with AI and hand off to a helpdesk. Fin covers more channels; Dispatch is Shopify-native, also sells, and runs on your own AI key.
What does 'outcome' mean for Fin?
Intercom bills resolutions, procedure handoffs, disqualifications and self-serve routings at $0.99, at most once per conversation. Requests for a human and unanswered clarifying questions aren't billed. See Intercom's help article for the full definition.
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