Intercom vs The Chat Widget
Compare Intercom to The Chat Widget: we're 20x lighter, 3-8x faster, and cost 87% less. Privacy-first with zero tracking, zero cookies, and GDPR-compliant by default.
The Chat Widget vs Intercom
| Feature | The Chat Widget | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Script size (gzipped) | 7 KB | ~100 KB |
| Starting price | $0 (Free) | $39/mo |
| Pro plan pricing | $9/mo | $79/mo |
| Global latency | 10-30 ms | 80-150 ms |
| Privacy-first (no tracking) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cookie-free | ✓ | ✗ |
| GDPR compliant by default | ✓ | ~ |
| Page speed impact | None | High |
| Setup time | 30 seconds | ~10 mins |
| Real-time messaging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Away mode email capture | ✓ (Free) | ✓ (paid) |
| Business Hours automation | ✓ ($9/mo) | ✓ ($79+/mo) |
| Contact export (CSV) | ✓ ($9/mo) | ✓ (Enterprise) |
How We Compare to Intercom
Intercom is a powerful customer engagement platform. If you only need live chat, here's how The Chat Widget compares.
87% Lower Cost
Start free, then $9/month for Pro. Intercom starts at $39/month and quickly scales to $79+/month. That's $360-840/year in savings. If you only need live chat, why pay for features you won't use?
20x Lighter & Faster
7KB vs Intercom's ~100KB. Your site loads faster, your Lighthouse scores stay high, and your visitors get instant chat without waiting for heavy scripts to load.
Privacy-First, Always
Zero tracking, zero cookies, zero analytics scripts. GDPR-compliant by default. No cookie banners needed. Intercom tracks visitors extensively and requires complex cookie consent setups.
Edge-Powered Speed
10-30ms global latency vs Intercom's 80-150ms. Our edge-native architecture delivers messages 3-8x faster worldwide. Your customers get near-instant responses.
Everything You Need for Live Chat
We focus on what matters: fast, private, reliable live chat. No bloat, no tracking, no complexity.
Real-time Messaging
Instant message delivery with WebSocket connections. Works on 3G, works offline.
Mobile PWA
Reply from your phone like WhatsApp. Install as an app, get push notifications.
Basic Analytics
See conversation counts, response times, and visitor info. No tracking required.
Email Notifications
Get notified when customers message you. Never miss a conversation.
Message History
Keep 2 years of history on Pro, unlimited on Business. Export anytime.
One-Line Install
Add to any site in 30 seconds. Works with WordPress, Shopify, React, and more.
When Intercom Might Be Better
Intercom is a full customer engagement platform with advanced features. If you need these, Intercom might be worth the premium:
- •Marketing automation & email campaigns
- •Product tours & in-app messaging for SaaS
- •AI chatbots & advanced automated workflows
- •Help center & knowledge base builder
- •Advanced user segmentation & behavioral tracking
- •Team inbox with sophisticated routing & SLAs
If you only need live chat, The Chat Widget gives you everything at a fraction of the cost and size. Most businesses don't use 80% of Intercom's features.
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