Help desks, live chat and feedback boards.
Customer support & feedback: build, buy or switch?
3 tools compared on 3-year cost, cheaper options and risk. Prices checked October 2026.
| Tool | Verdict | From | Buy, 3 yrs | Build, 3 yrs | Cheapest option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canny | BUILD | $79/mo | $2,844 | $865 | UserJot (free) |
| Intercom | HYBRID | $29/seat/mo | $3,870 | $2,755 | Chatwoot (open source) |
| Zendesk | SWITCH | $19/seat/mo | $3,960 | $3,445 | Zoho Desk (free) |
3-year costs use each tool’s typical plan and team size and $30/hour for your time. Open a tool to change them.
Canny
Customer support & feedback
Build it. Posts, votes and a status column are basic database work, and Pro starts at $79 a month.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $2,844
- Build, 3 yrs
- $865
Intercom
Customer support & feedback
Hybrid. Build your help center and AI answers, and keep a small inbox for live chat.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $3,870
- Build, 3 yrs
- $2,755
Zendesk
Customer support & feedback
Switch to Freshdesk. Growth is $19 an agent against $55 for Zendesk Suite Team.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $3,960
- Build, 3 yrs
- $3,445
Paying for more than one of these?
Stack Scan spots tools that do the same job and shows what you’d save by keeping one.
Verdict key: BUILD = Build it · BUY = Buy it · HYBRID = Hybrid · SWITCH = Switch. How we score.