Kerux vs. Zendesk, Intercom, Help Scout & Freshdesk
The support tool market's #1 complaint is unpredictable, expensive AI pricing. Here's how Kerux's bring-your-own-key model compares.
| Dimension | Kerux | Typical of the others |
|---|---|---|
| AI pricing model | BYO-key — pay your AI provider directly, cents per ticket | Metered — Intercom's Fin charges $0.99 per AI resolution; Zendesk and Freshdesk meter AI usage on top of seat pricing |
| Seat pricing | One flat price per agent, per tier | Per-seat AND per-resolution — many double-bill |
| AI draft mode (human review before sending) | Built in on every tier — below your confidence threshold, replies wait for approval; above it, the AI resolves automatically | Intercom has no draft-only mode |
| Bill predictability | Moves only with your agent count — never with usage | Variable — AI usage spikes can spike the bill |
Kerux vs. Intercom
Intercom's Fin AI charges $0.99 per AI resolution — a bill that grows as the AI gets better at resolving tickets, and stacks on top of Intercom's own per-seat pricing. Intercom also has no draft-only mode. Kerux charges one flat per-agent price; the AI runs on a key you connect and pay your provider directly — cents, not a dollar, per ticket — and drafts wait for your approval below the confidence threshold you set.
Kerux vs. Help Scout
Help Scout has the clean, simple UX we admire most in this market — but its AI is a costly add-on bolted onto per-seat pricing, and automation isn't its strength. Kerux keeps that same calm simplicity but treats AI as core, not an upsell: unlimited AI Assist, Drafts, and Summarize on every tier, no metering.
Kerux vs. Zendesk & Freshdesk
Both meter AI usage on top of per-agent seats. Zendesk bills AI as "automated resolutions" — a small free allowance per agent each month, then paid overage at rates Zendesk doesn't publish. Freshdesk meters its Freddy AI per session: the first 500 are included, then $49 per 100 sessions. Kerux's bring-your-own-key model sidesteps that structure entirely: your AI spend goes straight to your provider at their rates, and Kerux's own price never moves with how much you use the AI.