# The best Ada alternatives

> The strongest alternatives to Ada, ranked on a published rubric, with what each costs and when switching makes sense.

Published: September 18, 2026 · Updated: September 18, 2026 · Prices and figures verified: September 18, 2026 · By the ai-agents.reviews team

This page was researched and drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed on it. We have not run hands-on tests of these products. Method: [How we review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/how-we-review)

The best alternatives to Ada are Intercom Fin if you want a public price and a trial, Decagon or Sierra if you want a vendor-led enterprise build, and Zendesk's own agents if you run Zendesk.

Teams usually look beyond Ada over price transparency and the fact that Ada's own AI decides which resolutions are billable.

## Why teams look beyond Ada

- You want to see a price and try the product before a sales process.
- You are uncomfortable with a vendor-graded, sample-based count of billable resolutions.
- You need ISO 27001, which Ada does not list.

> **Scored on a public rubric, from sources you can open.** Every score on this site comes from five published criteria: pricing transparency, performance evidence, access, coverage, and control. Each price and percentage comes from one product database and links to its source, so every page agrees with every other page. Rubric v1.0 · We have not run hands-on tests yet, and no page here claims we did. [Read the full method](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/how-we-review)

## The alternatives, ranked

### 1. Intercom Fin — 9.1/10

_Teams that want a price they can calculate today_

- **Price from:** $0.99 per resolution
- **Pricing model:** Per resolution
- **Works on your existing helpdesk:** Yes
- **Self-serve sign-up:** Yes

Fin is the AI agent from the company formerly called Intercom, which renamed itself Fin in May 2026. It runs inside the Intercom helpdesk or on top of another one, charges $0.99 per outcome, and documents more about its pricing, languages and certifications than any other product we reviewed.

> Published pricing, a free trial, and ISO 27001 and ISO 42001.

**The catch:** Customer silence for 24 hours is billed as a resolution, and so is a handoff to a human that you configured. Salesforce has agreed to buy the company.

[Read the review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/intercom-fin) · [Pricing explained](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/pricing/intercom-fin) · [Alternatives](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/alternatives/intercom-fin)

### 2. Zendesk AI Agents — 7.5/10

_Teams already running support on Zendesk_

- **Price from:** $55 per seat per month
- **Pricing model:** Seats plus usage
- **Works on your existing helpdesk:** Requires Zendesk Suite
- **Self-serve sign-up:** Yes

Zendesk's AI agents are built into Zendesk Suite and Support plans. Since May 2026 the agentic features are included in every plan and only resolutions verified by a model are billed. What Zendesk still does not publish is what a resolution costs.

> Native to Zendesk, billing only verified resolutions.

**The catch:** The price per automated resolution is not published anywhere. The only figure in the open is a 2025 forum comment from a Zendesk product manager.

[Read the review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/zendesk-ai-agents) · [Pricing explained](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/pricing/zendesk-ai-agents) · [Alternatives](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/alternatives/zendesk-ai-agents)

### 3. Sierra — 6.2/10

_Very large consumer brands that want a managed build_

- **Price from:** Quote only
- **Pricing model:** Quote only
- **Works on your existing helpdesk:** Yes
- **Self-serve sign-up:** No

Sierra, founded by Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, sells AI agents for support, sales and retention to very large companies. Pricing is outcome-based and entirely by quote. It has the longest list of security certifications we found and publishes no prices, hosting regions or connector list.

> More certifications and outcome-based contracts, for the largest brands.

**The catch:** Unresolved conversations are free "in most cases", and some traffic is billed per conversation regardless of outcome. The billable outcome is defined contract by contract.

[Read the review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/sierra) · [Pricing explained](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/pricing/sierra) · [Alternatives](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/alternatives/sierra)

### 4. Decagon — 5.8/10

_Large enterprises with high volume and a six-figure budget_

- **Price from:** est. $105,000 per year
- **Pricing model:** Quote only
- **Works on your existing helpdesk:** Yes
- **Self-serve sign-up:** No

Decagon builds AI agents for chat, email and voice at large consumer, fintech and telecom brands. It publishes no prices and offers no trial. Procurement data puts the median contract at $432,750 a year.

> A managed enterprise program with simulation testing.

**The catch:** No public prices, and the pricing most often observed by buyers is per conversation, so you may pay for conversations the AI does not resolve unless you negotiate otherwise.

[Read the review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/decagon) · [Pricing explained](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/pricing/decagon) · [Alternatives](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/alternatives/decagon)

### 5. Forethought — 5.6/10

_Teams that want an agent layer across several support systems_

- **Price from:** Quote only
- **Pricing model:** Quote only
- **Works on your existing helpdesk:** Yes
- **Self-serve sign-up:** No

Forethought sells AI agents for chat, email and voice that sit on top of existing helpdesks. Zendesk completed its acquisition in March 2026 and now sells the product as Forethought AI Agents by Zendesk, including to customers on other helpdesks.

> A lighter layer across many systems, hosted in the US only.

**The catch:** It is owned by a helpdesk vendor, hosting is in the United States only, and the billable outcome is not defined anywhere public.

[Read the review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/forethought) · [Pricing explained](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/pricing/forethought)

## Comparison table

| Product | Score | Pricing model | Price from | Works on your existing helpdesk | Self-serve sign-up | EU data residency | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Ada](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/ada) | 7.4 | Quote only | est. $36,079 per year | Yes | No | Yes | Mid-market and enterprise teams that want an agent on top of their current helpdesk |
| [Intercom Fin](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/intercom-fin) | 9.1 | Per resolution | $0.99 per resolution | Yes | Yes | Yes | Teams that want a price they can calculate today |
| [Zendesk AI Agents](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/zendesk-ai-agents) | 7.5 | Seats plus usage | $55 per seat per month | No | Yes | Yes | Teams already running support on Zendesk |
| [Sierra](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/sierra) | 6.2 | Quote only | Quote only | Yes | No | Not documented | Very large consumer brands that want a managed build |
| [Decagon](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/decagon) | 5.8 | Quote only | est. $105,000 per year | Yes | No | Not documented | Large enterprises with high volume and a six-figure budget |
| [Forethought](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/forethought) | 5.6 | Quote only | Quote only | Yes | No | No | Teams that want an agent layer across several support systems |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fin cheaper than Ada?

At low and medium volume, almost certainly: Fin has no platform fee and charges $0.99 per outcome, while Ada's observed contracts start at $36,079 a year. At very high volume a negotiated Ada contract may cost less per resolution.

### Which alternatives also offer European data storage?

Fin, Zendesk, Freshworks, HubSpot and Tidio document EU or EEA hosting. We found no public statement from Sierra or Decagon.

## Related pages

- [Ada review](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/reviews/ada)
- [Ada pricing explained](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/pricing/ada)
- [The best AI customer service agents in 2026](https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/best/ai-customer-service-agents)

## Sources

- [Ada homepage](https://www.ada.cx) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Ada platform](https://www.ada.cx/platform/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Ada messaging](https://www.ada.cx/platform/messaging/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Ada integrations](https://www.ada.cx/platform/integrations/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Service-specific terms](https://www.ada.cx/legal/service-specific-terms/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Understand and improve your AI agent's automated resolution rate](https://docs.ada.cx/docs/generative/measure-success/understand-and-improve-your-ai-agent-s-automated-resolution-rate) — Ada Docs · September 18, 2026
- [About multilingual support](https://docs.ada.cx/docs/setup/languages/about-multilingual-support) — Ada Docs · September 18, 2026
- [Ada subprocessors](https://www.ada.cx/subprocessors) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Ada trust](https://www.ada.cx/platform/trust/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Epos Now case study](https://www.ada.cx/case-study/epos-now/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Life360 case study](https://www.ada.cx/case-study/life360/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Ada doubles YoY growth as demand for agentic customer service surges (3 March 2026)](https://www.ada.cx/media-center/press-release/ada-doubles-yoy-growth-as-demand-for-agentic-customer-service-surges/) — Ada · September 18, 2026
- [Ada pricing (buyer data, 114 purchases)](https://www.vendr.com/marketplace/ada) — Vendr · September 18, 2026
- [Ada company profile](https://sacra.com/c/ada/) — Sacra · September 18, 2026
- [Fin homepage](https://fin.ai/) — Fin · September 18, 2026
- [Fin pricing](https://fin.ai/pricing) — Fin · September 18, 2026
- [Intercom pricing](https://www.intercom.com/pricing) — Intercom (Fin) · September 18, 2026
- [Fin pricing: outcomes](https://fin.ai/help/en/articles/13975800-fin-pricing-outcomes) — Fin Help Center · September 18, 2026
- [Anthropic customer story](https://fin.ai/customers/anthropic) — Fin · September 18, 2026
- [Lightspeed customer story](https://fin.ai/customers/lightspeed) — Fin · September 18, 2026
- [Fin channels](https://fin.ai/channels) — Fin · September 18, 2026
- [Fin integrations](https://fin.ai/integrations) — Fin · September 18, 2026
- [Use Fin AI Agent in multiple languages](https://fin.ai/help/en/articles/10840651-use-fin-ai-agent-in-multiple-languages) — Fin Help Center · September 18, 2026
- [Regional data hosting](https://fin.ai/help/en/articles/13976037-regional-data-hosting) — Fin Help Center · September 18, 2026
- [Intercom security](https://www.intercom.com/security) — Intercom (Fin) · September 18, 2026
- [Fin AI Agent explained](https://fin.ai/help/en/articles/13975995-fin-ai-agent-explained) — Fin Help Center · September 18, 2026
- [Today, Intercom becomes Fin](https://www.intercom.com/blog/today-intercom-becomes-fin/) — Intercom (Fin) · September 18, 2026
- [Salesforce signs definitive agreement to acquire Fin](https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2026/06/15/salesforce-signs-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-fin/) — Salesforce · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk AI agents](https://www.zendesk.com/service/ai/ai-agents/) — Zendesk · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk pricing](https://www.zendesk.com/pricing/) — Zendesk · September 18, 2026
- [About automated resolutions for AI agents](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5352026794010-About-automated-resolutions-for-AI-agents) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [About automated resolution tiers](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9570369117338-About-automated-resolution-tiers) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [What happens when I exceed my automated resolutions limit](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9751536041754-What-happens-when-I-exceed-my-automated-resolutions-limit) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [Announcing expanded access to AI agent capabilities for all Zendesk customers](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10487730059034-Announcing-expanded-access-to-AI-agent-capabilities-for-all-Zendesk-customers) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [Community forum comment by a Zendesk product manager on the automated resolution list price (August 2025, unofficial)](https://community.zendesk.com/product-updates/we-are-excited-to-launch-ai-agents-and-automated-resolutions-6337/index9.html) — Zendesk Community · September 18, 2026
- [TeamSystem customer story](https://www.zendesk.com/customer/teamsystem/) — Zendesk · September 18, 2026
- [Hello Sugar customer story](https://www.zendesk.com/customer/hello-sugar/) — Zendesk · September 18, 2026
- [Languages supported by AI agents](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749663130-Languages-supported-by-AI-agents) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [Regional Data Hosting Policy](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408883599130-Regional-Data-Hosting-Policy) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk Trust Center](https://www.zendesk.com/trust-center/) — Zendesk · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk says its new AI agent can solve 80% of support issues](https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/08/zendesk-says-its-new-ai-agent-can-solve-80-of-support-issues) — TechCrunch · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk acquires agentic customer service startup Forethought](https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/11/zendesk-acquires-agentic-customer-service-startup-forethought/) — TechCrunch · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra homepage](https://sierra.ai) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra product](https://sierra.ai/product) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra Voice](https://sierra.ai/product/voice) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Agent SDK](https://sierra.ai/product/agent-sdk) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Trust and reliability](https://sierra.ai/product/trust-and-reliability) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Outcome-based pricing for AI agents](https://sierra.ai/blog/outcome-based-pricing-for-ai-agents) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra customers](https://sierra.ai/uk/customers) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [WeightWatchers customer story](https://sierra.ai/customers/weightwatchers) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Better customer experiences, built on Sierra (funding announcement)](https://sierra.ai/blog/better-customer-experiences-built-on-sierra) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [AI for call centers](https://sierra.ai/blog/ai-for-call-centers) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra achieves AIUC-1 certification](https://sierra.ai/blog/sierra-achieves-aiuc-1-certification) — Sierra · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra company profile](https://sacra.com/c/sierra/) — Sacra · September 18, 2026
- [Sierra raises $950M as the race to own enterprise AI gets serious](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/04/sierra-raises-950m-as-the-race-to-own-enterprise-ai-gets-serious/) — TechCrunch · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon homepage](https://decagon.ai) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon integrations](https://decagon.ai/product/integrations) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon Voice](https://decagon.ai/product/voice) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon security](https://decagon.ai/security) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [AI customer support setup](https://decagon.ai/blog/ai-customer-support-setup) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [What is resolution-based pricing?](https://decagon.ai/glossary/what-is-resolution-based-pricing) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Chime case study](https://decagon.ai/case-studies/chime) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Rituals case study](https://decagon.ai/case-studies/rituals) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Series D announcement](https://decagon.ai/blog/series-d-announcement) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Introducing Duet Autopilot](https://decagon.ai/blog/autopilot) — Decagon · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon AI raises $250M at $4.5B valuation](https://siliconangle.com/2026/01/28/decagon-ai-raises-250m-4-5b-valuation-scale-ai-concierge-platform/) — SiliconANGLE · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon company profile](https://sacra.com/c/decagon/) — Sacra · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon AI pricing (buyer data)](https://www.vendr.com/marketplace/decagon-ai) — Vendr · September 18, 2026
- [Decagon (company)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decagon_(company)) — Wikipedia · September 18, 2026
- [Forethought Solve](https://forethought.ai/platform/solve) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Forethought pricing](https://forethought.ai/pricing) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Forethought integrations](https://forethought.ai/integrations) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [AI voice agent](https://forethought.ai/channels/ai-voice-agent) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Multilingual support for Solve](https://forethought.ai/blog/multilingual-support-for-solve) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Forethought security policy](https://forethought.ai/security-policy) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Forethought platform security](https://forethought.ai/platform/security) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Forethought FAQ](https://forethought.ai/faq) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Grammarly achieves 87% deflection and 4.2 CSAT early with Forethought](https://forethought.ai/case-studies/grammarly-achieves-87-deflection-and-4-2-csat-early-with-forethought) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [The secret to scaling CX is hidden in the 3 metrics you already track (YAZIO)](https://forethought.ai/blog/the-secret-to-scaling-cx-is-hidden-in-the-3-metrics-you-already-track) — Forethought · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk completes acquisition of Forethought](https://www.zendesk.com/newsroom/press-releases/zendesk-completes-acquisition-of-forethought/) — Zendesk · September 18, 2026
- [Announcing Forethought AI agents by Zendesk for customers](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10850639885082-Announcing-Forethought-AI-agents-by-Zendesk-for-customers) — Zendesk Help · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk to acquire Forethought in major agentic AI play](https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639959/Zendesk-to-acquire-Forethought-in-major-agentic-AI-play) — Computer Weekly · September 18, 2026
- [Zendesk acquires agentic customer service startup Forethought](https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/11/zendesk-acquires-agentic-customer-service-startup-forethought/) — TechCrunch · September 18, 2026

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Canonical: https://ai-agents.reviews/en-us/alternatives/ada