Heyway vs Intercom: Which Chatbot Builder Fits Your Business?
Compare Heyway vs Intercom for chatbot building, pricing, and usability. Learn which tool fits startups and small teams best.
Dawid Dapszus 
Key Takeaway:
Heyway is faster and easier for building no-code product chatbots. Intercom offers deeper CRM and automation but at higher cost and complexity.
Table of contents
- Introduction: Why compare Heyway vs Intercom
- Feature comparison table
- Usability and setup time
- Pricing and scaling costs
- Which one is better for your business
- How to switch from Intercom to Heyway
- FAQ
- Glossary
- Summary and Next steps
Introduction: Why compare Heyway vs Intercom
Founders often choose between Heyway and Intercom when adding chat to their site.
Heyway is a no-code AI chatbot builder focused on speed and simplicity.
Intercom is a full-scale customer engagement suite with live chat, helpdesk, and automation.
The main difference: Heyway is built for quick deployment without coding. Intercom prioritizes CRM-level integrations and multi-channel support.
Feature comparison table
| Feature | Heyway | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| No-code chatbot builder | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Limited AI automation |
| Setup time | Minutes | Hours to days |
| Data training options | Links, files, text snippets | Manual FAQs, help articles |
| Custom design | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Analytics | Basic counts (messages, chats) | Detailed analytics and user segmentation |
| Price | Lower for startups | Higher, scales per seat and contacts |
| Target audience | Startups, indie builders | Mid to large businesses |
Usability and setup time
Heyway’s chatbot can be embedded in a product or website in under 10 minutes.
Training is as simple as uploading a PDF, pasting URLs, or adding text snippets.
In contrast, Intercom requires a more involved setup. Teams often need to configure workflows, segments, and roles before going live.
If your goal is fast launch without engineering, Heyway has the advantage.
Pricing and scaling costs
Heyway offers predictable pricing for unlimited messages.
Intercom pricing scales with the number of team members and contacts, which can increase rapidly.
For early-stage startups, Heyway’s model avoids unexpected billing spikes.
For enterprises with dedicated support teams, Intercom’s cost may be justified by its advanced tools.
Which one is better for your business
Choose Heyway if:
- You need a chatbot live this week.
- You have no in-house developers.
- You want to train with your own data easily.
Choose Intercom if:
- You need integrated CRM, email, and multi-channel messaging.
- You have a large support team.
- You manage complex customer journeys.
See also:
How to use Heyway features to build a better chatbot
Top 5 AI chatbots for founders
Heyway vs Chatbase: Which AI chatbot builder fits your needs
How to switch from Intercom to Heyway
- Export your FAQ and help content from Intercom.
- Upload files and links to Heyway’s training dashboard.
- Customize the chatbot design and greeting.
- Embed the Heyway script on your website.
- Test and monitor via Heyway analytics.
FAQ
Is Heyway a full Intercom replacement?
No. Heyway focuses on AI chatbots, while Intercom offers a wider CRM suite.
Can I use both Heyway and Intercom?
Yes. You can run Heyway for product Q&A and Intercom for live support.
Does Heyway support live chat?
Not yet. Heyway is AI-first, with no human handoff.
How long does Heyway setup take?
Usually under 10 minutes, even for non-technical users.
Is Intercom harder to set up?
Yes. It requires more configuration and CRM integration steps.
Does Heyway have contact management?
No. It tracks chats and messages, not individual user profiles.
Glossary
No-code – Tools that allow building apps or features without programming skills.
CRM – Customer Relationship Management, software for managing customer interactions.
AI chatbot – A chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to understand and respond to queries.
User segmentation – Dividing users into groups for targeted messaging.
Summary and Next steps
Heyway and Intercom serve different needs. Heyway excels at fast, no-code AI chatbot deployment for small teams. Intercom provides a full customer communication platform but at higher cost and setup time.
Next steps:
- Sign up for Heyway and build a free test bot.
- Audit your current chat workflows for complexity.
- Compare cost projections for 6–12 months before committing.
