Help Scout vs Intercom:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Help Scout had more branded searches than Intercom among customer support platforms in New Zealand. Help Scout had about 110 branded searches, while Intercom had 10. Help Scout made up 4.9% of all customer support platform searches we track, and Intercom accounted for 0.44%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about customer support platforms, Intercom appeared in three of the four answers and Help Scout in none.
Who do people search for more?
Help Scout, about 11 searches for every 1 for Intercom
Who does AI mention more?
Intercom, mentioned in 3 of 4 answers, Help Scout in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Intercom, the only one of the two named
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Top customer support platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Intercom was mentioned in three out of four: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Help Scout did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Zendesk4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Freshdesk4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Zoho Desk3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Gorgias3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- Intercom3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Help Scout0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Tidio0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Crisp0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about customer support platforms
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which customer support platform should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best customer support platforms in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best customer support platform in New Zealand for a growing service team?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“customer support platforms”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“help desk software nz”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Help Scout or Intercom more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Help Scout and Intercom by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight customer support platforms we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Help Scout, Intercom. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Zendesk | Zoho Desk | Freshdesk | Gorgias | Help Scout | Tidio | Intercom | Crisp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 48% | 14% | 14% | 11.5% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 0.36% | 0% |
| Nov 2025 | 42.3% | 13% | 15.9% | 15.9% | 6.9% | 5.7% | 0.41% | 0% |
| Dec 2025 | 42.9% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 6.6% | 4.2% | 0.47% | 0.47% |
| Jan 2026 | 43.8% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 16.6% | 4.7% | 7.2% | 0% | 0.43% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.6% | 13.3% | 13.3% | 16.2% | 4.6% | 8.7% | 0.41% | 0% |
| Mar 2026 | 41.1% | 15.4% | 15.4% | 15.4% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 0.4% | 0% |
| Apr 2026 | 34.7% | 15% | 12.2% | 22.5% | 6.6% | 8% | 0.47% | 0.47% |
| May 2026 | 45.2% | 14% | 11.4% | 17.1% | 3.9% | 7.5% | 0.44% | 0.44% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.6% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 16.7% | 6% | 6% | 0.43% | 0% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.3% | 12.8% | 12.8% | 19.2% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 0.49% | 0.49% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.6% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 20.3% | 5.9% | 3.8% | 0.42% | 0% |
| Sep 2026 | 44.9% | 17.3% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 4.9% | 4% | 0.44% | 0% |
How has the Help Scout and Intercom comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Help Scout was ahead of Intercom in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Help Scout’s share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand moved from 6.1% to 4.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 170 to 110.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Intercom’s share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand moved from 0.36% to 0.44%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 10.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand customer support platforms in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Help Scout lost share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand, from 5.9% to 4.9%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Help Scout’s and Intercom’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Help Scout
1 branded search term
- helpscout
Intercom
1 branded search term
- intercom chat
Other head-to-heads among customer support platforms
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