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Intercom Customer Communications Platform vs SugarCRM Platform comparison

Intercom and SugarCRM are both solutions in the CRM Customer Engagement Centers category. Intercom is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.0, while SugarCRM is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.5. Intercom holds a 0.7% mindshare in CCEC, compared to SugarCRM’s 2.0% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Intercom users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 50% of SugarCRM users who would recommend it.
Intercom Customer Communica...
Read 2 Intercom Customer Communications Platform reviews
  • 22 Views
  • 6 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
SugarCRM Platform
Read 12 SugarCRM Platform reviews
  • 103 Views
  • 39 Comparison Views
50% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

SugarCRM Platform and Intercom Customer Communications Platform are competitive solutions in the customer relationship and communication domain. Intercom appears to have the upper hand due to its innovative features and efficient deployment.

Features: SugarCRM is recognized for its customizable CRM functionalities, sales automation, and reporting capabilities. Intercom focuses on conversational support, customer engagement tools, and integrated messaging offering, making it more appealing to businesses prioritizing customer interaction.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service:SugarCRM emphasizes traditional deployment, complemented by comprehensive training and support resources. Intercom offers modern, flexible deployment, noted for intuitive onboarding and responsive customer service. Businesses favoring hassle-free setup may prefer Intercom for its deployment efficiency and service responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI:SugarCRM's pricing is considered more accessible, with lower upfront costs attracting budget-conscious organizations. Intercom's higher pricing is justified by its extensive feature set, providing a strong return on investment for businesses focusing on advanced customer communication.

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Buyer's Guide
CRM Customer Engagement Centers
June 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Intercom Customer Communica...
Ranking in CRM Customer Engagement Centers
12th
Ranking in CRM
29th
Average Rating
9.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Social CRM (6th)
SugarCRM Platform
Ranking in CRM Customer Engagement Centers
8th
Ranking in CRM
24th
Average Rating
7.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
Marketing Automation (7th), Sales Force Automation (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the CRM Customer Engagement Centers category, the mindshare of Intercom Customer Communications Platform is 0.7%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SugarCRM Platform is 2.0%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
CRM Customer Engagement Centers
 

Featured Reviews

Kumar Abhishek Anand - PeerSpot reviewer
Customer support has improved significantly with seamless chat integration for quick resolutions
The feature we appreciate most about the Intercom Customer Communications Platform is the messenger functionality. We are able to integrate it into our application and provide support to customers directly through our application. The messenger works efficiently, allowing users to have conversations without entering their details repeatedly. There is conversation history available for each customer interaction, and they can access the help section within the chat itself. The Finn AI agent handles conversations both in chat and WhatsApp, which is particularly beneficial. Regarding automation tools, we have enabled the AI agent to answer customer queries instantly, reducing the need for constant staff presence. The AI agent quickly responds to customers and summarizes their issues, informing us when it cannot resolve a problem independently.
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Styliana Araouzou - PeerSpot reviewer
Customizable, easy to configure, and reliable
My company is considered a customer and an end-user. I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using right now. It's a company that offers lots of user manuals and you can find most of your stuff there before starting development. I'd advise potential new users to go through everything. I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. By default, it comes with a really good model where you can start working with it without having a lot of developers in your team. It's a system that includes everything related to the client and you can see everything under one screen without having a different product or system. It's been great, for the most part.
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The live chat is pretty good because you can create a macro, which is a predefined input we can give customers."
"The feature we appreciate most about the Intercom Customer Communications Platform is the messenger functionality, allowing users to have conversations without entering their details repeatedly."
"The most valuable features of Sugar Enterprise are the exports of graphics, statuses, complaints, and tasks."
"The most valuable aspect of this solution is its low cost."
"It has sales email campaigns, plus integration with Active Directory."
"The most valuable features of the SugarCRM platform include its flexibility in customizing fields, layouts, and dashboards."
"The most valuable feature is relation capability, which allows us to relay customers with invoice orders."
"It works well with Jira. You can customize it to fit your needs."
 

Cons

"It would be beneficial if there was a way to train the AI to better understand customer language."
"Sometimes, the solution lags and takes time to update something."
"I would like to see more integration on a mobile platform in the next release."
"Sugar Enterprise could improve by removing bugs and glitches. For example, a comment was made but in the comment section, it was never displayed. However, the problems we faced might not be the fault of the solution."
"While it is already user-friendly, a slight enhancement in UI design, especially in terms of color combinations, could make the platform more visually appealing and comfortable to use."
"I would appreciate it if SugarCRM could support us in on-premise implementation."
"You cannot include all your entities under one instance at the moment."
"In the next release, I would like to see personalization of information about customers or specific businesses or opportunities."
"It lacks customization, and this is the main reason that we are switching to a different solution."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Educational Organization
18%
Engineering Company
17%
Computer Software Company
14%
Real Estate/Law Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Intercom Customer Communications Platform?
The live chat is pretty good because you can create a macro, which is a predefined input we can give customers.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Intercom Customer Communications Platform?
Sometimes, the solution lags and takes time to update something. If I put a specific tag on an inbound lead, it would take around five minutes for that tag to reflect throughout the solution for al...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Intercom Customer Communications Platform?
We use the solution to capture leads and interact with them. Our company manages all the customer interactions through the solution.
See all answers
What do you like most about Sugar Enterprise?
The most valuable features of the SugarCRM platform include its flexibility in customizing fields, layouts, and dashboards.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sugar Enterprise?
All are almost the same pricing. Maybe the cheapest is Salesforce, I believe.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Sugar Enterprise?
The only challenge was that we implemented it in our on-premise data center instead of using it in the cloud. That was a little bit of a challenge. But it was overcome with the help of SugarCRM com...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

No data available
No data available
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
CRM Customer Engagement Centers
June 2025
Intercom Customer Communications Platform reportDownload Intercom Customer Communications Platform product report
Buyer's Guide
SugarCRM Platform
May 2025
SugarCRM Platform reportDownload SugarCRM Platform product report
 

Also Known As

Intercom
No data available
 

Overview

Intercom Customer Communications Platform enhances interactions by offering robust tools designed to streamline customer engagement and support, effectively catering to modern business communication needs.

Providing a comprehensive approach to customer interaction, Intercom facilitates seamless conversation management through its adaptable suite of messaging, logistical, and analytical features. Frequently utilized for customer support and marketing, its flexibility and user-friendly design encourage efficient communication. While offering valuable insights through analytics, some users note areas for improvement in customizability and pricing models, pointing towards a potential enhancement in fine-tuning its cost-effectiveness and adaptability to diverse business strategies.

What are the standout features of Intercom?
  • Live Chat: Immediate customer support through real-time messaging.
  • Automated Bot: Streamlines inquiries by handling routine questions.
  • Integration Capabilities: Connects seamlessly with third-party tools.
  • Inbox Management: Organizes conversations for efficient response.
What benefits and ROI should users look for?
  • Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Faster resolutions lead to happier clients.
  • Improved Team Efficiency: Automation reduces manual workload.
  • Actionable Analytics: Data-driven insights optimize strategies.
  • Scalable Solutions: Adapts to growing business demands.

Industries such as e-commerce, SaaS, and tech-driven businesses often implement Intercom for its ability to provide personalized customer journeys. Its messaging platform excels in maintaining customer relationships and resolving issues quickly, which is crucial in these fast-paced sectors.

Intercom

SugarCRM is a versatile CRM solution that facilitates communication and organization within a company. Its primary use case includes call and comment logging, account relation, customer detail storage, verification handling, transaction tracking, marketing material management, and payment transaction handling. The most valuable functionalities include customizable exports of graphics, statuses, complaints, and tasks, as well as its scalability, stability, and low cost. It integrates well with Jira and can be easily configured. The platform improves efficiency, productivity, collaboration, communication, and coordination within organizations, while also providing valuable insights and data analytics for informed decision-making.

SugarCRM
 

Sample Customers

Expensift, Moz, Invision, Salesforce, Droplr, Vend, BugHerd, Ghost, Put.io, Codeship
Redglaze Group, TengoInternet, Hilco, Bancvue, Vet Adivsor
Buyer's Guide
CRM Customer Engagement Centers
June 2025
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