A developer’s guide to the Intercom iOS SDK

If you have a mobile app, you know that support needs to happen inside the app. Nobody wants to be bounced to a website to get help. Good in-app support can be the difference between a user deleting your app in frustration and becoming a loyal fan. This is where tools like the Intercom iOS SDK come into the picture, offering a popular way to drop a messenger right into your application.

But is it the best tool for the job, especially if you’re trying to build a modern, AI-powered support system? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the Intercom iOS SDK. We’ll cover what it is, its main features, the basics of setting it up, how the pricing works, and some important limitations to think about before you commit.

What is the Intercom iOS SDK?

Simply put, the Intercom iOS SDK is a toolkit that lets you integrate the Intercom Messenger into your native iOS app. It’s the bridge connecting your app's front-end with the Intercom platform on the back-end.

A screenshot of the Intercom Messenger, showcasing its modern design and live chat capabilities, which are central to the Intercom iOS SDK.

The SDK’s main job is to handle what the user sees and interacts with. It allows you to:

• Have real-time chats with your users.

• Show your help center articles.

• Send targeted messages.

• Track what users are doing inside your app.

While the SDK handles the chat window, all the real work, the conversations, ticketing, automations, and AI, happens on Intercom's servers. This is a key distinction. The quality of your support doesn't just depend on a pretty chat window; it depends on how smart and flexible the system is behind the scenes.

Key features of the Intercom iOS SDK

The SDK has a lot of functionality for talking to and supporting your mobile users. Let's break down the most important features.

The Intercom Messenger

The Messenger is the heart of the SDK. It's a clean, familiar chat interface where all the conversations take place. It’s organized into different "Spaces" that you can set up to match what your users need.

• Home: This is the welcome screen. You can customize it with links, conversation starters, and other apps to help users find what they're looking for right away.

• Messages & Tickets: This is where users can see their conversation history and start new ones. It’s the main spot for direct communication.

• Help Center: This space lets users search your knowledge base articles without leaving the app. It’s a great way to encourage self-service and reduce the number of common questions your team has to answer.

Outbound messaging and engagement

The SDK isn't just for waiting for users to contact you; it’s also a tool for reaching out to them. You can send different kinds of messages from the Intercom platform that will pop up right in your app.

• Push Notifications: These are perfect for getting users back into your app. You can let them know you've replied to their support ticket or send them a special offer.

• In-app Messages: These messages appear while someone is actively using your app. They can be simple chats, announcements, or even multi-screen Mobile Carousels, which are handy for things like onboarding new users or showing off a new feature.

Here’s a quick rundown of the different message types and when you might use them:

Message Type	Best Use Case	Interactivity
Push Notification	Re-engaging inactive users, notifying of a reply.	Low (opens app or deep link)
Chat	Starting a 1-on-1 conversation with a user.	High (real-time chat)
Post (Small/Large)	Making a simple, direct announcement.	Medium (can include a CTA)
Mobile Carousel	Multi-screen onboarding, feature tours, surveys.	High (multiple steps and CTAs)

User and event tracking

To provide good support, you need context. The SDK lets you track both logged-in users and anonymous visitors, so you always know who you're talking to. You can also log custom events to see what actions people are taking, like completing a purchase or trying a new feature. This data is incredibly useful for creating user segments and sending messages that are actually relevant.

This image displays the Intercom ticket interface, with customer details visible in the sidebar, illustrating the user tracking capabilities of the Intercom iOS SDK.

How to get started with the Intercom iOS SDK

This isn't a full-blown tutorial, but getting the Intercom iOS SDK into your app generally follows a few steps.

First, you'll need an Intercom account to get your API key. On the technical side, your project will need to be running at least iOS 15 and Xcode 15 to build the SDK.

There are three common ways to install it:

• CocoaPods: If you use CocoaPods, just add "pod 'Intercom'" to your Podfile and run "pod install". Simple as that.

• Swift Package Manager (SPM): For modern Swift projects, this is often the cleanest way. You can add the Intercom GitHub repository as a package dependency directly in Xcode.

• Manual Installation: If you like to have full control, you can download the framework from GitHub and drag it right into your project.

Once it's installed, you have to do a little configuration. This means updating your app’s "Info.plist" file with descriptions for why you need permissions like camera and photo library access (for sending attachments). After that, you just initialize the SDK in your application delegate with your API key and app ID, and you're ready to go.

Intercom iOS SDK pricing

Before you dive in, it’s really important to get a handle on Intercom's pricing, because it can be a bit of a maze. Your total cost will be a mix of platform fees, charges for AI usage, and any extra add-ons you need.

First, you have to pick a platform plan: Essential, Advanced, or Expert. These are priced per agent, per month, and you need at least one to start.

Then there's the AI. Intercom’s AI agent, Fin, is priced based on usage. You pay $0.99 for every successful resolution. If you’re using Fin with an external helpdesk like Zendesk, you’re committed to a minimum of 50 resolutions a month. This means your AI costs grow as your support volume grows.

Finally, there are add-ons. If you want more advanced proactive messaging, you’ll need the Proactive Support Plus add-on. If you want an AI assistant for your human agents, you'll need the Copilot add-on. Each of these adds another monthly fee.

This layered pricing (seats + resolutions + add-ons) can make it tough to predict your monthly bill. A busy month with lots of support tickets could lead to a surprisingly high invoice.

Limitations for AI-powered support

The Intercom iOS SDK gives you a polished chat window, but its real power is tied to the Intercom backend. For teams that want to build a truly scalable and smart AI support system, there are a few big limitations to be aware of.

Limitation 1: Siloed knowledge sources

Intercom's AI, Fin, mostly learns from your Intercom Help Center articles. The problem? Most company knowledge isn't neatly stored in one place. It’s usually scattered across Confluence wikis, Google Docs, Notion pages, and thousands of old support tickets. Fin can’t access any of that, so your AI is working with one hand tied behind its back. This is often why it gives up with an "I don't know" and escalates to a human.

This workflow diagram visually contrasts the siloed knowledge sources of a built-in AI with the integrated, extensive sources of an agnostic AI, a key limitation of the Intercom iOS SDK's backend.

A platform like eesel AI, on the other hand, is built to connect all your knowledge from the start. It can instantly sync with your existing wikis and documents, and it even learns from past support conversations. This gives your support AI a complete brain, so it has the context to answer questions accurately, even if you’re still using the Intercom messenger on the front-end.

Limitation 2: Rigid automation and a "rip and replace" approach

Intercom is an all-in-one platform. If you want their best AI and automation features, you have to commit to their entire system: helpdesk, ticketing, and all. For teams already using and liking tools like Zendesk or Jira Service Management, this "rip and replace" approach is a massive, expensive headache.

eesel AI is different. It’s an intelligent AI layer that plugs right into the helpdesk you already use, whether that’s Intercom, Zendesk, or Freshdesk. You get a completely customizable workflow engine and full control over what gets automated, without needing to migrate your entire support operation.

Limitation 3: Unpredictable, resolution-based AI pricing

As we touched on earlier, paying $0.99 per resolution can get expensive, and fast. This model basically punishes you for being successful with automation. The better your AI gets and the more tickets it resolves, the higher your bill goes. This makes it hard to budget and scale your support with any confidence.

eesel AI's pricing is designed to be straightforward and predictable. Plans are based on a set number of AI interactions per month, with no sneaky per-resolution fees. This means you can handle a sudden spike in support volume without stressing about a massive bill, letting you scale automation without the runaway costs.

Powering your messenger with a smarter AI

The Intercom iOS SDK is a solid choice for embedding a messenger in your app. It’s well-documented and offers a good user experience. But at the end of the day, it’s only as good as the platform behind it. For a truly modern support experience, you need an AI that can learn from all your scattered knowledge and adapt to how your team actually works.

The good news is you don’t have to be locked into one rigid system. You can keep the front-end messenger your users are familiar with while powering it with a much smarter, more flexible AI engine behind the scenes.

If you're ready to deliver better, faster, and more accurate support in your mobile app, check out how eesel AI can plug into your existing setup and improve your customer experience in minutes, not months.