5 best alternatives to Fin 2 for financial customer support in 2025

Landed here looking for "alternatives to Fin 2"? You’re in the right spot, but probably not for an orthopedic brace. You’re likely here because your financial support software feels just as stiff and clunky. We’ve started calling these systems "Fin 2.0", those second-generation tools that promised the world but mostly delivered a migraine.

In finance and accounting, customer support is more than just closing tickets. It’s about building trust, getting answers out fast, and keeping everything compliant. When your tools are causing more problems than they solve, it’s a clear sign you need an upgrade. This article breaks down five of the best modern alternatives for 2025. We’ll be looking at AI-powered solutions that connect to the tools you already use, letting you modernize your support without the agony of a massive system overhaul.

What are "Fin 2" systems?

So, what are these "Fin 2" systems we’re talking about? Basically, they’re the support tools that are past their prime. We mean those old-school helpdesks, first-gen automation platforms, or that jumbled mess of apps your team duct-taped together that refuse to speak to each other. They were better than a shared inbox, sure, but they weren’t built for the kind of smart, fast support customers expect today.

Here are a few of the classic headaches they cause:

• Your team’s knowledge is all over the place. Crucial information is scattered across old tickets, Google Docs, Confluence pages, and your help center. Your software can’t connect the dots, so your agents are left digging for answers by hand.

• Agents are stuck on a copy-paste hamster wheel. They spend their days pasting the same canned responses, manually tagging tickets, and answering the same basic questions again and again. It’s a fast track to burnout.

• Customers are left waiting… and waiting. All that manual work piles up, and customers feel the pain. In finance, a slow response to a simple billing question can kill trust in an instant.

• Everything breaks when you get busy. During tax season, end-of-quarter chaos, or after a pricing update, these systems just can’t keep up. The result? Huge backlogs and unhappy customers.

The search for what are the alternatives to Fin 2 is really about finding a better way to work. It’s about finding a solution that makes life easier for everyone, instead of adding another complicated tool to the pile.

How we chose the best alternatives

To cut through the noise and find genuinely good replacements, we judged every tool on a few things that actually matter to finance and support teams today.

• How quickly can we actually start using it? A great tool should connect to your existing helpdesk like Zendesk or Freshdesk in minutes, not drag you through a months-long setup.

• How smart is the AI, really? Can it handle tricky questions, or is it just a fancy FAQ page? The best tools let you customize the AI’s personality, set up specific workflows, and even have it do things like look up an invoice.

• Can it learn from all our stuff? A truly smart system needs to learn from all your company knowledge, no matter where it is. That means syncing instantly with your internal wikis, public help docs, and your entire history of past support tickets.

A screenshot showing how eesel AI connects to various knowledge sources like Zendesk, Confluence, and Google Docs to train the AI, which is a key criteria when looking for what are the alternatives to Fin 2.

• Can we test it before it talks to real customers? Rolling out AI can feel like a gamble. The best platforms let you simulate how the AI would perform on your old tickets before it goes live, so you know what to expect.

• Is the pricing straightforward or full of surprises? Your costs shouldn’t be a puzzle. We looked for tools with clear, predictable pricing that doesn’t hit you with extra fees just for being successful.

A quick comparison of the top 5 alternatives

Here’s a quick side-by-side look at our top picks.

Feature	eesel AI	Zendesk AI	Intercom (Fin)	Freshdesk (Freddy AI)	Gorgias
Best For	All-in-one automation over existing tools	Teams deep in the Zendesk ecosystem	Proactive, conversational support	Teams already using the Freshworks suite	E-commerce billing & order support
Go-Live Time	Minutes	Days/Weeks	Days/Weeks	Days	Hours/Days
Works with existing helpdesk?	Yes (plugs in)	No (is the helpdesk)	No (is the helpdesk)	No (is the helpdesk)	No (is the helpdesk)
Simulate on past tickets?	Yes, advanced simulation	No	No	Basic version	No
Pricing Model	Flat-rate, based on interactions	Per agent + add-ons	Per agent + resolutions	Per agent + add-ons	Per resolution

The 5 best Fin 2 alternatives in 2025

Let’s dive into the details of modern solutions that can replace or supercharge your "Fin 2" financial support stack.

1. eesel AI

eesel AI is an AI platform built to plug right into the helpdesk and knowledge bases you already use. It learns from your past tickets, help center articles, and internal docs (like Google Docs or Confluence) to automate your frontline support. The whole thing is designed so you can get started yourself in minutes, without the classic pain of migrating to a new system.

A workflow diagram illustrating how eesel AI automates customer support, a key feature for those looking for what are the alternatives to Fin 2.

Why it’s on the list: It’s the only option here that improves your current setup instead of making you start over. Its simulation mode is a standout feature, letting you test the AI on your real ticket history so you can automate with confidence.

Pros:

• You can get it running in minutes. Seriously. The setup is self-serve with simple integrations for platforms like Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Intercom. You could have it working before your coffee gets cold.

• No need to rip and replace anything. It works with the tools your team already knows. This is a huge plus, saving you the time, money, and stress of moving to a completely new helpdesk.

• You’re in complete control of the workflow. You decide exactly which tickets the AI handles. You can start small with simple billing questions and have it escalate everything else. You can also tweak its personality and tell it to take specific actions, like looking up payment info.

A screenshot of the eesel AI interface, showing how users can set specific rules and guardrails, a great alternative to rigid Fin 2 systems and one of the best what are the alternatives to Fin 2.

• Test it without any risk. Before the AI ever touches a customer conversation, you can run a simulation on thousands of your past tickets. This shows you exactly how it will respond and gives you a solid forecast of its resolution rate.

The simulation dashboard in eesel AI, which helps users understand performance before going live when searching for what are the alternatives to Fin 2.

• The pricing is transparent. eesel AI uses a flat-rate model based on AI interactions. You won’t get hit with surprise per-resolution fees, so your bill doesn’t balloon just because the AI is doing its job well.

Cons:

• It’s a newer platform, so it might not have every single niche feature you’d find in a helpdesk that’s been around for ten years.

• It’s most effective for teams that already have a helpdesk and some knowledge sources for it to learn from.

Pricing:

eesel AI’s pricing is straightforward and includes all the core products.

• Team Plan: $239/month (billed annually) for up to 1,000 AI interactions and 3 bots.

• Business Plan: $639/month (billed annually) for up to 3,000 AI interactions, unlimited bots, and unlocks key features like training on past tickets and AI actions.

• Custom Plan: Available for teams needing unlimited interactions and advanced features.

For teams looking for powerful alternatives to Fin 2 without the headache of a full system migration, eesel AI offers the fastest path to intelligent automation.

2. Zendesk AI

Zendesk is one of the biggest names in customer service, and its built-in AI suite has features for smart routing, suggesting macros, and an "Answer Bot." It’s all woven directly into the Zendesk ecosystem, which is great for teams already running their whole operation there.

Why it’s on the list: As a market leader, Zendesk offers a solid, all-in-one package for teams who are all-in on its platform and want AI features without adding another vendor.

Pros:

• It’s a smooth, integrated experience if your team lives and breathes Zendesk.

• It comes with powerful reporting and analytics tools.

• It can handle basic ticket triage and simple chatbot conversations.

Cons:

• It completely locks you into the Zendesk world. If you use any other helpdesk, this isn’t for you.

• The most useful AI features are usually expensive add-ons. Their "Advanced AI agents," for example, cost extra.

• There’s no good way to simulate its performance, so you’re kind of flying blind when you turn it on. It’s tough to predict its impact before it starts talking to your customers.

Pricing:

Zendesk’s pricing has multiple layers. You need a base plan first, and then you can add AI on top.

• Suite Team: Starts at $55 per agent/month (billed annually) and includes "Essential" AI.

• Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month (billed annually).

• Add-ons: The really powerful features, like "Advanced AI agents" and "Copilot," are paid add-ons that can drive up your total cost quite a bit.

3. Intercom (Fin)

Intercom is known for its slick chat and messaging tools. Its AI agent, Fin, is built for fast, conversational answers. It learns from your help center and past chats to engage with customers right on your website or in your app.

Why it’s on the list: Intercom is fantastic for real-time, chat-based support. It’s a top pick for businesses that want to use live chat to solve problems or even drive sales.

Pros:

• Excellent for building proactive and conversational AI chat experiences.

• It’s designed to smoothly hand off more complicated chats to a human agent.

• The chat widget itself provides a great user experience.

Cons:

• The pricing model is a mix of a per-agent fee and a per-resolution fee. At $0.99 for every issue the AI solves, your costs can get high and unpredictable, really fast.

• It’s not really built for automating the traditional email and ticket workflows.

• It requires you to use Intercom as your main helpdesk, which means a full migration if you’re on another platform.

Pricing:

Intercom’s pricing combines seat licenses with usage fees.

• Essential Plan: Starts at $29 per seat/month (billed annually) plus $0.99 per Fin resolution.

• Advanced Plan: $85 per seat/month (billed annually) plus $0.99 per Fin resolution.

• Expert Plan: $132 per seat/month (billed annually) plus $0.99 per Fin resolution.

Even the standalone version of Fin that works with other helpdesks has the $0.99 per-resolution cost.

4. Freshdesk (Freddy AI)

Freshdesk, part of the Freshworks family, has its own AI called Freddy. Freddy can act as a chatbot, give agents suggested replies, and intelligently route tickets, all within the Freshworks suite.

Why it’s on the list: For companies already using Freshworks products, Freshdesk offers a native AI solution that fits right in and feels familiar.

Pros:

• It’s tightly integrated with other Freshworks products, creating a unified feel.

• It offers both chatbots for customers and assistance tools for agents.

• It’s good for automating internal workflows if your whole company runs on Freshworks.

Cons:

• Just like Zendesk, it’s a walled garden. You can’t use Freddy AI if your team is on a different helpdesk.

• The most helpful AI features are often locked away in higher-priced plans or sold as add-ons.

• The setup can be more complex than plug-and-play tools, requiring a bit more work to get going.

Pricing:

Freshdesk’s pricing also uses a base plan plus AI add-ons.

• Pro Plan: Starts at $49 per agent/month (billed annually).

• Freddy AI Agent: This is an add-on. After an initial 500 sessions, it costs $100 per 1,000 sessions.

• Freddy AI Copilot: This agent-assist tool is another add-on, costing $29 per agent/month.

5. Gorgias

Gorgias is a helpdesk built specifically for e-commerce, with deep connections to platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. Its automation is laser-focused on answering common e-commerce questions about orders, shipping, and returns using real-time data.

Why it’s on the list: If your financial support questions are mostly about e-commerce transactions (like billing, refunds, or subscriptions), Gorgias is a specialized tool that works incredibly well.

Pros:

• Its integration with Shopify is top-notch, letting you pull real-time order data directly into support conversations.

• It’s great at automating the most common e-commerce support questions right out of the box.

• The "Automate" feature can deflect a huge number of "Where is my order?" tickets.

Cons:

• It’s all about e-commerce. If you’re a SaaS business, a fintech company, or anything outside of retail, it’s probably not the right fit.

• The pricing is based on how many tickets you have, which can be expensive and hard to predict for a growing business.

• It’s not very flexible for building custom workflows that don’t relate to e-commerce.

Pricing:

Gorgias’s pricing is based on a plan that includes a set number of tickets, plus an automation add-on.

• Basic Plan: $50/month for 300 helpdesk tickets.

• Automate Add-on: The price scales with the percentage of tickets you automate. For example, automating half of your 300 tickets would add an extra $135, for a total of $185/month. This model can get pricey quickly.

How to choose the right alternative for your finance team

Feeling a bit lost in the options? Here are a few practical tips to help you make a decision.

• Look at what you already have. The biggest choice you’ll make is whether to ditch your current helpdesk or just make it smarter. A tool like eesel AI that works with your existing setup is often the easiest route and won’t throw your team’s workflow into chaos.

• Make a safe rollout a priority. Don’t sleep on the importance of testing. A solution with a solid simulation mode is a must-have. Being able to test the AI on your actual past tickets is the only way to know how it will really perform with customers.

• Think beyond just answering questions. The best AI tools don’t just find information; they can do things. Look for the ability to perform actions, like checking on a payment status or automatically updating ticket fields to keep things organized.

• Watch out for pricing traps. Per-resolution or per-ticket pricing looks attractive at first, but it can lead to some eye-watering bills after a busy month. Predictable, a flat-rate pricing is much safer for budgeting and lets you grow without worry.

Choosing the right Fin 2 alternative with confidence

Getting rid of that clunky "Fin 2" system doesn’t have to be a nightmare migration project. The best modern tools are built to be flexible and work with you, not against you. They integrate with what you’re already using and give you the control to automate support safely and at your own pace.

While all-in-one platforms can be great for teams starting from zero, a plug-and-play AI solution is the fastest, safest, and most affordable way to modernize your financial support. You get all the perks of advanced AI without having to abandon the systems your team relies on every day.

Ready to see how AI can automate your support without forcing you to switch helpdesks? Try eesel AI for free and see for yourself.