Per-resolution AI pricing sounds fair until you actually run the math. Most vendors charge $0.99 per AI-resolved ticket. A support team handling 5,000 tickets per month — where AI resolves 60% — pays $2,970 just for AI on top of their base plan. That's the kind of surprise that shows up on month three, right after you turned off your human agents.
The math nobody shows you
Let's use real numbers. A 5-agent team on Intercom Essential (with Fin): $29 × 5 seats = $145 base + $0.99 × 3,000 AI resolutions = $2,970 AI fees = $3,115/month total. The same team on FloatChat Starter ($19.99/month, 3 agents) + Lite AI ($9.99): $29.98/month total. That's a 99% cost reduction. Even at FloatChat's Pro tier for 25 agents ($189/month), the savings over per-resolution pricing at scale are enormous.
Why per-resolution pricing exists
Per-resolution pricing aligns cost with value — in theory. If AI resolves your ticket, you pay for it. The problem is it creates perverse incentives: support teams start limiting AI use to control costs, which defeats the purpose. It also makes budgeting impossible. Your AI bill swings with ticket volume, seasonal spikes, and campaign launches.
Bundled AI changes the calculus
When AI is included in a flat monthly plan, the incentive flips. You want AI to handle as many tickets as possible. You train it better. You improve your help docs. You measure deflection rate as a success metric, not a cost center. FloatChat's AI Captain is included on the Lite plan at $9.99/month — unlimited replies, no per-resolution ceiling.
The catch
There is one: bundled AI at a low price point means the AI isn't unlimited in every direction. FloatChat's AI works best for FAQ, order status, and structured knowledge base queries. For complex multi-step workflows requiring deep CRM integration, you may need to configure more. But for 80% of US SMB support tickets, Captain handles it out of the box.
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