Summary and recommendation
Intercom supports SCIM (the protocol that lets your identity provider automatically create, update, and remove user accounts). But SCIM is locked behind the Expert/Enterprise tier at $132/seat/month, plus there's a critical limitation: deprovisioned users are permanently deleted, not deactivated. This means no user recovery and potential compliance issues.
For customer support teams with frequent turnover, this creates real operational risk. When you deprovision a support agent who handled customer conversations, their entire account history vanishes permanently. There's no way to reactivate them later or preserve their interaction data for compliance audits. SSO alone doesn't solve this since it only handles authentication, not the safe removal of user accounts with data retention.
The strategic alternative
Stitchflow provides SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation for Intercom without requiring the Enterprise tier upgrade. We implement soft-delete workflows that preserve user data while removing access, ensuring compliance and recoverability. Flat pricing under $5K/year, regardless of team size.
Quick SCIM facts
| SCIM available? | Yes |
| SCIM tier required | Enterprise |
| SSO required first? | Yes |
| SSO available? | Yes |
| SSO protocol | SAML 2.0 |
| Documentation | Official docs |
Supported identity providers
| IdP | SSO | SCIM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okta | ✓ | ✓ | OIN app with full provisioning |
| Microsoft Entra ID | ✓ | ✓ | Gallery app with SCIM |
| Google Workspace | ✓ | JIT only | SAML SSO with just-in-time provisioning |
| OneLogin | ✓ | ✓ | Supported |
The cost of not automating
Without SCIM (or an alternative like Stitchflow), your IT team manages Intercom accounts manually. Here's what that costs:
The Intercom pricing problem
Intercom gates SCIM provisioning behind premium plans, forcing significant cost increases for basic user management.
Plan Structure (Billed Annually)
| Plan | Price | SSO | SCIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $29/seat/month | ||
| Advanced | $85/seat/month | ||
| Expert/Enterprise | $132/seat/month |
Note: SAML SSO must be configured before SCIM can be enabled. Volume discounts available: 12-15% off for 25-30 seats, 15-34% off for 75+ seats.
What this means in practice
Using current list prices (Essential → Enterprise for SCIM access):
| Team Size | Annual Upgrade Cost | Total Enterprise Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 25 users | +$30,900/year | $39,600/year |
| 50 users | +$61,800/year | $79,200/year |
| 100 users | +$123,600/year | $158,400/year |
Calculation: ($132 - $29) × users × 12 months
Additional constraints
Summary of challenges
- Intercom supports SCIM but only at Enterprise tier (custom pricing)
- Google Workspace users get JIT provisioning only, not full SCIM
- Our research shows teams manually provisioning this app spend significant hidden costs annually
What the upgrade actually includes
Intercom doesn't sell SCIM separately. It's bundled with Expert/Enterprise tier features at $132/seat/month:
The bigger issue: Intercom permanently deletes deprovisioned users with no recovery option, which can be problematic for support teams with seasonal staff or temporary access needs.
Stitchflow Insight
The bundle makes sense if you need HIPAA compliance or enterprise SLAs for customer support operations. But if you just want automated user provisioning, you're paying for enterprise features most support teams don't use. We estimate ~60% of Expert tier features are irrelevant for teams that only need SCIM provisioning.
What IT admins are saying
Community sentiment on Intercom's SCIM implementation centers around the permanent deletion of deprovisioned users and Enterprise tier requirements. Common complaints:
- Deprovisioned users are permanently deleted with no recovery option
- Enterprise tier required for SCIM access creates significant cost barrier
- SAML SSO must be configured before SCIM can be enabled
- Domain verification requirements add deployment complexity
The fact that deprovisioned teammates are completely deleted rather than deactivated is a major concern for compliance and data recovery scenarios.
We need SCIM for our support team but the jump to Enterprise pricing is brutal - wish they had SCIM on the Expert plan at minimum.
The recurring theme
Intercom's hard-delete approach to deprovisioning creates compliance risks, while Enterprise-only SCIM pricing forces significant budget increases for basic identity automation needs.
The decision
| Your Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| On Essential/Advanced, need SCIM | Use Stitchflow: avoid the $132/seat Enterprise jump |
| Already on Expert/Enterprise | Use native SCIM: you're already paying for it |
| Can tolerate hard-delete deprovisioning | Evaluate native: if permanent user deletion works for you |
| Need user recovery after deprovisioning | Use Stitchflow: we preserve user data with soft-delete |
| Small support team, low turnover | Manual may suffice: but watch for access creep |
The bottom line
Intercom's Enterprise requirement means SCIM costs $132/seat/month minimum—a significant jump from Advanced's $85/seat pricing. For support teams that need provisioning automation without the hard-delete risk and Enterprise costs, Stitchflow delivers managed SCIM at flat-rate pricing.
Automate Intercom without the tier upgrade
Stitchflow delivers SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation, backed by 24/7 human in the loop for Intercom at <$5K/year, flat, regardless of team size.
Technical specifications
SCIM Version
2.0
Supported Operations
Create, Update, Deactivate, Groups
Supported Attributes
Not specifiedPlan requirement
Enterprise
Prerequisites
SSO must be configured first
Key limitations
- SAML SSO must be configured before SCIM
- Deprovisioned teammates are deleted (not deactivated) - no soft-delete
- Domain verification required for SAML
- Okta password policy must require at least 10 characters
Configuration for Okta
Integration type
Okta Integration Network (OIN) app with SCIM provisioning
Prerequisite
SSO must be configured before enabling SCIM.
Where to enable
Required credentials
SCIM endpoint URL and bearer token (generated in app admin console).
Configuration steps
Enable Create Users, Update User Attributes, and Deactivate Users.
Provisioning trigger
Okta provisions based on app assignments (users or groups).
Full SCIM 2.0 provisioning: import teammates, sync passwords, push new users, push profile updates, deactivate users (deletion). Push groups supported for role mapping.
Native SCIM is available on Enterprise. Use Stitchflow if you need provisioning without the tier upgrade.
Unlock SCIM for
Intercom
Intercom gates automation behind Enterprise plan. Stitchflow delivers the same SCIM outcomes for a flat fee, saving you 355%.
See how it works


