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Kayako vs Zendesk

A detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs.

Kayako logo

Kayako

Customer Support

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VS
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Customer Support

Try Zendesk

A
About Kayako

Kayako is a customer support platform that unifies conversations from email, live chat, social media, and other channels into a single shared inbox. It's built for small to mid-sized businesses and growing support teams that need to track and manage customer interactions without losing context. Kayako stands out with its customer journey visualization, which gives agents a timeline of every interaction and activity a customer has had. The platform aims to deliver more personal support by giving teams full visibility into customer history across all touchpoints.

B
About Zendesk

Zendesk is a cloud-based customer support platform that unifies customer conversations across email, live chat, phone, social media, and messaging apps into a single ticketing system. It's designed for businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises, that need to manage and track customer interactions efficiently. The platform stands out for its extensive marketplace of apps and integrations, robust reporting and analytics, and a well-documented API that makes customization straightforward. While it's become something of an industry standard in help desk software, its pricing can escalate quickly as you add features and agents.

Pricing Comparison

Tool
Kayako
Zendesk
Price
From $15/user/mo
From $19/agent/mo
Category
Customer Support
Customer Support
Rating
3.9 (15)
4.8 (266)
Free Plan
No
No
Integrations
8+ apps
8+ apps
Founded
2001
2007

Feature Comparison

Feature
Kayako
Zendesk
Multi-channel support ticketing system
Real-time chat with customers
Customer satisfaction surveys
Automated response suggestions
Knowledge base for self-service
Collaboration tools for support teams
Automated responses with macros
Customizable customer satisfaction surveys
Real-time chat support functionality
Analytics dashboard for performance tracking

Choose Kayako

Kayako is a customer support tool that streamlines communication and improves customer satisfaction.

Try Kayako Free

Read full review

Choose Zendesk

Customer service and engagement platform.

Try Zendesk Free

Read full review

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Score Comparison

Ease of Use
7.0
7.0
Features
8.0
9.0
Pricing
7.0
6.0
Support
8.0
8.0
Integrations
8.0
9.0
Overall
7.6
7.8
KayakoZendesk

Our Verdict

Kayako

Your support team needs to improve customer satisfaction through streamlined communication at a lower cost.

More affordable
ZendeskWinner

You have a medium-sized support team that requires robust customer engagement features.

More features
More integrations

Kayako vs Zendesk: The Bottom Line

Both Kayako and Zendesk are strong customer support tools, but they serve different needs. Zendesk has a higher user rating (4.8 vs 3.9). On pricing, Kayako is more affordable starting at $15/mo.

Still unsure? Check the full reviews for Kayako and Zendesk, explore Kayako alternatives, or use our AI search to describe exactly what you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kayako or Zendesk better?

It depends on your needs. Kayako (3.9★) is from $15/mo, while Zendesk (4.8★) is from $19/mo. Zendesk has a higher user rating.

Can I switch from Kayako to Zendesk?

Yes. Most SaaS tools offer data export features. Check if Zendesk has a migration guide or import tool specifically for Kayako users. Many offer onboarding assistance for switchers.

Which is cheaper, Kayako or Zendesk?

Kayako starts at $15/mo, which is cheaper than Zendesk at $19/mo.

What are the main differences between Kayako and Zendesk?

Kayako focuses on multi-channel support ticketing system and real-time chat with customers, while Zendesk emphasizes multi-channel support ticketing system and automated responses with macros. Both are in the Customer Support category but serve slightly different use cases.