Help Scout vs Kayako
Help Scout is help desk that feels like email — shared inboxes, knowledge base, and live chat without the ticket numbers, while Kayako is help desk platform with journey-based customer support and multichannel inbox. Kayako comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. Help Scout is built for teams that want email-like support conversations, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
| Feature | Help Scout | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Beacon | ✓ | — |
| Collaborators | — | ✓ |
| Journey Tracking | — | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | — |
| Live Chat | — | ✓ |
| Reports | ✓ | — |
| Shared Inbox | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing: Help Scout starts at $20/user/mo. Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. Kayako is the more affordable option.
Feature gaps: Help Scout offers Beacon, Knowledge Base and Reports that Kayako lacks. Kayako brings Collaborators, Journey Tracking and Live Chat that Help Scout does not have. Both share Shared Inbox.
Team fit: Help Scout is geared toward small teams teams, while Kayako is aimed at mid-size teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.
Where each tool shines: Help Scout's biggest strengths are: includes shared inbox as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows. includes knowledge base as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows. Kayako's biggest strengths are: includes journey tracking as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows. includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows.
Watch out for: With Help Scout, users commonly note that starts at $20/user/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users. With Kayako, the main complaint is that starts at $15/agent/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.
choose Help Scout if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams that want email-like support conversations
- You specifically need Beacon and Knowledge Base
- You care about includes knowledge base as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows
- Your team size fits the small teams profile Help Scout is designed for
choose Kayako if
- You need a tool built for support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking
- You want to save on per-user costs — Kayako is $5.00/user/mo cheaper
- You specifically need Collaborators and Journey Tracking
- You care about includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows
- Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile Kayako is designed for
frequently asked
What is the difference between Help Scout and Kayako?
Help Scout is help desk that feels like email — shared inboxes, knowledge base, and live chat without the ticket numbers, while Kayako is help desk platform with journey-based customer support and multichannel inbox. Kayako comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. Help Scout is built for teams that want email-like support conversations, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
Should I use Help Scout or Kayako?
Help Scout is built for teams that want email-like support conversations. Kayako is built for support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking. Pick the one that fits.
When should I choose Help Scout over Kayako?
Choose Help Scout if Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams that want email-like support conversations; You specifically need Beacon and Knowledge Base; You care about includes knowledge base as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows; Your team size fits the small teams profile Help Scout is designed for.
When should I choose Kayako over Help Scout?
Choose Kayako if You need a tool built for support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking; You want to save on per-user costs — Kayako is $5.00/user/mo cheaper; You specifically need Collaborators and Journey Tracking; You care about includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows; Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile Kayako is designed for.
related comparisons
Intercom vs Help Scout · Crisp vs Help Scout · Zendesk vs Help Scout · Freshdesk vs Help Scout · Help Scout vs Chatwoot · Help Scout vs Tidio · Help Scout vs Olark · Help Scout vs Gleap