Intercom vs Kayako
Intercom is customer messaging platform with live chat, bots, help center, and product tours, 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. Intercom is built for saas companies that want unified customer messaging, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
| Feature | Intercom | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| AI Chatbot | ✓ | — |
| Collaborators | — | ✓ |
| Help Center | ✓ | — |
| Journey Tracking | — | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Product Tours | ✓ | — |
| Shared Inbox | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing: Intercom starts at $39/seat/mo. Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. Kayako is the more affordable option.
Feature gaps: Intercom offers AI Chatbot, Help Center and Product Tours that Kayako lacks. Kayako brings Collaborators and Journey Tracking that Intercom does not have. Both share Live Chat and Shared Inbox.
Team fit: Both tools target mid-size teams teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: Intercom's biggest strengths are: unified platform for chat, bots, help center, and email. ai-powered chatbot (fin) handles routine queries. 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 Intercom, users commonly note that expensive — pricing starts at $39/seat/mo. With Kayako, the main complaint is that starts at $15/agent/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.
choose Intercom if
- You need a tool built for saas companies that want unified customer messaging
- You specifically need AI Chatbot and Help Center
- You care about ai-powered chatbot (fin) handles routine queries
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 $24.00/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
frequently asked
What is the difference between Intercom and Kayako?
Intercom is customer messaging platform with live chat, bots, help center, and product tours, 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. Intercom is built for saas companies that want unified customer messaging, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
Should I use Intercom or Kayako?
Intercom is built for saas companies that want unified customer messaging. Kayako is built for support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking. Pick the one that fits.
When should I choose Intercom over Kayako?
Choose Intercom if You need a tool built for saas companies that want unified customer messaging; You specifically need AI Chatbot and Help Center; You care about ai-powered chatbot (fin) handles routine queries.
When should I choose Kayako over Intercom?
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 $24.00/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.
related comparisons
Intercom vs Crisp · Intercom vs Zendesk · Intercom vs Freshdesk · Intercom vs Help Scout · Intercom vs Chatwoot · Intercom vs Tidio · Intercom vs Olark · Intercom vs Gleap