Tawk.to vs Kayako
Tawk.to is 100% free live chat software with no limits on agents, chats, or contacts, while Kayako is help desk platform with journey-based customer support and multichannel inbox. The biggest difference up front: Tawk.to is free, while Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. Tawk.to is built for businesses wanting completely free live chat, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
| Feature | Tawk.to | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Collaborators | — | ✓ |
| Free Live Chat | ✓ | — |
| Journey Tracking | — | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | — |
| Live Chat | — | ✓ |
| Shared Inbox | — | ✓ |
| Unlimited Agents | ✓ | — |
| Video Chat | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Tawk.to is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: Tawk.to offers Free Live Chat, Knowledge Base and Unlimited Agents that Kayako lacks. Kayako brings Collaborators, Journey Tracking and Live Chat that Tawk.to does not have.
Team fit: Tawk.to is geared toward any size 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: Tawk.to's biggest strengths are: includes free live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows. includes unlimited agents 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 Tawk.to, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With Kayako, the main complaint is that starts at $15/agent/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.
choose Tawk.to if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: businesses wanting completely free live chat
- Budget is a hard constraint — Tawk.to is free, Kayako is not
- You specifically need Free Live Chat and Knowledge Base
- You care about includes unlimited agents as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows
- Your team size fits the any size profile Tawk.to is designed for
choose Kayako if
- You need a tool built for support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking
- 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 Tawk.to and Kayako?
Tawk.to is 100% free live chat software with no limits on agents, chats, or contacts, while Kayako is help desk platform with journey-based customer support and multichannel inbox. The biggest difference up front: Tawk.to is free, while Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. Tawk.to is built for businesses wanting completely free live chat, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
Should I use Tawk.to or Kayako?
Tawk.to is the free option; Kayako charges $15/agent/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Tawk.to over Kayako?
Choose Tawk.to if Your profile matches its sweet spot: businesses wanting completely free live chat; Budget is a hard constraint — Tawk.to is free, Kayako is not; You specifically need Free Live Chat and Knowledge Base; You care about includes unlimited agents as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows; Your team size fits the any size profile Tawk.to is designed for.
When should I choose Kayako over Tawk.to?
Choose Kayako if You need a tool built for support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking; 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.
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