Tidio vs Kayako
Tidio is live chat and chatbot platform focused on e-commerce with Shopify and WooCommerce integrations, while Kayako is help desk platform with journey-based customer support and multichannel inbox. The biggest difference up front: Tidio is free, while Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. Tidio is built for e-commerce businesses wanting chat + chatbots, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
| Feature | Tidio | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| AI Chatbot | ✓ | — |
| Collaborators | — | ✓ |
| E-commerce | ✓ | — |
| Email Marketing | ✓ | — |
| Journey Tracking | — | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared Inbox | — | ✓ |
Pricing: Tidio is completely free (Free for 50 conversations/mo), 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: Tidio offers AI Chatbot, E-commerce and Email Marketing that Kayako lacks. Kayako brings Collaborators, Journey Tracking and Shared Inbox that Tidio does not have. Both share Live Chat.
Team fit: Tidio 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: Tidio's biggest strengths are: includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows. includes ai chatbot 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 Tidio, users commonly note that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade. With Kayako, the main complaint is that starts at $15/agent/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.
choose Tidio if
- You need a tool built for e-commerce businesses wanting chat + chatbots
- Budget is a hard constraint — Tidio is free, Kayako is not
- You specifically need AI Chatbot and E-commerce
- You care about includes ai chatbot as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows
- Your team size fits the small teams profile Tidio 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 Tidio and Kayako?
Tidio is live chat and chatbot platform focused on e-commerce with Shopify and WooCommerce integrations, while Kayako is help desk platform with journey-based customer support and multichannel inbox. The biggest difference up front: Tidio is free, while Kayako starts at $15/agent/mo. Tidio is built for e-commerce businesses wanting chat + chatbots, whereas Kayako targets support teams wanting unified customer journey tracking.
Should I use Tidio or Kayako?
Tidio is the free option; Kayako charges $15/agent/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Tidio over Kayako?
Choose Tidio if You need a tool built for e-commerce businesses wanting chat + chatbots; Budget is a hard constraint — Tidio is free, Kayako is not; You specifically need AI Chatbot and E-commerce; You care about includes ai chatbot as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows; Your team size fits the small teams profile Tidio is designed for.
When should I choose Kayako over Tidio?
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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