Help Scout vs Kayako

Detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs

H

Help Scout

Customer support for growing businesses

4.4
Editorial Rating
K

Kayako

Unified customer service for growing teams

4.0
Editorial Rating

Quick Comparison

Rating

4.4
vs
4

Starting Price

$25
vs
$39

Pricing Model

paid
vs
paid
Feature
Help Scout
Kayako
Shared Inbox
Knowledge Base
Live Chat (Beacon)
Customer Profiles
Collision Detection
Reporting
Help Desk
Live Chat
Self-Service Portal
Customer Journey Tracking
Collaboration
Automation

Help Scout Pros

  • Feels like email so agents learn it instantly
  • Excellent Beacon widget for docs and chat
  • Customer profiles provide great context
  • Transparent and straightforward pricing
  • High customer satisfaction scores consistently
  • Great collision detection prevents duplicate replies

Help Scout Cons

  • Fewer integrations than larger competitors
  • Automation is less powerful than Zendesk
  • No built-in phone or video support
  • Limited customization of the help center
  • Reporting is good but not enterprise-grade
  • No free plan available

Kayako Pros

  • Customer journey tracking gives useful context
  • Good self-service portal options
  • Supports multiple languages out of the box
  • Clean and uncluttered agent interface
  • Good collaboration features for teams
  • REST API for custom integrations

Kayako Cons

  • Has undergone multiple ownership changes
  • Smaller user community than major competitors
  • Integration options are more limited
  • Mobile apps need improvement
  • Pricing is not as competitive as newer tools
  • Feature development has slowed over the years

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