Crisp vs Kayako vs Zoho Desk Comparison
Crisp
Starting at $25 /User/Month
- Free Trial
- Individuals
- Freelancers / Consultants
Introducing Crisp, the ultimate live chat software that adds a personal touch to your conversations with visitors. With a wide range of tools and features, Crisp helps you turn visitors into loyal customers. From the abi…
Kayako
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Kayako is the premier customer support software, marketplace, and community for support teams. Kayako provides all the tools to create an engaging support experience for website visitors while delivering exceptional cust…
Zoho Desk
Starting at $7 /user/month
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Zoho Desk is a robust help desk software that offers a free plan with essential features, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows organizations to manage unlimited agents efficiently wh…
Crisp leads on user satisfaction with a 4.5-star rating across 107 reviews.
Crisp vs Kayako vs Zoho Desk — at a glance
| Feature | Crisp | Kayako | Zoho Desk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Reviews | 107 | 174 | 3,852 |
| Starting price | $25 /User/Month | Contact for pricing | $7 /user/month |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free version | No | No | No |
| Best for | Individuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Live Chat Software | Help Desk Software | Help Desk Software |
| Integrations | — | 1+ apps | — |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS |
| API | Available | Available | Available |
| Support modes | Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | GDPR | SOC 2, GDPR | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 |
| Data residency | US | Global | Global |
Key differences between Crisp and Kayako
- Pricing: Crisp starts at $25 /User/Month. Kayako pricing is not publicly listed.
- Target audience: Crisp is built for Individuals and Freelancers / Consultants, while Kayako targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
- User satisfaction: Crisp scores higher with a 4.5-star average.
- Deployment: Crisp supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Kayako supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.
Compare Crisp vs Kayako vs Zoho Desk — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Live Chat Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Crisp, Kayako vs Zoho Desk: Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best live chat for SMBs needing easy, feature-rich customer support.
- You run a small to medium business with 1-500 employees.
- You want a simple, intuitive interface with multi-channel communication.
- You value unique features like Magic Browse for visual customer insights.
- Your enterprise requires extensive chatbox visual customization options.
- You need advanced email marketing tools such as A/B testing and scheduling.
Best for mid-sized support teams needing multi-channel help desk with automation.
- You manage a 50-500+ employee company needing unified inbox across channels.
- You want to reduce manual support tasks with built-in automation tools.
- You value integrated chat support that also helps close more sales.
- You are a very small business with fewer than 50 employees.
- You require highly specialized or advanced enterprise-level support features.
Best for businesses needing AI-driven, multi-channel help desk with Zoho integration.
- You want a cost-effective help desk with a robust free plan for startups and SMBs.
- Your team requires AI-powered automation and intelligent ticket routing to boost productivity.
- You use Zoho CRM, Mail, or other Zoho apps and want seamless ecosystem integration.
- Your organization needs a fully mobile-optimized help desk experience with full app functionality.
- You prefer a very simple, out-of-the-box setup without technical configuration or learning curve.
Crisp: Best live chat for SMBs needing easy, feature-rich customer support. Kayako: Best for mid-sized support teams needing multi-channel help desk with automation.
Description | Introducing Crisp, the ultimate live chat software that adds a personal touch to your conversations with visitors. With a wide range of tools and features, Crisp helps you turn visitors ... Read More about Crisp | Kayako is the premier customer support software, marketplace, and community for support teams. Kayako provides all the tools to create an engaging support experience for website visitors ... Read More about Kayako | Zoho Desk is a robust help desk software that offers a free plan with essential features, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows organizations to manage ... Read More about Zoho Desk |
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SpotScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 9.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 9.7/10 |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | |||
Best Company Size | 1-50 employees51-500 employees | 50-500 employees500+ employees | 10-2000 employeesSmall to Large Businesses |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Where each option fits best
See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.
Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.
Key strengths
No key benefits available yet.
- Unified Inbox: Consolidates customer inquiries from different channels into one location, simplifying support processes.
- Multi-Channel Support: Allows businesses to manage customer interactions across various channels, including email, live chat, and social media.
- Automation Capabilities: Offers automation tools to simplify support processes, reduce manual tasks, and improve overall efficiency.
- Multi-Channel Support in One Dashboard: Centralizes email, social media, chat, and more, allowing teams to manage all customer interactions from a unified interface.
- AI-Powered Assistance and Automation: Includes intelligent suggestions, automated ticket routing, and prioritization through Zia AI, improving agent productivity and response accuracy.
- Reliable Free Plan & Zoho Ecosystem Integration: Offers a generous free plan and smooth connectivity with Zoho CRM, Zoho Mail, and other Zoho tools—ideal for businesses already in the Zoho ecosystem.
Best fit
No best-fit guidance available yet.
- 50–500+ Employees
- E-commerce, SaaS, FinTech, Telecommunications, Retail
- Customer Support Manager, IT Support Specialist, Help Desk Administrator, Operations Manager, Customer Success Manager
- 10 – 2,000 Employee
- SaaS, Retail, E-commerce, Education, Insurance, Fintech, Healthcare
- Customer Support Manager, IT Service Desk Lead, Operations Manager, Technical Support Specialist, CRM Administrator, Client Services Director
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
No alternatives guidance available yet.
- Customization options are limited — teams needing branded portals or custom fields typically switch to Zendesk or Freshdesk
- Interface requires significant training time; onboarding new support staff takes 2–3 weeks longer than competitors
- Pricing increases 15–25% annually without corresponding feature additions — teams over 20 agents often migrate to Intercom or Freshchat
- Steep learning curve for configuring automations and integrations — smaller teams often switch to Freshdesk or Help Scout for simpler setup
- Advanced automation, AI, and reporting features locked behind paid tiers — free plan users typically evaluate Freshdesk or Zendesk for better entry-level access
- Data sync issues with non-Zoho tools — teams relying on external integrations report inconsistent functionality compared to Intercom or Zendesk
Software Demo
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How do Crisp, Kayako and Zoho Desk Compare on Features?
Total Features | 10 Features | 16 Features | 27 Features |
|---|---|---|---|
Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Crisp, Kayako and Zoho Desk on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Crisp, Kayako vs Zoho Desk: Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Crisp, Kayako vs Zoho Desk Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | — | ✓ Yes |
|---|---|---|
HIPAA | ✗ No | ✗ No |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
ISO 27001 | — | ✗ No |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | — | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | — | ✓ Yes |
Data Residency | 🇺🇸 US | 🌐 Global |
Crisp vs Kayako User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | |||
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Rating Distribution | |||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of use, strong customer support, and rich feature set, tempered by some navigation and customization limitations. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyers appreciate Kayako's multi-channel support and automation but express concerns about pricing transparency and feature depth. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Zoho Desk's powerful automation and multi-channel capabilities, though some users note a learning curve and mobile limitations. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
| Negative Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
Integrations
Integration with other apps | No Integration information available. | No Integration information available. |
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Crisp, Kayako and Zoho Desk Customers
Customers |  Rakuten  Mailjet  Airfrance |  Kayako_customers_0  Kayako_customers_1  Kayako_customers_2 |  NHS  Rogers  ESSILOR |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | No screenshots available. |  3 Screenshots |
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Videos |  2 Videos |  2 Videos |
Alternatives to Crisp, Kayako, Zoho Desk
Alternatives |
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Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, Crisp or Kayako?
- Crisp edges out the other on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Crisp and Kayako offer a free trial?
- Yes, both Crisp and Kayako offer a free trial.
- What is the starting price of Crisp vs Kayako?
- Crisp starts at $25 /User/Month. Kayako starts at Contact for pricing.
- What are the top alternatives to Crisp?
- Top alternatives to Crisp include ZoomInfo Chat, SnapEngage, Acquire, Bold360, Chaport.
- What are the top alternatives to Kayako?
- Top alternatives to Kayako include Zoho Desk, SysAid, Wowdesk, SupportBee, UserEcho.