9.2
Spot Score
Kayako Review: Is It The Right Help Desk Software For Your Team?
Best for SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise
Free Trial & Free Plan Available
GDPR
SOC 2Integrates with
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Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot)Overview
Pricing
Features
Buyer feedback
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SpotSaaS Analysis for Kayako
Kayako is a help desk software solution used by Customer Support Managers and IT Support Specialists in companies with 50-500 employees or more. With a rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 262 user reviews, it indicates a mixed reception, suggesting that while some users find value, others may experience challenges.
Kayako offers a comprehensive suite of tools that enhance customer engagement, making it particularly appealing for e-commerce and SaaS companies. Its live chat capabilities are a standout feature, facilitating real-time customer interactions. However, potential users should be aware that the setup process can be complex, which might require additional time and resources.
Quick facts about Kayako
What is Kayako?
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 customer service. Kayako's chat support software helps businesses improve conversations with customers, close more sales and reduce the time they spend on live chat.
Pricing
Free Trial available
Best For
Suited for solo users, small teams, SMBs, and enterprise
Security & Compliance
SOC 2GDPRSSO & MFA supported
Data residency:Global
Platform
Web + mobile app (iOS & Android)
Kayako Software Demo
Kayako was reviewed internally using user feedback, in-house testing, and market research to assess its performance, reliability, and user experience. Learn how we review products and our evaluation process.
Who should consider Kayako
- Use cases
- E-commerce, SaaS, Telecommunications
- Team types
- Customer Support Manager, IT Support Specialist
- Company size
- 50-500 employees, 500+ employees
- Workflow style
- Flexible and configurable
- Setup complexity
- Medium
Why teams choose Kayako
Unified inbox consolidates customer inquiries from multiple channels
Multi-channel support including email, live chat, and social media
Automation tools that reduce manual tasks and improve efficiency
Is Kayako right for you?
Best for mid-sized support teams needing multi-channel help desk with automation.
Choose Kayako if
- 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.
Consider alternatives if
- You are a very small business with fewer than 50 employees.
- You require highly specialized or advanced enterprise-level support features.
What buyers should know before shortlisting Kayako
Kayako stands out with its comprehensive suite of tools designed for customer engagement and support. Its live chat capabilities are particularly beneficial for businesses looking to enhance customer interactions.
Kayako pros and cons
- Kayako pros
Unified inbox consolidates customer inquiries from multiple channels
Multi-channel support including email, live chat, and social media
Automation tools that reduce manual tasks and improve efficiency
- Kayako cons
Average user rating of 3.5 indicates mixed user satisfaction
Pricing details are not clearly stated, complicating purchase decisions
Ready to try it?
Get started with Kayako
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
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Compare Kayako side-by-side with top Help Desk Software alternatives.
What is the pricing of Kayako?
Kayako Pricing Plans
Kayako reviews and ratings
Buyer sentiment
Buyers appreciate Kayako's multi-channel support and automation but express concerns about pricing transparency and feature depth.
What buyers like
- Multi-channel support
- Automation capabilities
- Unified inbox
Common complaints
- Pricing transparency
- Feature limitations
What users are saying
B
Brandon
11/02/21
Top class help desk software and company
PROS & CONS What are the best aspects of this product? I love that Kayako is a stable and robust solution. We have been using the system for the ...
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J
Janae
10/19/21
Improved customer satisfaction rating
PROS & CONS What are the best aspects of this product? Kayako allows us to centralize our help desk channels in one place. That means more ...
Read more
A
Annetta
09/22/21
Intuitive workflows equal user adoption
PROS & CONS What are the best aspects of this product? We've had a few failed tech adoption in the past, but Kayako showed that the whole company ...
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AD
Aritari Drive
09/10/21
Kayako - do not use
Our company has been using Kayako since 2013 when we purchased the original downloadable version. We paid support fees that increased year on year ...
Read more
T
Trystan
08/31/21
Ideal for Startups and SMEs
PROS & CONS What are the best aspects of this product? I like how intuitive the software is. I was able to find my way around after going through ...
Read more
L
Laurie
07/19/21
We have a very positive experience with it.
PROS & CONS What are the best aspects of this product? We've had tried other help desk software and I can say Kayako is one of the easiest to set up ...
Read more
What are the features of Kayako?
Kayako’s Alerts (Escalation) feature enables automatic notification and prioritization of support tickets based on predefined conditions. It…
Kayako’s Automated Routing intelligently directs incoming support tickets to the most appropriate agents or departments based on predefined…
Kayako’s Community Forums foster user engagement by allowing customers to share questions, solutions, and best practices. These moderated sp…
Kayako’s Contract (SLA Management) feature allows businesses to define, monitor, and enforce Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with precision.…
Kayako’s Customizable Branding feature allows organizations to align their help desk interface with company branding guidelines. Businesses…
Kayako’s Document Storage feature enables secure uploading, organization, and retrieval of essential files within support tickets and knowle…
Kayako’s Incident Management streamlines the identification, logging, classification, and resolution of service disruptions. It supports eff…
Kayako’s Knowledge Base is a centralized, searchable repository of help articles, guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting content. It empowers cus…
Kayako’s Known Issue Management enables tracking, documentation, and communication of recurring problems affecting multiple customers. This…
Kayako’s Live Chat provides real-time communication between customers and support agents directly from the company’s website or help center.…
Kayako’s Macros (Templated Responses) enable agents to insert predefined replies into tickets or chats, reducing response time and ensuring…
Kayako’s Multi-Channel Communication supports seamless interaction with customers across email, live chat, social media, phone, and web form…
Kayako’s Self Service Portal empowers customers to find answers, track tickets, and engage with community content independently. It offers a…
Kayako’s Social Media Integration connects support workflows with platforms like Twitter and Facebook, enabling real-time issue tracking and…
Kayako’s Surveys & Feedback feature enables businesses to gather customer insights post-interaction through customizable satisfaction survey…
Kayako’s Ticket Management system provides a structured, centralized platform for tracking, assigning, and resolving customer inquiries. It…
Kayako security and data handling
Key compliance certifications and security features for IT and security teams evaluating Kayako.
Certifications
Security features
Developer & data
Alternatives to Kayako
Why buyers keep looking beyond Kayako
Kayako's customization features are often considered limited, making it challenging for businesses with specific needs to tailor the software to their requirements.
New users may find Kayako's interface less intuitive, leading to a steep learning curve and potential delays in onboarding.
Some users have reported significant price increases over time, which may not be justified by the features offered, leading them to seek more cost-effective alternatives.
Integrating Kayako with other business applications can be complex and may require additional technical resources, hindering seamless data flow and automation.
Users have experienced difficulties when sending and receiving large attachments, with some reporting that files over 10MB may not be processed efficiently.
While Kayako supports multiple communication channels, some users feel that its multi-channel capabilities are limited compared to other platforms, affecting their ability to manage customer interactions effectively.
Kayako Integrations
Kayako Customers
Kayako Support Options
Frequently Asked Questions About Kayako
Common questions buyers ask before choosing Kayako.
Kayako is a Help Desk Software. Kayako offers Incident Management, Social Media Integration, Multi-Channel Communication, Macros (Templated Responses), Document Storage and many more functionalities.
Kayako is a strong fit if: You manage a 50-500+ employee company needing unified inbox across channels.; You want to reduce manual support tasks with built-in automation tools.. Consider alternatives if: You are a very small business with fewer than 50 employees.; You require highly specialized or advanced enterprise-level support features..
Buyers commonly note the following limitations of Kayako: Average user rating of 3.5 indicates mixed user satisfaction; Pricing details are not clearly stated, complicating purchase decisions; May lack advanced features required by very large enterprises or complex workflows.
Some top alternatives to Kayako includes Zoho Desk, Freshservice, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, Freshdesk and BoldDesk.
Kayako offers Free Trial, Freemium, One-time license pricing models
Yes, Kayako can integrate with
The starting price is not disclosed by Kayako. You can visit Kayako pricing page to get the latest pricing.
Ready to try it?
Get started with Kayako
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].