Crisp vs Kayako
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Crisp | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $95/mo | From $79/seat/mo |
| Best For | SMBs wanting comprehensive messaging with AI chatbot automation and video support | Traditional businesses focused on email and phone support |
| Standout Feature | MagicBrowse co-browsing and Hugo AI agent for automated customer conversations | Comprehensive knowledge base with customer portal |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pricing Model | Per workspace | Per seat |
Crisp and Kayako serve different segments of the customer support market. Crisp offers modern, affordable workspace-based pricing ($0-$295/month), while Kayako provides traditional helpdesk functionality with per-agent pricing ($15-$35/agent/month).
The choice often comes down to whether you prefer a modern, integrated approach or a more traditional helpdesk with established enterprise features.
Feature Comparison
Crisp offers a modern approach with live chat, email support, knowledge base, CRM, and marketing automation in a unified interface. Their platform emphasizes real-time communication and customer relationship building.
Kayako focuses on traditional helpdesk functionality with robust ticket management, SLA tracking, and customer portal features. They excel at structured support processes and have strong reporting capabilities for support teams.
While both handle multi-channel support, Crisp leans toward conversational support and relationship building, whereas Kayako emphasizes ticket-based workflows and support process management.
Pricing Comparison
Pricing models create different cost structures: Crisp's workspace pricing ($0-$295/month) benefits smaller teams, while Kayako's per-agent model ($15-$35/month) can be more predictable for larger teams.
For a 5-person support team, Crisp Pro costs $95/month total, while Kayako ranges from $75-$175/month depending on the plan, making them competitively priced with different value propositions.
Crisp
Pros
- ✓ Broad feature set covering chat, video, CRM, and knowledge base
- ✓ Hugo AI agent for automated conversations
- ✓ MagicBrowse for co-browsing and video support
Cons
- ✗ AI capped at 50-500 uses/mo on lower plans
- ✗ Ticketing and customer portal locked behind $295/mo Plus plan
- ✗ No Discord or Zalo support
Kayako
Pros
- ✓ Comprehensive multi-channel support
- ✓ Strong knowledge base functionality
- ✓ Good reporting capabilities
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing gets expensive
- ✗ Limited social media integrations
- ✗ Complex setup for advanced features
Verdict
Choose Crisp if you want modern customer communication tools with integrated CRM and marketing at competitive workspace pricing. Choose Kayako if you need traditional helpdesk features with strong ticket management and prefer per-agent pricing.
Choose Crisp if: You want modern customer communication tools, integrated CRM/marketing features, and prefer workspace-based pricing for smaller teams.
Choose Kayako if: You need traditional helpdesk features, structured ticket management, and prefer per-agent pricing with established enterprise functionality.
Alternative: Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate for teams seeking modern customer support without the complexity of traditional helpdesk systems or workspace limitations.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Crisp comparisons and all Kayako comparisons.
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