Kayako vs Trengo
Kayako is customer service software that scales with your business. Best suited for traditional businesses focused on email and phone support. Known for its comprehensive knowledge base with customer portal.
Trengo is customer engagement platform for teams. Best suited for european businesses needing GDPR-compliant multi-channel support with WhatsApp and voice. Known for its flowbot no-code automation and AI HelpMate for WhatsApp and other channels.
Kayako and Trengo represent two different philosophies in customer support software. Kayako, with its G2 rating of 4.2/5, focuses on traditional helpdesk functionality with strong ticket management, while Trengo (G2 4.4/5) emphasizes team collaboration and unified communication across channels.
The choice between these platforms often depends on whether you prioritize Kayako's established helpdesk features or Trengo's modern collaborative approach to customer service.
Kayako Key Features
Trengo Key Features
Feature Comparison
Kayako excels in traditional helpdesk areas with robust ticket management, SLA tracking, and customer portal functionality. Its strength lies in structured support processes and detailed reporting capabilities.
Trengo takes a collaboration-first approach, offering shared inboxes, internal chat, and team assignment features that make it easier for support teams to work together on complex issues.
While both handle email, chat, and social media, Kayako's implementation focuses on individual agent productivity, whereas Trengo emphasizes team coordination and knowledge sharing.
Pricing Comparison
Kayako uses per-agent pricing from $15-$35 per agent per month, making it cost-effective for smaller teams but potentially expensive as you scale. Their pricing includes core features with add-ons for advanced functionality.
Trengo starts at $113 per month with custom pricing for larger teams, which can be more economical for bigger organizations but may be steep for small teams just getting started.
The break-even point typically occurs around 4-6 agents, where Trengo's flat rate becomes more attractive than Kayako's per-agent fees.
Kayako Pricing
Trengo Pricing
Kayako Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Comprehensive multi-channel support
- Strong knowledge base functionality
- Good reporting capabilities
- Scalable for growing teams
Limitations
- Per-agent pricing gets expensive
- Limited social media integrations
- Complex setup for advanced features
- No WhatsApp or Telegram support
Trengo Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Strong WhatsApp Business API support
- Flowbot no-code automation for common workflows
- AI HelpMate agent for automated responses
- European company with GDPR compliance built in
Limitations
- Expensive starting at €299/mo (~$325)
- Conversation caps on every plan with overage fees
- No Discord or Zalo support
- No API access on Boost plan
Verdict
Choose Kayako if you need proven helpdesk functionality at competitive per-agent pricing and your team values traditional ticket workflows. Choose Trengo if you want team collaboration features and can work within their flat-rate pricing structure.
Choose Kayako if: You have a small team (1-3 agents), need traditional helpdesk features, and prefer predictable per-agent pricing.
Choose Trengo if: You have a larger team, value collaboration features, and want to avoid per-agent pricing scaling issues.
Alternative: Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate, which offers competitive features without per-agent fees, making it cost-effective for teams of any size.
Looking for more options? Browse all platform comparisons, or see all Kayako comparisons and all Trengo comparisons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kayako is best for Traditional businesses focused on email and phone support. Trengo is best for European businesses needing GDPR-compliant multi-channel support with WhatsApp and voice. Kayako's standout feature is Comprehensive knowledge base with customer portal, while Trengo offers Flowbot no-code automation and AI HelpMate for WhatsApp and other channels.
Kayako starts at From $79/seat/mo. Trengo starts at From $325/mo. For flat-rate pricing, consider Converge at $49/month for up to 15 agents.
Kayako does not offer a free plan. Trengo does not offer a free plan. Both are established platforms in the customer support space.
Kayako pros: Comprehensive multi-channel support; Strong knowledge base functionality. Trengo pros: Strong WhatsApp Business API support; Flowbot no-code automation for common workflows. Each platform has distinct strengths depending on your use case.
Choose Kayako for Traditional businesses focused on email and phone support. Choose Trengo for European businesses needing GDPR-compliant multi-channel support with WhatsApp and voice. If you need messaging-first support with flat pricing, consider Converge as an alternative at $49/month for up to 15 agents.
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