Help Scout vs Kayako

Help Scout ($0-$75/user/month, G2 4.4/5) and Kayako ($15-$35/agent/month, G2 4.2/5) represent different generations of customer support software. Help Scout offers modern, email-focused support with excellent user experience, while Kayako provides traditional helpdesk functionality with comprehensive ticketing features.

Both platforms serve the customer support market but with different philosophies - Help Scout emphasizes simplicity and user experience, while Kayako focuses on comprehensive traditional helpdesk capabilities.

Help Scout excels in email management with its shared inbox approach, excellent customer context, and intuitive interface. Its knowledge base system is well-designed, and the platform integrates seamlessly with popular business tools. The Beacon widget provides proactive customer engagement options.

Kayako offers comprehensive traditional helpdesk features including advanced ticket management, SLA tracking, escalation rules, and multi-brand support. It provides more granular control over ticket workflows and has stronger capabilities for complex support operations with multiple departments.

The key difference lies in approach: Help Scout prioritizes user experience and simplicity, while Kayako offers more comprehensive traditional helpdesk functionality with greater customization options.

Kayako's pricing ($15-$35/agent/month) is significantly more affordable than Help Scout's paid plans ($25-$75/user/month). For teams needing advanced features, Kayako's top tier at $35/agent provides substantial savings compared to Help Scout's $75/user plan.

Help Scout offers a free plan for up to 2 users, which Kayako doesn't match. However, for any meaningful team size, Kayako provides better value, especially for organizations needing comprehensive helpdesk features.

The cost difference becomes more significant as teams grow - a 10-agent team would pay $350/month for Kayako's top tier versus $750/month for Help Scout's equivalent features.

Choose Help Scout if you value modern user experience, excellent email management, and don't mind paying premium prices for quality. Choose Kayako if you need traditional helpdesk features at competitive pricing and prefer comprehensive ticketing functionality.

Choose Help Scout if: You prioritize modern user experience, excellent email management, superior knowledge base functionality, and are willing to pay premium pricing for quality and simplicity.

Choose Kayako if: You need comprehensive traditional helpdesk features, want competitive pricing, require advanced ticket management capabilities, or manage complex multi-department support operations.

For teams seeking modern features without per-agent scaling costs, consider Converge at $49/month flat rate - offering up to 15 agents and comprehensive customer communication tools that combine the best of both traditional and modern approaches.