Intercom vs Kayako
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Intercom | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $85/seat/mo | From $79/seat/mo |
| Best For | Well-funded SaaS companies wanting AI-first customer service | Traditional businesses focused on email and phone support |
| Standout Feature | Fin AI Agent that autonomously resolves customer queries | Comprehensive knowledge base with customer portal |
| Free Plan | ✗ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.2 |
Intercom and Kayako represent different generations of customer support platforms. Intercom ($29-$132/seat, G2 4.5) offers modern customer engagement with advanced automation, while Kayako ($15-$35/agent, G2 4.2) provides traditional helpdesk functionality with reliable ticket management.
This comparison explores how these platforms serve different support approaches and organizational needs.
Feature Comparison
Intercom excels in modern customer engagement with features like in-app messaging, automated workflows, customer segmentation, and proactive support. Its approach focuses on preventing issues through engagement rather than just resolving tickets.
Kayako provides traditional helpdesk functionality with robust ticket management, SLA tracking, and multi-channel support. It follows the classic support model of organizing customer issues into tickets with clear workflows and escalation paths.
The key difference is philosophy: Intercom emphasizes proactive engagement and prevention, while Kayako focuses on efficient reactive support and ticket resolution.
Pricing Comparison
Intercom's pricing ranges from $29-$132 per seat monthly, with costs increasing based on features and contact volume. Advanced features and higher usage can significantly impact total costs.
Kayako offers more affordable pricing at $15-$35 per agent monthly, making it accessible for teams that need solid helpdesk functionality without premium features.
For budget-conscious teams focused on ticket management, Kayako provides better value. For companies wanting modern engagement features, Intercom's higher cost may be justified.
Intercom
Pros
- ✓ Fin AI Agent resolves queries autonomously
- ✓ Beautiful, modern interface design
- ✓ Strong product tour and onboarding features
Cons
- ✗ Premium pricing, especially with AI usage
- ✗ Complex pricing structure
- ✗ Per-resolution AI fees add up
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 Intercom if you want modern customer engagement features, advanced automation, and don't mind higher costs for comprehensive functionality. Choose Kayako if you prefer traditional helpdesk structure with reliable ticket management at lower costs.
Choose Intercom if: You want modern customer engagement features, proactive support capabilities, and can justify the higher cost for advanced functionality.
Choose Kayako if: You prefer traditional helpdesk structure with reliable ticket management and need to keep costs lower.
Consider Converge as an alternative: At $49/month flat rate with up to 15 agents, it offers modern support features without Intercom's high per-seat costs or Kayako's traditional limitations, providing the best of both approaches.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Intercom comparisons and all Kayako comparisons.