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Customer Support

Chatwoot vs Kayako: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Chatwoot and Kayako. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Chatwoot starts at $19/mo and Kayako starts at Custom pricing. Compare all 5 pricing tiers side by side.

Last updated: July 6, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated July 6, 2026
Try Chatwoot freeTry Kayako freePrice updated 11d agoPrice updated 11d ago
Best Value

Chatwoot - Chatwoot for modern deployments; Kayako only if your team has existing history with it.

Chatwoot vs Kayako: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureChatwootKayako
Starting Price$19/moCustom pricing
Number of Plans41
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelopen-sourceper-seat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Chatwoot and Kayako are both priced at $19/mo, making them equally accessible Customer Support tools. Together they offer 5 pricing plans with 31 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.

Chatwoot stands out with a free plan for getting started. Chatwoot uses open-source pricing while Kayako uses per-seat pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Customer Support needs.

Pricing Plans
Chatwoot
Chatwoot
Try free
Kayako
Kayako
Try free
Tier 1
Hacker
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • 500/month
  • Live chat
  • Data retention
  • 30 days
Kayako One
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Unified inbox
  • Ticketing system
  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat widget
  • Automation rules
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Kay AI agent ($1/resolution)
  • White-glove onboarding & setup
Tier 2
Startups
$19/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • Unlimited *
  • All
  • 300 credits
  • Data retention
  • 1 year
-
Tier 3
Business
$39/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • Unlimited *
  • All
  • 500 credits
  • Data retention
  • 2 years
-
Tier 4
Enterprise
$99/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • Unlimited *
  • All
  • 800 credits
  • Data retention
  • 3 years
-

← Swipe to compare plans →

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Chatwoot

Open-source customer engagement suite with live chat

View all Chatwoot plans

Kayako

Unified customer service platform with chat and ticketing

View all Kayako plans
Our Pick

Chatwoot

Chatwoot for modern deployments; Kayako only if your team has existing history with it.

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Try Chatwoot freeFree plan available

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Chatwoot if:

  • You want open-source support software with a free self-hosted option
  • You need modern multi-channel support without legacy pricing
  • Your team values data control and source access

Choose Kayako if:

  • You need a traditional multi-channel help desk with long-established features
  • You want SLA management and queue-based routing out of the box
  • Your team is familiar with Kayako from previous deployments

Kayako is a legacy help desk platform with email, chat, and social channels. Chatwoot is a modern open-source alternative. Kayako's cloud pricing starts around $30/agent/month. Chatwoot's cloud starts at $19/month. Chatwoot has a more modern UI and active open-source development. Kayako has years of enterprise usage history. For new deployments, Chatwoot is the fresher choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Chatwoot vs Kayako

How many pricing plans does Chatwoot have vs Kayako?
Chatwoot offers 4 pricing plans, while Kayako offers 1 plan. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Chatwoot or Kayako offer a free plan?
Chatwoot offers a free plan, while Kayako does not. If budget is a concern, Chatwoot lets you get started at no cost.
Does Chatwoot or Kayako offer custom enterprise pricing?
Kayako offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Chatwoot lists all its pricing publicly.
What pricing models do Chatwoot and Kayako use?
Chatwoot uses a open-source pricing model, while Kayako uses per-seat pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.
How do Chatwoot and Kayako compare for Customer Support?
Both Chatwoot and Kayako are Customer Support tools. Chatwoot offers 4 plans starting at $19/mo, while Kayako offers 1 plan starting at Custom pricing. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Customer Support needs.
AI Recommendations

Sources

  1. Chatwoot Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
  2. Kayako Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page

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