Chatwoot
Kayako
| Feature | Chatwoot | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $19/mo | From $30/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, small-businesses, privacy-focused-companies, self-hosters | ecommerce, saas-companies, support-teams, mid-size-companies |
| Founded | 2017 | 2001 |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Omnichannel Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Assist | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Canned Responses | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reports | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hostable | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ticketing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Customer Journey | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Service | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collaboration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sla Management | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Chatwoot Pros
- Open-source with full self-hosting option
- Omnichannel (chat, email, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
- AI-powered response suggestions and summaries
- Free for self-hosted with unlimited agents
✗ Chatwoot Cons
- Self-hosting requires DevOps knowledge
- Fewer integrations than established help desks
- Mobile apps less polished than competitors
✓ Kayako Pros
- Unified customer view
- Good live chat
- Journey tracking
- Multichannel
✗ Kayako Cons
- Dated interface
- Limited integrations
- Slow development pace
The Verdict
Chatwoot is built for startups and small businesses, with a focus on live-chat and omnichannel-inbox. Kayako targets ecommerce and saas companies and leads with live-chat and ticketing.
On pricing, Chatwoot is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $19/mo compared to $30/mo for Kayako. That $11/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Chatwoot has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Kayako requires a paid subscription from day one.
Chatwoot edges out on user ratings (4.4 vs 3.9). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Chatwoot offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Kayako takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Chatwoot has a slight overall edge — but if unified customer view matters most to you, Kayako may still be the right call.