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Ada vs Kayako

Ada logo

Ada

Live Chat

Conversational AI platform powered by machine learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kayako logo

Kayako

Live Chat

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ada has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ada no pricing disclosed on website; Kayako the AI agent is billed at $1 per resolved ticket, so support cost scales with ticket volume rather than being a fixed subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Ada covers Conversational AI, Kayako covers Unified inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ada and Kayako actually diverge.

Attributes where Ada and Kayako differ
AttributeAdaKayako
Starting priceFree$30/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, SMS, Messaging appsWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20162001

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Ada

  • Conversational AI
  • Automatic resolution
  • Multi-language support
  • Analytics
  • Zendesk
  • API
  • Mobile support
  • SMS support

Only in Kayako

  • Unified inbox
  • Live chat
  • Help center
  • Customer journey
  • Automation
  • Reporting
  • Zapier
  • Stripe

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ada

  • AI-powered customer service automationnot Kayako
  • Chatbot deployment and managementnot Kayako
  • Support ticket automation and resolutionnot Kayako
  • Multi-channel customer communicationnot Kayako

Kayako

  • Help desk ticketing with a unified inbox and knowledge basenot Ada
  • Resolving support tickets automatically with an AI agentnot Ada

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ada

  • No pricing disclosed on website
  • Requires consultation with sales team to obtain quotes
  • No information on subscription tiers or licensing options

Kayako

  • The AI agent is billed at $1 per resolved ticket, so support cost scales with ticket volume rather than being a fixed subscription
  • A resolution counts when the AI solves the issue without human involvement, so the definition of a billable event is set by the vendor's own system
  • No per agent monthly price is published for the full Kayako One platform
  • Full platform pricing requires talking to an expert

Pricing, plan by plan

Ada

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic chatbot
    • Single language
  • Growth$100/month
    • Advanced AI
    • Multi-language
  • Scale$undefined/month
    • Enterprise features
    • Dedicated support

Kayako

$30/month
  • Inbox$30/month
    • Email & live chat
    • Help center
    • Basic automation
  • Growth$60/month
    • Everything in Inbox
    • Customer journey
    • SLA management
  • Scale$100/month
    • Everything in Growth
    • Advanced reporting
    • Custom roles

Which should you pick?

Choose Ada if

  • You need conversational ai.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, SMS, Messaging apps.
  • You also want automatic resolution.
Ada review

Choose Kayako if

  • You need unified inbox.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want live chat.
Kayako review

Questions people ask

Is Ada or Kayako better?
Neither clearly leads. Ada starts at Free and Kayako at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ada or Kayako?
Ada has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ada and $30/month for Kayako.
Does Ada or Kayako run on more platforms?
Ada runs on Web, Mobile, SMS, Messaging apps. Kayako runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Ada for free?
Yes. Ada has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kayako starts at $30/month.
What is Ada best used for?
Ada is most often used for ai-powered customer service automation, chatbot deployment and management, support ticket automation and resolution, multi-channel customer communication. Of those, ai-powered customer service automation and chatbot deployment and management are not what Kayako is typically brought in for.
What can Ada do that Kayako cannot?
Ada covers Conversational AI, Automatic resolution, Multi-language support, Analytics. Kayako covers Unified inbox, Live chat, Help center, Customer journey. Both handle Salesforce, Slack, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ada: How is Ada's customer service AI platform priced?

Ada does not publish pricing on its website. To obtain pricing information and discuss your specific requirements, book a free consultation with Ada's AI customer service experts through their website.

Source
Kayako: How much does Kayako charge?

Kayako uses results-based pricing where customers pay $1 per resolved ticket when Kay AI Agent solves the issue without human intervention. There are no seat fees or setup fees. Kayako One helpdesk platform pricing requires contacting sales.

Source
Ada: Does Ada offer a free trial?

Ada does not advertise a free trial on its pricing page. Interested prospects must contact the sales team directly or book a consultation to discuss trial options and pricing.

Source
Kayako: What counts as a resolved ticket for Kayako pricing?

A resolution occurs when Kay solves the customer's issue without human agent involvement, whether by taking action or providing an answer the customer confirms solves their problem. Escalations to humans and simple deflections do not count.

Source
Kayako: What is Kayako's AI resolution rate?

Kayako reports a 68 percent AI resolution rate for Kay AI Agent. The platform claims a cost advantage of $1 per resolution versus $4.60 for competitors, with reported CSAT improvement of 14 points.

Source
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