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Live Chat · head to head

Chatra vs Kayako

Chatra logo

Chatra

Live Chat

Live chat and CRM software for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kayako logo

Kayako

Live Chat

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chatra has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chatra free plan is capped at 5 chats per month and one agent seat; 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: Chatra covers Live chat messaging, Kayako covers Unified inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatra and Kayako actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatra and Kayako differ
AttributeChatraKayako
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, IOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102001

Identical on both: 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 Chatra

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM functionality
  • Visitor tracking
  • Chat history
  • API
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support

Only in Kayako

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

Both cover

  • Shopify
  • Zapier
  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Chatra

  • Small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgradenot Kayako

Kayako

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

Where each one falls short

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

Chatra

  • Free plan is capped at 5 chats per month and one agent seat
  • Essential and Pro tiers are billed per agent seat at $31/month and $41/month (or $25/month and $33/month if billed yearly), so cost rises directly with headcount

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

Chatra

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Live chat
    • Basic CRM
    • 1 agent
  • Starter$15/month
    • Unlimited agents
    • Advanced CRM
  • Business$49/month
    • Priority support
    • Custom branding

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 Chatra if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want crm functionality.
Chatra 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 Chatra or Kayako better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatra 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, Chatra or Kayako?
Chatra has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chatra and $30/month for Kayako.
Does Chatra or Kayako run on more platforms?
Chatra runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android. Kayako runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Chatra for free?
Yes. Chatra has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kayako starts at $30/month.
What is Chatra best used for?
Chatra is most often used for small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgrade. Of those, small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgrade is not what Kayako is typically brought in for.
What can Chatra do that Kayako cannot?
Chatra covers Live chat messaging, CRM functionality, Visitor tracking, Chat history. Kayako covers Unified inbox, Live chat, Help center, Customer journey. Both handle Shopify, Zapier, Slack, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chatra: Is Chatra's free plan available indefinitely?

Yes. Chatra's free plan is available free for as long as you want with no time limitation. No credit card is required to start.

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
Chatra: How quickly can I start using Chatra's free plan?

The free plan can be started in 3 minutes according to the website.

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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