Softwr

Communication · head to head

Chatwork vs Kakao Work

Chatwork logo

Chatwork

Communication

Group chat for global teams, built to replace email with real-time communication

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kakao Work logo

Kakao Work

Communication

Korean business messaging built on the KakaoTalk interface for domestic enterprise teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Chatwork free plan limited to 100 users; Kakao Work the product, documentation, support and commercial materials are Korea-first, so a company with overseas offices ends up running a second messaging tool for non-Korean staff and splitting its conversation history across two systems.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatwork and Kakao Work actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatwork and Kakao Work differ
AttributeChatworkKakao Work
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per month
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Communication).

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 Chatwork

Nothing recorded that Kakao Work does not also cover.

Only in Kakao Work

  • KakaoTalk-style messaging
  • Organisation chart
  • Video meetings
  • Kakao Work Drive
  • Approvals and workflow
  • Bots and open API
  • Admin retention controls
  • Casper AI assistant

What people use each for

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

Chatwork

  • Team communication and collaborationnot Kakao Work

Kakao Work

  • A Korean manufacturer moving work conversations off staff personal KakaoTalk accounts and into a tenant with retention and audit controlsnot Chatwork
  • A Korean public agency that must keep official communications on a domestically operated service with records exportnot Chatwork
  • A mid-sized Korean firm whose warehouse and field staff will not adopt Slack but already use KakaoTalk dailynot Chatwork
  • A Korean company that wants approvals, chat and the organisation chart in one tool rather than paying separately for groupware and messagingnot Chatwork

Where each one falls short

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

Chatwork

  • Free plan limited to 100 users
  • Free plan message history limited to last 40 days
  • Standard plan pricing: $7/month annual or $8.40/month monthly

Kakao Work

  • The product, documentation, support and commercial materials are Korea-first, so a company with overseas offices ends up running a second messaging tool for non-Korean staff and splitting its conversation history across two systems.
  • The third-party integration catalogue is small next to Slack or Microsoft Teams, so connecting a Western SaaS stack usually means writing against the open API yourself rather than installing an app.
  • Prices are set and billed in Korean won with 10 percent VAT added on top, which makes cost forecasting awkward for any buyer whose budget is held in another currency.
  • Kakao Enterprise has restructured repeatedly since 2023 and refocused around AI, which puts long-term roadmap certainty for the collaboration suite below that of a vendor whose only product this is.
  • The deliberate resemblance to consumer KakaoTalk is a training advantage but a governance risk: staff move between the two apps by habit and a share of work conversation keeps leaking back to personal accounts, which is precisely what the tool was bought to stop.

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatwork

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Secure messaging
    • Unlimited group chats
    • 1:1 video calls
  • Standard$7/month
    • All Free features
    • Unlimited message history
    • Group video calls

Kakao Work

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core messaging
    • Basic video meetings
    • Limited shared storage
  • Mini$2400/month
    • Messaging-focused plan
    • Message encryption and security controls
    • Annual billing rate; monthly billing is 2,900 KRW
  • Standard$6500/month
    • Mail and collaboration tools
    • Larger drive capacity
    • Approvals and workflow
  • Premium$9900/month
    • Large storage allocation
    • All user and administrator features
    • AI assistant features

Which should you pick?

Choose Chatwork if

  • You want to start without paying.
Chatwork review

Choose Kakao Work if

  • You need kakaotalk-style messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want organisation chart.
Kakao Work review

Questions people ask

Is Chatwork or Kakao Work better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatwork starts at Free and Kakao Work at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatwork or Kakao Work?
Chatwork starts at Free and Kakao Work at Free.
Does Chatwork or Kakao Work run on more platforms?
Chatwork runs on Web. Kakao Work runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Chatwork for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Chatwork best used for?
Chatwork is most often used for team communication and collaboration. Of those, team communication and collaboration is not what Kakao Work is typically brought in for.
What can Chatwork do that Kakao Work cannot?
Kakao Work covers KakaoTalk-style messaging, Organisation chart, Video meetings, Kakao Work Drive.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chatwork: How much does Chatwork cost?

Chatwork is free for up to 100 users. The Standard plan costs $7 per month with annual subscription or $8.40 per month with monthly subscription for unlimited users.

Source
Kakao Work: Can a non-Korean company use Kakao Work?

Technically yes, and the app supports several interface languages, but support, billing and the integration catalogue assume a Korean entity. Most non-Korean buyers should not.

Chatwork: What is the limit on the Chatwork free plan?

The free plan supports up to 100 users and limits message history to the last 40 days. It includes secure messaging, unlimited group chats, 1:1 video calls, 10GB storage per organization, and task management.

Source
Kakao Work: Is there a genuinely free plan?

Yes. The Free tier gives core messaging and basic meetings with limited storage, no trial expiry.

Chatwork: What does the Chatwork Standard plan add?

The Standard plan ($7-8.40/month) adds unlimited message history, group video calls, 10GB storage per user instead of per organization, advanced search, dedicated support, user management controls, and CSV contact import.

Source
Kakao Work: How does it differ from KakaoTalk?

KakaoTalk is a consumer messenger on personal accounts. Kakao Work is an administered tenant with an organisation chart, retention controls and approvals, in a near-identical interface.

Kakao Work: What does it actually cost?

From 2,400 KRW per user per month on annual billing for Mini, up to 9,900 KRW for Premium, all excluding 10 percent VAT, under the plan structure effective July 2026.

Share

Related pages

More on Chatwork

More on Kakao Work

Keep looking

Other head to heads