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Software · head to head

Crisp vs Kayako

Crisp logo

Crisp

Software

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kayako logo

Kayako

Software

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Crisp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier includes only 2 agents and no AI credits; AI capability requires paid tier; 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: Crisp covers Shared inbox, Kayako covers Unified inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Kayako actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Kayako differ
AttributeCrispKayako
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20152001

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Crisp

  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Knowledge base
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • WordPress
  • Segment
  • 2FA

Only in Kayako

  • Unified inbox
  • Help center
  • Customer journey
  • Automation
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • Stripe
  • SOC2

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Shopify
  • Zapier
  • GDPR
  • SSL
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with AI automationnot Kayako
  • Teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagramnot Kayako

Kayako

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

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier includes only 2 agents and no AI credits; AI capability requires paid tier
  • Free tier customer profile limit of 100; higher limits require upgrade
  • Omnichannel support and workflow automation excluded from Free and Mini tiers
  • White labelling only available in Plus tier ($295+/month)

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

Crisp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Crisp review.

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 Crisp if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want chatbots.
Crisp review

Choose Kayako if

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

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Kayako better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp 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, Crisp or Kayako?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $30/month for Kayako.
Does Crisp or Kayako run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Kayako runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kayako starts at $30/month.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with ai automation, teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, whatsapp, messenger, instagram. Of those, growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with ai automation and teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, whatsapp, messenger, instagram are not what Kayako is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Kayako cannot?
Crisp covers Shared inbox, Chatbots, Knowledge base, Video calls. Kayako covers Unified inbox, Help center, Customer journey, Automation. Both handle Live chat, Slack, Shopify, Zapier.
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Related pages

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