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Software · head to head

Hiver vs Kustomer

Hiver logo

Hiver

Software

Gmail-based help desk

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kustomer logo

Kustomer

Software

The future of customer service

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hiver has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hiver hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69; Kustomer pricing not published; requires customised sales assessment and quote for exact costs
  • They diverge on capability: Hiver covers Shared inbox, Kustomer covers Unified customer view.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hiver and Kustomer actually diverge.

Attributes where Hiver and Kustomer differ
AttributeHiverKustomer
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome-extensionWeb, Cloud
Founded20112015

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 Hiver

  • Shared inbox
  • Email assignment
  • Collision detection
  • Email notes
  • Templates
  • Gmail
  • Google Workspace
  • Slack

Only in Kustomer

  • Unified customer view
  • AI automation
  • Omnichannel
  • Workflow automation
  • Knowledge base
  • Shopify
  • Magento
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Hiver

  • Shared inbox managementnot Kustomer
  • Customer support via Gmailnot Kustomer
  • Team email collaborationnot Kustomer

Kustomer

  • Large B2C and B2B organisations managing 600+ customer support interactions across omnichannel platformsnot Hiver
  • Retail, financial services, travel and hospitality sectors requiring integrated AI-powered supportnot Hiver
  • Enterprises seeking customer 360 views and advanced workflow automationnot Hiver

Where each one falls short

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

Hiver

  • Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69

Kustomer

  • Pricing not published; requires customised sales assessment and quote for exact costs
  • Voice (call), SMS, and WhatsApp support operate on separate pay-as-you-go pricing models
  • Customisation-based pricing structure means no transparent cost comparison with competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Hiver

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 users
    • Email management
    • Basic analytics
  • Lite$19/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email templates
    • Notes & @mentions
  • Pro$49/month
    • CSAT surveys
    • SLA management
    • Custom reports
  • Elite$69/month
    • Round-robin
    • Skill-based routing
    • Okta SSO

Kustomer

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Kustomer review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Hiver if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome-extension.
  • You also want email assignment.
Hiver review

Choose Kustomer if

  • You need unified customer view.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want ai automation.
Kustomer review

Questions people ask

Is Hiver or Kustomer better?
Neither clearly leads. Hiver starts at Free and Kustomer at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hiver or Kustomer?
Hiver has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hiver and On request for Kustomer.
Does Hiver or Kustomer run on more platforms?
Hiver runs on Web, Chrome-extension. Kustomer runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use Hiver for free?
Yes. Hiver has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kustomer starts at On request.
What is Hiver best used for?
Hiver is most often used for shared inbox management, customer support via gmail, team email collaboration. Of those, shared inbox management and customer support via gmail are not what Kustomer is typically brought in for.
What can Hiver do that Kustomer cannot?
Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes. Kustomer covers Unified customer view, AI automation, Omnichannel, Workflow automation. Both handle Analytics, SOC2, GDPR, Web support.
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