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Jivochat vs Kayako

Jivochat logo

Jivochat

Live Chat

All-in-one communication platform for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Kayako logo

Kayako

Live Chat

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Jivochat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Jivochat the free plan keeps only 2 months of chat history and has no CRM; 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: Jivochat covers Phone integration, Kayako covers Unified inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Jivochat and Kayako actually diverge.

Attributes where Jivochat and Kayako differ
AttributeJivochatKayako
Starting priceFree$30/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, IOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20082001

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 Jivochat

  • Phone integration
  • Email support
  • Chatbot builder
  • CRM
  • Telegram
  • Viber
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support

Only in Kayako

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

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Jivochat

  • Live chat and messaging support across website and social channelsnot Kayako
  • Handling customer conversations from one agent inboxnot Kayako

Kayako

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

Where each one falls short

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

Jivochat

  • The free plan keeps only 2 months of chat history and has no CRM
  • The Chat API, chat routing and the mobile SDK are all Enterprise only, at $56 per agent per month billed annually
  • The WhatsApp module is a $27 a month add on on every plan including Enterprise
  • The Professional plan caps the account at 100 agents
  • Pricing is per agent, so support cost scales with headcount rather than conversation volume

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

Jivochat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 agents included
    • Online chat for websites and social media integration
    • Basic callback and offline forms
  • Basic$28/month
    • Per-agent pricing ($28/agent/month)
    • Proactive invitations and visitor monitoring
    • Anti-spam protection and JivoChat CRM included
  • Professional$42/month
    • $42 per agent per month
    • Telephony Plus module and WhatsApp integration
    • Chat rescue and chatbot integration
  • Enterprise$56/month
    • $56 per agent per month
    • Mobile SDK and advanced chat routing
    • Unlimited agents (vs 100 cap on other paid tiers)

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 Jivochat if

  • You need phone integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want email support.

Choose Kayako if

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

Questions people ask

Is Jivochat or Kayako better?
Neither clearly leads. Jivochat 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, Jivochat or Kayako?
Jivochat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Jivochat and $30/month for Kayako.
Does Jivochat or Kayako run on more platforms?
Jivochat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android. Kayako runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Jivochat for free?
Yes. Jivochat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kayako starts at $30/month.
What is Jivochat best used for?
Jivochat is most often used for live chat and messaging support across website and social channels, handling customer conversations from one agent inbox. Of those, live chat and messaging support across website and social channels and handling customer conversations from one agent inbox are not what Kayako is typically brought in for.
What can Jivochat do that Kayako cannot?
Jivochat covers Phone integration, Email support, Chatbot builder, CRM. Kayako covers Unified inbox, Help center, Customer journey, Automation. Both handle Live chat, Slack, Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Jivochat: How much does JivoChat cost?

JivoChat is free for up to 5 agents. Paid plans start at $28 per agent per month (Basic), $42 per agent (Professional), and $56 per agent (Enterprise). All plans billed annually receive a 30% discount. A 14-day trial is available with no contract required.

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
Jivochat: What are the limits for agents in JivoChat plans?

The Free tier includes 5 agents. Basic, Professional, and Enterprise plans cap at 100 agents per organization, except Enterprise which allows unlimited agents at the $56-per-agent-per-month rate.

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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