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Communication · head to head

Kakao Work vs Webex by Cisco

Kakao Work logo

Kakao Work

Communication

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Webex by Cisco logo

Webex by Cisco

Communication

A simpler, smarter way to work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Webex by Cisco listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)
  • They diverge on capability: Kakao Work covers KakaoTalk-style messaging, Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kakao Work and Webex by Cisco actually diverge.

Attributes where Kakao Work and Webex by Cisco differ
AttributeKakao WorkWebex by Cisco
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown1984

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 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

Only in Webex by Cisco

  • Video and audio conferencing
  • Screen sharing and annotation
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and playback
  • Meeting transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Breakout sessions

What people use each for

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

Kakao Work

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

Webex by Cisco

  • Video conferencingnot Kakao Work
  • Webinarsnot Kakao Work
  • Virtual eventsnot Kakao Work
  • Trainingnot Kakao Work
  • Enterprise communicationnot Kakao Work

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Webex by Cisco

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Webex by Cisco

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited 1:1 meetings
    • Group meetings (40 min limit, 100 participants)
    • HD video
  • Pro$13.5/month
    • Unlimited meetings (500 participants)
    • Cloud recording and storage
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Business$18/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced security
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom deployment

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Webex by Cisco if

  • You need video and audio conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want screen sharing and annotation.
Webex by Cisco review

Questions people ask

Is Kakao Work or Webex by Cisco better?
Neither clearly leads. Kakao Work starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kakao Work or Webex by Cisco?
Kakao Work starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free.
Does Kakao Work or Webex by Cisco run on more platforms?
Kakao Work runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Webex by Cisco runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Kakao Work for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kakao Work best used for?
Kakao Work is most often used for a korean manufacturer moving work conversations off staff personal kakaotalk accounts and into a tenant with retention and audit controls, a korean public agency that must keep official communications on a domestically operated service with records export, a mid-sized korean firm whose warehouse and field staff will not adopt slack but already use kakaotalk daily, a korean company that wants approvals, chat and the organisation chart in one tool rather than paying separately for groupware and messaging. Of those, a korean manufacturer moving work conversations off staff personal kakaotalk accounts and into a tenant with retention and audit controls and a korean public agency that must keep official communications on a domestically operated service with records export are not what Webex by Cisco is typically brought in for.
What can Kakao Work do that Webex by Cisco cannot?
Kakao Work covers KakaoTalk-style messaging, Organisation chart, Video meetings, Kakao Work Drive. Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing, Screen sharing and annotation, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and playback.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Kakao Work: Is there a genuinely free plan?

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

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.

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