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Kayako vs Userlike

Kayako logo

Kayako

Live Chat

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Userlike logo

Userlike

Live Chat

The leading GDPR-compliant customer messaging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Userlike has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kayako the AI agent is billed at $1 per resolved ticket, so support cost scales with ticket volume rather than being a fixed subscription; Userlike userlike now operates as Lime Connect under Lime Technologies; the free plan is capped at 1 seat, 1 channel and 200 conversations
  • They diverge on capability: Kayako covers Unified inbox, Userlike covers WhatsApp.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kayako and Userlike actually diverge.

Attributes where Kayako and Userlike differ
AttributeKayakoUserlike
Starting price$30/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20012011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Kayako

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

Only in Userlike

  • WhatsApp
  • Facebook Messenger
  • SMS
  • Video calls
  • Chatbot
  • Pipedrive
  • HubSpot
  • Zendesk

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Kayako

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

Userlike

  • Teams needing multilingual live chat with WhatsApp support who can tolerate a seat minimum on paid plansnot Kayako

Where each one falls short

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

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

Userlike

  • Userlike now operates as Lime Connect under Lime Technologies; the free plan is capped at 1 seat, 1 channel and 200 conversations
  • The Pro plan has a minimum of 3 seats and Enterprise a minimum of 5 seats, both priced per seat with Enterprise gated behind a custom quote
  • AI Agent, AI Copilot and Workflows are separately priced add-ons starting at 99 euros/month, 19 euros/month per seat and 50 euros/month respectively

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Userlike

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 widget
    • 1 seat
    • Unlimited chats
  • Team$90/month
    • 4 widgets
    • 4 seats
    • WhatsApp
  • Corporate$290/month
    • 10 widgets
    • 10 seats
    • Analytics
  • Flex$undefined/month
    • Unlimited
    • Custom features
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Kayako if

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

Choose Userlike if

  • You need whatsapp.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want facebook messenger.
Userlike review

Questions people ask

Is Kayako or Userlike better?
Neither clearly leads. Kayako starts at $30/month and Userlike at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kayako or Userlike?
Userlike has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for Kayako and Free for Userlike.
Does Kayako or Userlike run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Userlike for free?
Yes. Userlike has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kayako starts at $30/month.
What is Kayako best used for?
Kayako is most often used for help desk ticketing with a unified inbox and knowledge base, resolving support tickets automatically with an ai agent. Of those, help desk ticketing with a unified inbox and knowledge base and resolving support tickets automatically with an ai agent are not what Userlike is typically brought in for.
What can Kayako do that Userlike cannot?
Kayako covers Unified inbox, Help center, Customer journey, Automation. Userlike covers WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, SMS, Video calls. Both handle Live chat, Slack, Salesforce, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Userlike: What does the free plan include?

The free plan includes 1 seat, 1 channel, and up to 200 conversations per month. It provides basic features like messenger customization, file sharing, and feedback collection.

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
Userlike: What is the cost of the Pro plan and what does it offer?

The Pro plan costs 105 euros per month (or 87 euros per month if billed annually) with a minimum of 3 seats. It includes unlimited channels and conversations, live translation, video calls, basic API access, and analytics.

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
Userlike: Is there a trial period before committing to a paid plan?

Yes, the platform offers a 14-day free trial of the Pro plan features. After the trial expires, accounts automatically downgrade to the Free plan unless upgraded.

Source
Userlike: What add-on costs are available?

Additional features can be added separately: Connect AI Agent from 99 euros per month, Connect AI Copilot from 19 euros per user per month, Workflows from 50 euros per month for 1,000 runs, and WhatsApp Campaigns from 20 euros per month plus Meta fees.

Source
Userlike: How does billing work on the Pro plan?

The Pro plan is billed monthly or annually, with annual billing offering a 20 percent discount. Unused conversations roll over to subsequent months within the same contract year.

Source
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