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Live Chat · head to head

Kayako vs ManyChat

Kayako logo

Kayako

Live Chat

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ManyChat logo

ManyChat

Live Chat

Chatbot and automation platform for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ManyChat 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; ManyChat pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • They diverge on capability: Kayako covers Unified inbox, ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kayako and ManyChat actually diverge.

Attributes where Kayako and ManyChat differ
AttributeKayakoManyChat
Starting price$30/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: 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
  • Live chat
  • Help center
  • Customer journey
  • Automation
  • Reporting
  • Slack
  • Salesforce

Only in ManyChat

  • Visual Flow Builder
  • Instagram Automation
  • WhatsApp Automation
  • SMS Marketing
  • Broadcast Campaigns
  • E-commerce Integrations

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 ManyChat
  • Resolving support tickets automatically with an AI agentnot ManyChat

ManyChat

  • Automating Instagram DM and comment repliesnot Kayako
  • Lead generation via chat funnelsnot Kayako
  • WhatsApp order updates and broadcastsnot Kayako
  • E-commerce cart recovery via chatnot 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

ManyChat

  • Pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • WhatsApp automation requires a connected WhatsApp Business API number with separate messaging costs.
  • The free plan has restrictive contact and feature limits compared to paid competitors.
  • Advanced flow logic can become difficult to manage for very complex automation sequences.

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

ManyChat

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Limited contacts
    • Core automation features
    • Basic channels
  • Pro$15/month
    • Higher contact limits
    • All channels
    • Broadcast messaging

Which should you pick?

Choose Kayako if

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

Choose ManyChat if

  • You need visual flow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want instagram automation.
ManyChat review

Questions people ask

Is Kayako or ManyChat better?
Neither clearly leads. Kayako starts at $30/month and ManyChat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kayako or ManyChat?
ManyChat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for Kayako and Free for ManyChat.
Does Kayako or ManyChat run on more platforms?
Kayako runs on Web, Ios, Android. ManyChat runs on web, ios, android.
Can I use ManyChat for free?
Yes. ManyChat 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 ManyChat is typically brought in for.
What can Kayako do that ManyChat cannot?
Kayako covers Unified inbox, Live chat, Help center, Customer journey. ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, Instagram Automation, WhatsApp Automation, SMS Marketing.

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
ManyChat: How much does Manychat cost?

Manychat offers a free plan at $0/month and Pro plan starting at $15/month. Pro plan pricing scales with number of contacts. Elite tier offers custom pricing. Free plan allows automation for up to 1,000 contacts.

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
ManyChat: What channels does Manychat support?

Free plan supports Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger. Pro and Elite plans add WhatsApp, SMS text messaging, and email. All channels allow unlimited custom automation flows once contacts are engaged.

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
ManyChat: How does Manychat AI pricing work?

Manychat AI features including Intention Recognition, AI Steps, Text Improver, and Flow Builder Assistant are available in Pro and Elite plans at no extra cost. Pro plan includes monthly Chaos AI credits for AI-powered features.

Source
ManyChat: Can I cancel my Manychat subscription anytime?

Yes, Manychat allows cancellation of payment plans at any time. No long-term contract is required. Standard payment methods including credit cards are accepted.

Source
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