Softwr

Software · head to head

Tidio vs Kayako

Tidio logo

Tidio

Software

Customer service platform driven by live chat

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kayako logo

Kayako

Software

Effortless customer service

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tidio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Tidio free tier limited to 50 billable conversations per month; exceeding this requires paid plan upgrade; 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: Tidio covers Chatbots, Kayako covers Unified inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tidio and Kayako actually diverge.

Attributes where Tidio and Kayako differ
AttributeTidioKayako
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20132001

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 Tidio

  • Chatbots
  • Visitor tracking
  • Email marketing
  • Mobile apps
  • Canned responses
  • WordPress
  • Wix
  • BigCommerce

Only in Kayako

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

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Shopify
  • Zapier
  • GDPR
  • SSL
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Tidio

  • E-commerce businesses deploying chatbots to handle customer inquiriesnot Kayako
  • Customer service teams seeking to automate 50%+ of routine support ticketsnot Kayako

Kayako

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

Where each one falls short

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

Tidio

  • Free tier limited to 50 billable conversations per month; exceeding this requires paid plan upgrade
  • Advanced analytics, user permissions, and macros excluded from Free and Starter tiers
  • Custom branding, multiproject, and department features only available in Plus tier ($300+/month)
  • Guaranteed AI resolution rates (50% minimum) only in Premium tier; Premium pricing requires contacting sales

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

Tidio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Tidio review.

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 Tidio if

  • You need chatbots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want visitor tracking.
Tidio review

Choose Kayako if

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

Questions people ask

Is Tidio or Kayako better?
Neither clearly leads. Tidio 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, Tidio or Kayako?
Tidio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Tidio and $30/month for Kayako.
Does Tidio or Kayako run on more platforms?
Tidio runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Kayako runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Tidio for free?
Yes. Tidio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kayako starts at $30/month.
What is Tidio best used for?
Tidio is most often used for e-commerce businesses deploying chatbots to handle customer inquiries, customer service teams seeking to automate 50%+ of routine support tickets. Of those, e-commerce businesses deploying chatbots to handle customer inquiries and customer service teams seeking to automate 50%+ of routine support tickets are not what Kayako is typically brought in for.
What can Tidio do that Kayako cannot?
Tidio covers Chatbots, Visitor tracking, Email marketing, Mobile apps. Kayako covers Unified inbox, Help center, Customer journey, Automation. Both handle Live chat, Shopify, Zapier, GDPR.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Tidio

More on Kayako

Keep looking

Other head to heads