Best Kayako Alternatives in 2026

Kayako is great for support teams wanting full customer journey visibility, but it is not the only option. Here are the top alternatives ranked by rating, features, and value.

Why People Leave Kayako

✕Expensive for small teams
✕UI feels dated
✕Setup takes time

Top 10 Alternatives to Kayako

Gladly

Best for Consumer Brands

People-centered customer service platform for consumer brands

★ 4.7 (58 reviews)Pricing: subscriptionFrom Custom (starts ~$150/agent/mo)Free tier

People-first model is transformativeTrue omnichannel experienceLoved by agents and customers

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Missive

Best Collaborative Email

Team inbox and chat app for collaborative email management

★ 4.6 (52 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $14/user/moFree tier

Live collaborative draftsBeautiful unified interfaceGreat native apps

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Qualified

Best for Salesforce ABM

AI-powered pipeline generation for Salesforce-centric enterprises

★ 4.6 (65 reviews)Pricing: subscriptionFrom Custom (starts ~$3,500/mo)Free tier

Deepest Salesforce integrationAI Pounce identifies hot visitorsEnterprise-grade security

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Intercom Fin

Best AI Support Agent

AI customer service agent that resolves tickets automatically

★ 4.5 (75 reviews)Pricing: usageFrom $0.99/resolutionFree tier

50%+ ticket resolution rateCites sources for accuracyPay-per-resolution pricing

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Help Scout

recommended

Customer support that feels like email. Simple, human, no ticket numbers.

★ 4.4 (198 reviews)Pricing: paidFrom $22/user/mo (Standard)Free tier

Most human, personal support experience for customersClean interface that agents enjoy using dailyBeacon widget combines chat, KB search, and contact forms

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Hiver

Best Gmail Helpdesk

Customer support tool built natively inside Gmail

★ 4.4 (92 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $19/user/moFree tier

Works entirely inside GmailZero learning curveAffordable pricing

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Ada

Best AI-First Support

AI-first customer service automation platform

★ 4.4 (70 reviews)Pricing: subscriptionFrom CustomFree tier

Highest automation rates in the industryWorks across all channelsReasoning engine handles complex queries

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Front

recommended

Shared inbox for teams. Email collaboration that eliminates internal CC chaos.

★ 4.3 (178 reviews)Pricing: paidFrom $29/seat/mo (Growth)Free tier

Best collaborative email experience availableInternal comments eliminate forwarding and CC chaosMulti-channel inbox handles email, chat, SMS, and social

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Intercom

recommended

AI-first customer service platform. Chatbot, inbox, help center — all connected.

★ 4.3 (312 reviews)Pricing: paidFrom $39/seat/mo (Essential)Free tier

Fin AI Agent resolves issues automatically at $0.99/resolutionMost connected customer communication across all channelsProduct tours and in-app messaging for onboarding

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#10

Gorgias

recommended

E-commerce help desk built specifically for Shopify stores

★ 4.3 (72 reviews)Pricing: paidFrom $10/mo (50 tickets)

Deep Shopify integrationOrder management in ticketsRevenue attribution for support

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Kayako vs Top 3 Alternatives

Criteria	Kayako	Gladly	Missive	Qualified
Rating	★ 3.8	★ 4.7	★ 4.6	★ 4.6
Pricing	paid	subscription	freemium	subscription
Starter Price	$30/agent/mo	Custom (starts ~$150/agent/mo)	$14/user/mo	Custom (starts ~$3,500/mo)
Free Tier	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Learning Curve	medium	Easy	Easy	Medium
Features	5 features	5 features	5 features	5 features

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