Kayako vs LiveChat: Complete Comparison (2026)

By Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editorยท12 years of experienceยทUpdated 2026-04-24ยท8 min read

In comparing Kayako and LiveChat in 2026, LiveChat is the stronger choice for e-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable, real-time live chat due to reliable and stable chat platform. Kayako excels for smbs wanting affordable help desk with a unified customer interaction view with good unified customer journey view. Kayako offers Unified customer view, Live chat, Help center starting at $30/agent/mo. LiveChat provides Live chat, Ticketing, Chat archives from $20/agent/mo. For teams prioritizing value, LiveChat delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 70/100. Kayako and LiveChat compete in the customer support segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading customer support tools include Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk. Kayako serves 35K+ orgs users globally (founded 2001) while LiveChat reports 38K+ orgs active users (founded 2002).

Kayako vs LiveChat at a Glance

Kayako
LiveChat
Starting Price
$30/agent/mo
$20/agent/mo
Free Plan
No
No
User Rating
4.1/5
4.5/5
Best For
SMBs wanting affordable help desk with a unified c...
E-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable...
Users
35K+ orgs
38K+ orgs
Founded
2001
2002
hiltonsoftware Score
65/100
70/100
Pricing verified: March 2026 ยท Based on official vendor data
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Kayako
Customer Support
65
hiltonsoftware.co Score
VS
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LiveChat
Customer Support
70
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED

What are the main differences between Kayako and LiveChat?

Kayako and LiveChat differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. LiveChat leads in 7 of 7 categories.

KayakoLiveChat
70Ease of Use79
77Features81
58Value for Money65
67Customer Support70
57Integrations62
57Scalability64
63Learning Curve68

What are the pros and cons of Kayako vs LiveChat?

Kayako
+Good unified customer journey view
+Reasonable pricing
-Interface feels dated
-Less feature-rich than Zendesk
LiveChat
+Reliable and stable chat platform
+Good widget customization
-No free plan
-Limited automation versus rivals

Which is better, Kayako or LiveChat?

After evaluating Kayako and LiveChat across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, LiveChat earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 70/100 versus Kayako at 65/100. LiveChat stands out for "reliable and stable chat platform" and "good widget customization". Kayako delivers competitive advantages in "good unified customer journey view", making Kayako a viable alternative.

Neither Kayako nor LiveChat offers a free plan. Kayako starts at $30/agent/mo and LiveChat at $20/agent/mo.

Bottom line: Choose Kayako for smbs wanting affordable help desk with a unified customer interaction view. Choose LiveChat for e-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable, real-time live chat. Both Kayako and LiveChat are established customer support platforms.

CHOOSE KAYAKO IF:

SMBs wanting affordable help desk with a unified customer interaction view.

CHOOSE LIVECHAT IF:

E-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable, real-time live chat.

Kayako vs LiveChat: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kayako better than LiveChat in 2026?
LiveChat outperforms Kayako in the 2026 hiltonsoftware.co analysis with a score of 70/100 compared to 65/100. Kayako excels in Unified customer view, Live chat, Help center, making Kayako the better choice for SMBs wanting affordable help desk with a unified customer interaction view. LiveChat is the stronger option for E-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable, real-time live chat due to reliable and stable chat platform. For teams needing live chat, hiltonsoftware.co recommends LiveChat.
How does Kayako pricing compare to LiveChat in 2026?
Kayako starts at $30/agent/mo with no free tier. LiveChat starts at $20/agent/mo without a free plan. Kayako includes features like Unified customer view, Live chat, Help center. LiveChat provides Live chat, Ticketing, Chat archives. Kayako serves 35K+ orgs users while LiveChat serves 38K+ orgs users. Evaluate total cost of ownership based on team size and required integrations.
What are the main differences between Kayako and LiveChat?
Kayako specializes in Unified customer view, Live chat, Help center, earning a 65/100 hiltonsoftware Score. LiveChat focuses on Live chat, Ticketing, Chat archives, scoring 70/100. Kayako is best for SMBs wanting affordable help desk with a unified customer interaction view. LiveChat is best for E-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable, real-time live chat. Both Kayako and LiveChat serve the Customer Support market but target different user profiles.
Can I migrate from Kayako to LiveChat?
Migrating from Kayako to LiveChat is possible since both operate in the Customer Support space. Export data from Kayako and verify LiveChat import capabilities. Key features to evaluate: Unified customer view, Live chat, Help center (Kayako) versus Live chat, Ticketing, Chat archives (LiveChat). Running both Kayako and LiveChat in parallel during a trial period ensures a smooth transition.
Is Kayako or LiveChat better for small business?
Both Kayako and LiveChat require paid plans (Kayako: $30/agent/mo, LiveChat: $20/agent/mo). Kayako (65/100) is ideal for SMBs wanting affordable help desk with a unified customer interaction view. LiveChat (70/100) fits E-commerce and service businesses wanting reliable, real-time live chat. Evaluate both during trial periods.

Reviewed by Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editor. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.

Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.

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