I
IAI customer agent that resolves support, sales and ecommerce conversations
From $49.50/mo
Helpshift vs Kayako
Pricing, features, platforms and who each one suits — side by side.
H
Choose Helpshift if…
- you need an API to build on
- you're in its core audience: game studios, player support teams
K
Choose Kayako if…
- you're in its core audience: customer support teams, e-commerce and retail businesses
Side by side
Feature Helpshift Kayako
Pricing modelContact for pricingPaid
Starting price——
Free plan
Free trial
API
Open source
Data retentionHeld seven years after you cease to interact with us—
Security and compliance—SOC 2 Type II, GDPR
Omnichannel inbox—
Human handoff—
AI takes actions
Shopify/ecommerce data—
Live translation—
Help center/portal—
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb
CategoryCustomer SupportCustomer Support
CompanyHelpshiftESW Operations, LLC
Based in—United States
Founded—2001
Part of——
Key features
H Helpshift
- In-game support SDKs for mobile, PC and web
- CARE AI agent for autonomous issue resolution
- Support in 70+ languages with built-in translation
- Console-to-mobile support handoff via QR code
- AI Agent Copilot and smart routing for human agents
- Player segmentation with in-game and push notifications
- Toxicity and harassment detection across chat, Discord and forums
- Community sentiment analysis with natural-language reporting
K Kayako
- AI agent that drafts replies and closes tickets
- Takes actions like refunds and account creation
- Omnichannel inbox for email, chat, social and voice
- No-code routing, assignment and escalation workflows
- Knowledge base with semantic search and help center
- SLA management and support analytics
- Works on top of Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, Salesforce
- SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, SSO/SAML and audit logs
Plans and prices
From each vendor's site. Prices change — confirm before buying.
Helpshift
CustomCustom
Kayako
Kay (AI support agent)$1 per resolved ticket
Kayako OneCustom
Strengths and limitations
Helpshift
- Covers support, engagement, trust & safety and community on one platform
- Multilingual support in over 70 languages
- Human services available alongside the AI and software
- Published case studies from Zynga, Rovio, Gameloft and other studios
- No public pricing; you have to request a quote
- No free plan or trial listed
- Built specifically for games, so it is not aimed at other industries
Kayako
- Kay is billed only for tickets it resolves without a human
- No seat or setup fees for Kay
- Works on top of existing help desks, so no migration is needed
- Lists SOC 2 Type II, GDPR and SSO/SAML support
- Kayako One pricing is only available through sales
- No free trial mentioned
- No public API is described on the site
More comparisons
Other options to consider
II
From $49.50/mo
I
AI customer agent that resolves support, sales and ecommerce conversations
Customer SupportAPI
Z
ZZ
Free trial
F
FHelpdesk ticketing with AI agents and agent copilot for customer service teams
From $19/mo
F
From $19/mo
F
Helpdesk ticketing with AI agents and agent copilot for customer service teams
Customer Support
T
TT
From $24.17/mo
T
AI customer service and live chat that answers questions and drives store sales
Customer SupportAPI
G
GG
From $10/mo
R
RR
From $12/mo
Built from each vendor's public website; we haven't tested them hands-on. Editorial policy