Kayako vs Zendesk
Help Desk/Support pricing comparison · 2026
Kayako pricing ranges from $1–$10000/resolution, while Zendesk ranges from $19–$169/agent/month. Zendesk is typically 83% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
K
Kayako
Kayako pivoted in 2025-2026 from traditional per-agent help desk pricing to a fully AI-res
verified 9w ago
View pricing →
Zendesk
Zendesk is the world's leading customer service software platform, serving over 160,000 bu
verified 11w ago
View pricing →
Estimated license cost
at 25 seats
List price × seats. Click a tier below to lock it.
Pricing model unknown
Pricing model unknown
no public list price found
Suite Team
$17K/yr
year 1 license · $55/seat
What buyers actually pay
median, annual
Vendr deal-flow data. The real benchmark, not list price.
No Vendr data
—
Not in Vendr's deal flow
Median annual
$48K/yr
Vendr · n=1,035
avg 15% negotiated
REF · 01
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Where this data comes from
Vendr · TrustRadius · Reddit · BBB · official docs
Sources
8 sourced facts
4 hidden-cost · 1 contract · 3 review platforms
Last verified
2mo ago
Confidence
Limited confidence
Sources
23 sourced facts
17 hidden-cost · 3 contract · Vendr median · 2 review platforms
Last verified
2mo ago
Confidence
High confidence
REF · 02
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Tier ladder
Click a tier to lock the cost row to it. Locking surfaces a tier-specific Visit CTA.
REF · 04
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
Kayako
Zendesk
Auto-renewal
Yes
Yes
Cancellation
at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the current term
30 days before renewal
Commitment
30 days or 1 year
1 year typical
Price escalation
200%, 600%
5-9% annual uplift standard, with increases up to 15% reported. July 2023 pricing increase instituted, Zendesk stated current customers wouldn't see more than 7% increase for that year.
Can downgrade
—
No
REF · 05
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
User reviews
TrustRadius · Trustpilot · G2
Decide
Get a quote from each vendor
Each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
License cost is computed from publicly listed plans (real math, list price × seats).
Median annual cost is from Vendr's deal flow when available — see source badges.
Hidden costs and contract terms each cite their own sources. We do not invent composite scores.
VS
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Kayako | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Kayako One | Custom | $19 /agent/month |
| Suite Team | — | $55 /agent/month |
| Suite Professional | — | $115 /agent/month |
| Suite Enterprise | — | $169 /agent/month |
Contract Terms
| Term | Kayako | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the current term | 30 days before renewal |
| Minimum commitment | 30 days or 1 year | 1 year typical |
| Price escalation | 200%, 600% | 5-9% annual uplift standard, with increases up to 15% reported. July 2023 pricing increase instituted, Zendesk stated current customers wouldn't see more than 7% increase for that year. |
| Can downgrade | — | No |