Actively maintained helpdesk with modern AI
Kayako is an established helpdesk with a long history. Chatwoot is actively maintained with frequent releases, a growing community, modern AI capabilities, and 12+ channels on every paid plan.
- Actively maintained with weekly releases and a transparent roadmap
- 12+ channels including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram
- Captain AI copilot for reply drafting and conversation summaries
- Modern stack: Ruby on Rails and Vue.js
- Open source with self-hosting, so there's no vendor lock-in risk
At a glance
Active development
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Kayako
- No
AI copilot
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Kayako
- No
Modern tech stack
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Kayako
- No
Self-hosted option
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Kayako
- Yes
Open source
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Kayako
- No
Feature comparison
See how Chatwoot and Kayako compare across key features.
| Feature | Chatwoot | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging Channels | ||
| Website live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | No | |
| Instagram DMs | Yes | No |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | Yes |
| Telegram | Yes | No |
| LINE | Yes | No |
| SMS | Yes | No |
| TikTok DMs | Yes | No |
| API channel | Yes | Yes |
| AI & Automation | ||
| AI copilot for agents | Yes | No |
| AI-powered replies | Yes | No |
| Chatbots / bot builder | Yes | No |
| Automation rules | Yes | Yes |
| Canned responses | Yes | Yes |
| SLA management | Yes | Yes |
| Team Collaboration | ||
| Shared inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Private notes | Yes | Yes |
| Team assignments | Yes | Yes |
| Agent collision detection | Yes | No |
| Labels and tags | Yes | Yes |
| Contact segments | Yes | No |
| Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Conversation reports | Yes | Yes |
| Agent performance reports | Yes | Yes |
| CSAT reports | Yes | Yes |
| Live dashboard | Yes | No |
| Team reports | Yes | No |
| Custom report filters | Yes | No |
| Deployment & Security | ||
| Cloud hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted option | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source code | Yes | No |
| SSO / SAML | Yes | No |
| Audit logs | Yes | No |
| Custom data retention | Yes | No |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
Why teams switch from Kayako
Common pain points that lead teams to explore alternatives.
Stagnant development
Kayako has seen minimal updates in recent years. Chatwoot ships weekly releases with an open roadmap and community contributions.
Limited channel support
Kayako covers email and live chat but lacks WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, and other modern channels. Chatwoot includes 12+ channels on every paid plan.
No AI capabilities
Kayako has no AI copilot or automation intelligence. Chatwoot's Captain AI drafts replies, detects intent, and summarizes conversations.
Vendor lock-in risk
With any closed-source platform, your data and workflows depend on the vendor's roadmap. Chatwoot is open source, so you always have access to your code and data.
How Chatwoot is different
What makes Chatwoot the right choice over Kayako.
12+ messaging channels
WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, email, live chat, TikTok, LINE, SMS, and more. All included on every paid plan.
Captain AI copilot
Captain helps agents draft replies faster, flags customer intent, and recaps long threads. Included on paid plans.
Modern tech stack
Built on Ruby on Rails and Vue.js with a modern REST API. Easy to extend, integrate, and customize.
Transparent per-agent pricing
Free plan for small teams, paid plans from $19/agent/mo. No hidden fees, no conversation limits.
Actively maintained open source
37k+ GitHub stars, weekly releases, and a transparent public roadmap. Community-driven development ensures longevity.
Self-hosting flexibility
Docker, Helm charts, and one-click cloud deployments. Host on your infrastructure for data sovereignty.
Common questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about switching from Kayako to Chatwoot.
Is Kayako still actively maintained?
Kayako has seen limited updates and its long-term roadmap is unclear. If you're evaluating helpdesk tools, Chatwoot offers active weekly releases, open-source code, and a growing community.
Can I migrate from Kayako to Chatwoot?
Yes. Chatwoot's API supports importing conversations, contacts, and historical data. The migration path depends on your Kayako version and data format.
Does Chatwoot have Kayako's journey mapping feature?
Chatwoot tracks customer context through contact profiles, conversation history, custom attributes, and activity timelines. While not identical to Kayako's journey view, it provides rich context for agents.
How does Chatwoot compare to Kayako for self-hosting?
Both offer self-hosting, but Chatwoot is fully open source with modern Docker and Kubernetes deployments. Kayako's self-hosted version uses an older codebase.
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Switching from Kayako?
Try Chatwoot free and see the difference. Our team can help you migrate your data and get set up.