# Kayako Alternative: Flat-Price AI Support From $39 · Communicate > Honest Communicate vs Kayako comparison: 3,000 AI replies for $39 a month vs $1 per resolved ticket. Where Kayako wins, too. - **URL:** https://communicate.so/alternatives/kayako --- Kayako alternative # The Kayako alternative where AI does not cost $1 a ticket. Kayako’s AI agent, Kay, costs $1 for each ticket it resolves, and the full help desk is priced through sales. Communicate Starter is $39 a month for 3 teammates and 3,000 AI replies. Try it for a one-time $1. [Start with 100 credits](https://app.communicate.so)[Book Demo](https://cal.com/team/tinycheque/communicate) One-time $1 activation · 100 credits included · No automatic subscription Starter3,000 3,000 AI replies for $39. Kayako: $1 per resolution. AI costActionsHandoff Pause autoplay Your help center. Your inbox. Your team. [Compare Communicate and Kayako row by row](#compare) Communicate vs Kayako ## Every row, at monthly list price. Kayako wins on paying only for full resolutions, an AI that processes refunds and creates accounts, ticketing, a knowledge base, and white-glove onboarding. Communicate wins on a flat public price and In-App Messages. All of it is below. ### How you try it Communicate$1 once: 100 credits that never expire, nothing renews KayakoTalk to sales ### AI cost Communicate3,000 AI replies on Starter, $39 Kayako$1 per resolved ticket ### Escalated chats CommunicateAI replies before handoff use credits KayakoNo charge ### Help desk price CommunicatePublic: $19, $39, $99 KayakoKayako One: contact sales ### Ticketing and knowledge base CommunicateZendesk integration coming soon; no knowledge base KayakoIncluded in Kayako One ### Agent takes actions CommunicateLookups, forms, and your API, with approval rules KayakoRefunds, accounts, return labels ### Human takeover and shared inbox CommunicateEvery Plan KayakoUnified inbox ### Messages inside your product CommunicateIn-App Messages on every Plan KayakoNot listed on its pricing page ### API, MCP, and CLI access CommunicateAll three on every Plan KayakoNot listed on its pricing page DecisionCommunicateKayako How you try it$1 once: 100 credits that never expire, nothing renewsTalk to sales AI cost3,000 AI replies on Starter, $39$1 per resolved ticket Escalated chatsAI replies before handoff use creditsNo charge Help desk pricePublic: $19, $39, $99Kayako One: contact sales Ticketing and knowledge baseZendesk integration coming soon; no knowledge baseIncluded in Kayako One Agent takes actionsLookups, forms, and your API, with approval rulesRefunds, accounts, return labels Human takeover and shared inboxEvery PlanUnified inbox Messages inside your productIn-App Messages on every PlanNot listed on its pricing page API, MCP, and CLI accessAll three on every PlanNot listed on its pricing page Kayako figures come from kayako.com/pricing, checked on 3 October 2026. Kay: $1 per resolved ticket, no seat or setup fees. Kayako One: contact sales. “Not listed” means the pricing page does not show it; check with Kayako if it matters to you. [Start with 100 credits](https://app.communicate.so) Yearly totals, checked ## What resolution pricing costs over a year. List prices from kayako.com/pricing and our Plans, checked on 3 October 2026. We assume 3 AI replies per chat on Communicate. Kayako only charges for full resolutions, so escalated tickets cost nothing there. The Kayako One help desk price is not public and not counted. - 01 · $11,532 a year ### Less at 1,000 resolutions a month Kay: 1,000 at $1 is $1,000/mo, or $12,000 a year. Communicate Starter: $468. - 02 · $4,332 a year ### Less at 400 resolutions a month Kay: $400/mo, or $4,800 a year. Communicate Starter: $468. - 03 · $0 ### For your team’s own replies Teammate replies never use credits on Communicate. What changes ## Kayako charges for each answer. Communicate is a flat monthly price. Kayako is strong when you want a help desk with an AI that takes many actions, and only pay when it resolves. If your volume is steady, compare the bill. - 01 ### Cents, not a dollar Kay costs $1 per resolved ticket. Communicate Starter is about 1.3 cents per AI reply. - 02 ### Inbox with a public price Kayako One is priced through sales. Communicate includes a Shared Inbox with 3 seats for $39. - 03 ### Actions with approval The Agent calls your API to look things up. Risky Actions, like refunds, wait for a person. ++++ Used in production ## Already answering customer questions. - Teams building software - Teams making content - Teams running everyday tools - Autoposting - Vrid - Niyam - FAAD Network - Nimblocity - Pure Digital - QCall - Serri - The Medical Insurance Exchange How it works ## Know your AI bill before the month starts. Setup takes about 5 minutes. Your Kayako widget stays live until you swap the snippet. - 01 Sources Add your help center and policies Point the Agent at the same website, help pages, and files. There is no import from Kayako, so you add each source by hand. Knowledge Connected Help center Ready for answers - Refund policy Ready for answers - Setup guide Ready for answers - 02 Hand off Say when a person should take over Write plain rules for sales, billing, and hard questions. The chat lands in the Shared Inbox, assigned. Handoff rules Saved Sales question Hand off - Billing question Member required - How-to question Agent answers - 03 Compare Ask both the same twenty questions Use questions from your Kayako history. Compare answers and sources, then decide. Preview Grounded Question Can I get a refund? - Source Refund policy - Result Ready to publish ++++Knowledge Connected - Help center Ready for answers - Refund policy Ready for answers - Setup guide Ready for answers Handoff rules Saved - Sales question Hand off - Billing question Member required - How-to question Agent answers Preview Grounded - Question Can I get a refund? - Source Refund policy - Result Ready to publish 01 / 03 Designed for the edge cases ## What you get on every Plan. No add-ons. Plans differ only in credits, seats, and Agents. 01 ### AI Agents with sources 3 Agents on Starter and 10 on Growth, each answering with a citation. Removesa $1 charge for each resolution. 02 ### Shared Inbox and assignment Handed-off chats arrive with the full history. Teammate replies never use credits. Removesa sales call to see the help desk price. 03 ### In-App Messages Show a message inside your product to the right people at the right time. Removesa separate tool for product nudges. 04 ### API, MCP, and CLI Work with Conversations and Agents from your code, an AI assistant, or the terminal. Removesthe dashboard as the only way in. ++++ AI Agents with sources Shared Inbox and assignment In-App Messages API, MCP, and CLI Every feature here runsthrough the same Agent. ## Ask how Communicate compares to Kayako. This page runs on Communicate. Type a question below and the assistant on this page answers it. Where is my order #4821? It left the warehouse on Tuesday. Tracking says it arrives Thursday.From: Shipping times That helped Choose what it can read - Help center articles - Refund policy PDF - Past support replies - Product pages Tasks it may run Check order status Update a delivery address Issue a refund Refunds wait for a teammate to approve. Sam joined the chat Handed over with the full thread S Reply style FriendlyFormalShort Drop a help PDF anywhere Answered from your help pages Question askedTeammate if needed Ask our support assistant a question FAQ ## What Kayako users ask before they switch. Including the cases where Kayako is the better fit. ### 01What does Kayako cost for 1,000 resolutions? ### 02Does Communicate charge per resolution? ### 03Can Communicate process refunds? ### 04Can I use Communicate next to Kayako? ### 05Is my data safe? ### 06When is Kayako the better choice? READY WHEN YOU ARE ## AI support at a flat price. Open the Workspace for $1, add your pages, and count what the AI answers alone. [Start with 100 credits](https://app.communicate.so)[Or book a demo](https://cal.com/team/tinycheque/communicate)[Back to the top](#home) One-time $1 activation · Grounded answers · Human takeover · Cancel anytime