KayakovsSolarWinds Service Desk
Unbiased side-by-side comparison of verified reviews, user ratings, features, and pros/cons to help you decide which software fits your business needs.
Quick answer: Kayako vs SolarWinds Service Desk
In our 2026 comparison of Kayako and SolarWinds Service Desk, SolarWinds Service Desk comes out ahead overall (weighted score 87% vs 72% for Kayako). Kayako is rated 4.5/5 from 5 user reviews; SolarWinds Service Desk is rated 4.5/5 from 4 user reviews. Kayako starts at $15/month; SolarWinds Service Desk starts at $39/month with a free trial.
Last updated
| At a glance | Kayako | SolarWinds Service Desk |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Help Desk & Ticketing | Help Desk & Ticketing |
| User rating | 4.5/5 (5 reviews) | 4.5/5 (4 reviews) |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $39/mo |
| Free trial | Not listed | Yes |
| Listed features | — | 19 |
| Integrations | 24 | 6 |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Ease of use | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Customer support | 4.8/5 | 5.0/5 |
Kayako
Starting Price
Starting at $15.00/month
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Automated responses reduce repetitive work and speed up ticket handling.
- Easy ticket assignment and smooth handoffs between departments.
- Internal notes make team collaboration and follow-ups much easier.
Cons
- Reporting tools lack flexibility when creating customized reports and analytics.
- Some users experience slow ticket loading and occasional interface issues.
- Initial setup and advanced administration can take time to learn.
SolarWinds Service Desk
Starting Price
Essentials plan starts at $39 per technician/month billed annually; Advanced and Premier plans available; free trial offered.
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Easy deployment
- Comprehensive asset management
- Good automation
Cons
- Customization limitations in some modules
- Reporting can require setup
- Advanced features cost more
Product Overview
What each platform does and who it's for
Primary Category
The main classification for each product
Editorial Quality Rating
Independent expert panel ratings and quality validations
Kayako
Expert Score
SolarWinds Service Desk
Expert Score
Integration Ecosystem
Compare supported third-party apps and services
Kayako Integrations
SolarWinds Service Desk Integrations
Platform Support
Supported platforms across each product
Kayako
SolarWinds Service Desk
Sentiment & Feedback
Real-world pros and cons from verified users
Kayako Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Automated responses reduce repetitive work and speed up ticket handling.
- Easy ticket assignment and smooth handoffs between departments.
- Internal notes make team collaboration and follow-ups much easier.
- Keeps customer conversations organized in one central support inbox.
- Self-service portal helps customers find answers without contacting agents.
- Reporting tools lack flexibility when creating customized reports and analytics.
- Some users experience slow ticket loading and occasional interface issues.
- Initial setup and advanced administration can take time to learn.
SolarWinds Service Desk Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Easy deployment
- Comprehensive asset management
- Good automation
- Strong ITSM capabilities
- Customization limitations in some modules
- Reporting can require setup
- Advanced features cost more
Feature Comparison
Detailed side-by-side capability checklist
Kayako
0/18 features
- Asset Tracking
- Automation
- Change Management
- Incident Management
- Service catalog
- AI-powered customer support automation
- CMDB
- Canned Responses
- Customer support
- Knowledge base
- Omni-channel Support (Email, Chat, Phone)
- Omni-channel Ticketing System
- Problem management
- SLA tracking
- Ticketing System
- Digital asset management
- Reporting
- Agent collaboration
SolarWinds Service Desk
18/18 features
- Asset Tracking
- Automation
- Change Management
- Incident Management
- Service catalog
- AI-powered customer support automation
- CMDB
- Canned Responses
- Customer support
- Knowledge base
- Omni-channel Support (Email, Chat, Phone)
- Omni-channel Ticketing System
- Problem management
- SLA tracking
- Ticketing System
- Digital asset management
- Reporting
- Agent collaboration
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Pricing & Plans
Compare plans, features, and starting points side-by-side
Kayako Pricing
SUBSCRIPTIONSolarWinds Service Desk Pricing
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Community Intelligence
Real-time crowdsourced comparison feedback and buyer signals.
Community Matchup Voting
Real-time crowdsourced buyer signals
Community vs. Editorial Alignment
Agreement between algorithmic rating & user voting
SolarWinds Service Desk
Calculated by features, pricing, support & ratings.
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Head-to-Head Winner Analysis
Data-backed performance comparisons across pricing, features, usability, and support
Matchup Scoreboard
At-a-glance scorecard results
Weighted Overall Scorecard
Normalized composite performance scores
Smart Recommendation Matrix
Head-to-head decision matrix based on your business workflow
- Budget-conscious teams seeking competitive entry pricing ($15/mo)
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
- Teams needing broad multi-platform accessibility across desktop, mobile, and web
Kayako
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Kayako is a runner-up with a composite score of 72%.
Pricing: $15/mo (No Free Trial), a less accessible entry point than the leader.
Offers 0 features (fewer than the category leader).
Strong usability with a user rating of 4.4/5 stars.
Reliable support with a user rating of 4.8/5 stars.
Available on 1 Platform: Web, fewer than the leader.
SolarWinds Service Desk
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
SolarWinds Service Desk wins overall with a weighted score of 87% based on user rating, pricing, features, usability, and support.
SolarWinds Service Desk has the most accessible pricing ($39/mo (Free Trial)).
SolarWinds Service Desk lists the most features (19 features).
Strong usability with a user rating of 4.5/5 stars.
Reliable support with a user rating of 5.0/5 stars.
Widest platform availability (5 Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS +1 more).
Final Verdict:SolarWinds Service Desk
SolarWinds Service Desk scores higher across 2 of 11 key dimensions with a 15-point lead in our weighted analysis.
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Frequently asked questions: Kayako vs SolarWinds Service Desk
Which is better: Kayako or SolarWinds Service Desk?
SolarWinds Service Desk scores higher across 2 of 11 key dimensions with a 15-point lead in our weighted analysis. The best choice still depends on your team's workflow, budget and required integrations — use the side-by-side sections above to check the details that matter to you.
How do users rate Kayako and SolarWinds Service Desk?
Kayako is rated 4.5/5 from 5 user reviews. SolarWinds Service Desk is rated 4.5/5 from 4 user reviews. Ratings come from approved user reviews on SoftwareHope.
How much do Kayako and SolarWinds Service Desk cost?
Kayako starts at $15/month. SolarWinds Service Desk starts at $39/month with a free trial. Kayako has the lower entry price. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site, as plans change.
Do Kayako and SolarWinds Service Desk offer a free plan or free trial?
Kayako does not list a free plan or trial; SolarWinds Service Desk offers a free trial.
Which platforms do Kayako and SolarWinds Service Desk support?
Kayako supports Web; SolarWinds Service Desk supports Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Which is easier to use, Kayako or SolarWinds Service Desk?
Kayako has an ease-of-use rating of 4.4/5, SolarWinds Service Desk has an ease-of-use rating of 4.5/5. The difference is small, so both are similarly easy to adopt.
Most Helpful Reviews
Community-voted helpful feedback from verified users
Kayako provides a straightforward, dependable solution that integrated smoothly into our operational stack. Uptime is consistent and user adoption across the team was immediate.
We have been using Kayako across our departments and appreciate the simplicity and stability of the system. It handles core workflows without unnecessary bloat.
The platform has streamlined our daily operations, providing reliable tools and responsive support. Configuration was quick and the feature set aligns well with our requirements.
A well-built tool that delivers consistent value. The interface is clean, performance is snappy, and our operational workflows run smoothly.
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