KayakovsZammad
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 Zammad
In our 2026 comparison of Kayako and Zammad, Zammad comes out ahead overall (weighted score 87% vs 72% for Kayako). Kayako is rated 4.5/5 from 5 user reviews; Zammad is rated 4.5/5 from 4 user reviews. Kayako starts at $15/month; Zammad has a free plan.
Last updated
| At a glance | Kayako | Zammad |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Help Desk & Ticketing | Help Desk & Ticketing |
| User rating | 4.5/5 (5 reviews) | 4.5/5 (4 reviews) |
| Starting price | $15/mo | Free plan |
| Free trial | Not listed | Yes |
| Listed features | — | 19 |
| Integrations | 24 | 6 |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 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.
Zammad
Starting Price
Free open-source self-hosted edition available; cloud-hosted plans start at approximately $5 per agent/month; enterprise support available.
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Open-source flexibility
- Strong omnichannel support
- Affordable cloud plans
Cons
- Smaller ecosystem than enterprise vendors
- Advanced customizations require technical expertise
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
Zammad
Expert Score
Integration Ecosystem
Compare supported third-party apps and services
Kayako Integrations
Zammad Integrations
Platform Support
Supported platforms across each product
Kayako
Zammad
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.
Zammad Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Open-source flexibility
- Strong omnichannel support
- Affordable cloud plans
- Modern interface
- Smaller ecosystem than enterprise vendors
- Advanced customizations require technical expertise
Feature Comparison
Detailed side-by-side capability checklist
Kayako
0/19 features
- Automation
- Customizable
- Open-source
- Social media integration
- Customer Management
- AI-powered customer support automation
- Canned Responses
- Customer support
- Knowledge base
- Live Chat
- Omni-channel Support (Email, Chat, Phone)
- Omni-channel Ticketing System
- Omnichannel Support
- Role permissions
- SLA Management
- Ticketing
- Ticketing System
- Reporting
- Agent collaboration
Zammad
19/19 features
- Automation
- Customizable
- Open-source
- Social media integration
- Customer Management
- AI-powered customer support automation
- Canned Responses
- Customer support
- Knowledge base
- Live Chat
- Omni-channel Support (Email, Chat, Phone)
- Omni-channel Ticketing System
- Omnichannel Support
- Role permissions
- SLA Management
- Ticketing
- Ticketing System
- Reporting
- Agent collaboration
Login to see the complete feature comparison
Free account — takes 10 seconds
No credit card required. Create account
Pricing & Plans
Compare plans, features, and starting points side-by-side
Kayako Pricing
SUBSCRIPTIONZammad Pricing
Open SourceLogin to see detailed pricing plans & tiers
Free account — takes 10 seconds
No credit card required. Create account
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
Zammad
Calculated by features, pricing, support & ratings.
Awaiting Votes
Cast your vote above to update results.
Which software did you choose?
Share your decision anonymously with the community
Promote to Kayako vs Zammad Buyers
Capture high-intent Help Desk & Ticketing evaluators
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
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
- Teams seeking a zero-cost or freemium entry tier for Zammad
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
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.
Zammad
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Zammad wins overall with a weighted score of 87% based on user rating, pricing, features, usability, and support.
Zammad has the most accessible pricing ($5/mo (Free Trial)).
Zammad 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 (6 Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux +2 more).
Final Verdict:Zammad
Zammad scores higher across 2 of 11 key dimensions with a 15-point lead in our weighted analysis.
Promote Your Software to Help Desk & Ticketing Decision Makers
Frequently asked questions: Kayako vs Zammad
Which is better: Kayako or Zammad?
Zammad 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 Zammad?
Kayako is rated 4.5/5 from 5 user reviews. Zammad is rated 4.5/5 from 4 user reviews. Ratings come from approved user reviews on SoftwareHope.
How much do Kayako and Zammad cost?
Kayako starts at $15/month. Zammad has a free plan. Zammad has the lower entry price. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site, as plans change.
Do Kayako and Zammad offer a free plan or free trial?
Kayako does not list a free plan or trial; Zammad offers a free plan and a free trial.
Which platforms do Kayako and Zammad support?
Kayako supports Web; Zammad supports Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Which is easier to use, Kayako or Zammad?
Kayako has an ease-of-use rating of 4.4/5, Zammad 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.
Login to read full user reviews
Free account — takes 10 seconds
No credit card required. Create account
Trending Software
Calculated via real engagement & conversions
Best Alternatives in Help Desk & Ticketing
Other highly-rated software you might want to consider
