Zammad vs. Kayako

Zammad is often considered a great alternative to Kayako. That's because both systems are similar in their approach and their suite of features. If you're unsure which helpdesk system to pick, we've got you! Check out our detailed comparison of Zammad vs. Kayako to find the answers you're looking for.

Zammad vs. Kayako:
Who is it for?

Much like with Zammad, Kayako's focus is on creating a personal and yet professional service experience for your customers by decluttering your helpdesk and offering a better overview as well as a range of features to increase your productivity. So what's the difference?

Kayako has a clear focus on customer service teams, supplying helpful features for their day-to-day tasks. Zammad, however, is less restricted: We believe that great communication is essential for any business type and size, and any industry - both internally and externally. That's why we have focused not just on customer support teams, but also on IT service desks and solopreneurs.

This is also reflected in our pricing: Zammad starts at just EUR 5 per agent and month (while Kayako can be used from EUR 26), making it affordable for small teams and new businesses, too. Even our smallest plan includes all the features you need to achieve stellar support and maximum efficiency. And it doesn't stop there: You can also self-host Zammad and use it entirely for free. How does that sound to your wallet?

Zammad vs. Kayako:
Feature overview

Zammad was built with teams like yours in mind. Have a look at the features of Zammad compared with Kayako:

Table comparing the features of Kayako and Zammad

I actually know them all: OTRS, Zendesk, Jira, Freshdesk, RequestTracker... we used Kayako for a while, but after the company was bought out, we looked around for an alternative for privacy reasons. That's where Zammad, as an open-source solution, is ideal, of course.

Robert Lemke, Managing Director, Flownative

Why choose Zammad

Zammad is headquartered in the EU, and just like our offices, our servers are based in Germany, too. This ensures high standards in terms of data safety and privacy. What is more, the Zammad software is fully open-source, allowing you to host it on your own servers should you wish to do so. This gives you full control over your system at any time. Learn more about the benefits of an open-source tool.

But it's not just a question of pricing or server location. Instead, adaptability plays an ever-increasing role as well. Here at Zammad, we are not only proud of our experienced team of developers but also of our growing Community, which is made of people who are just as passionate about our helpdesk system as we are. These users devote their spare time to beta tests and bug fixes and are a valuable source of ideas and suggestions. Join our Community to be the first to learn about (and try!) new features and to suggest your ideas for new additions to our software.

Meanwhile, you can already personalize it to a great degree: Use Zammad's strong REST API to connect your preferred third-party systems, and have fun playing around with our branding options. Soon your helpdesk will feel as much as a part of you as your arm!

The Kayako Migration Wizard

Sound promising? If you're currently using Kayako but casting wistful looks at Zammad now, your time has come! As of Zammad version 5.1, a new Kayako migration wizard will make the switch easier than ever before. It allows you to import your existing Kayako data right into a new Zammad instance at the touch of a button, meaning that you can take all your existing files with you and pick up right where you left off. And if you get stuck, we're right here to help. What are you waiting for?

Note: Unfortunately, the Migrator is not available for Kayako Classic, the self-hosted version of the system.

Signup
Together we turn your customers into fans.
Start free trial!
Newsletter
All releases and news directly in your inbox.
Subscribe to the newsletter