Zendesk Suite vs Kayako pricing: which is cheaper for your team?
Kayako's cheapest paid tier (Kay AI Agent) lists at $1/resolved ticket, which beats the other on entry pricing. Mid-tier and enterprise math can flip the answer — use the per-tier table below to see the real cost for your team size at each tier.
Calculate the cost for your team
Zendesk Suite pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suite Team | $69 | $55 | agent/month | Entry omnichannel support suite. |
| Suite Growth | $115 | $89 | agent/month | More automation and self-service. |
| Suite Professional | $149 | $115 | agent/month | Advanced routing, analytics, and collaboration. |
| Suite Enterprise | $219 | $169 | agent/month | Enterprise support controls. |
Kayako pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kay AI Agent | $1 | $1 | per resolved ticket | Pay-per-resolution, no seat or setup fee |
| Kayako One Platform | $1 | $1 | per resolved ticket + custom platform | Unified inbox + ticketing + KB + chat; custom annual contract |
Feature by feature
The non-pricing differences that drive the real decision.
| Capability | Zendesk Suite | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | agent/month | resolved ticket |
| Pricing model | Per-agent support suite pricing | Per-resolution AI agent plus custom-quoted platform |
| Cheapest paid tier | Suite Team at $55/agent/month | Kay AI Agent at $1/per resolved ticket |
| Mid-tier benchmark | Suite Professional at $115/agent/month | Kayako One Platform at $1/per resolved ticket + custom platform |
| Total paid tiers published | 4 | 2 |
| Last verified | 2026-05-16 | 2026-05-17 |
Best for…
Hand-picked use cases mapped to the winner.
| Use case | Winner |
|---|---|
| Lowest entry price (10-person team) | Kayako Kay AI Agent |
| Most pricing tiers (room to grow) | Zendesk Suite (4 tiers) |
| Predictable per-seat billing | Neither (both flat/usage) |
| Most recently verified pricing | Kayako |
Choose Zendesk Suite when
- Zendesk Suite prices by agent and plan.
- Entry tier (Suite Team) at $55/agent/month is your budget ceiling.
- Professional is the best quote-normalization point; Enterprise buyers should model add-ons separately.
Choose Kayako when
- Kayako now anchors pricing on a $1 per resolved ticket AI Agent.
- Entry tier (Kay AI Agent) at $1/per resolved ticket is your budget ceiling.
- Enterprise buyers contract for Kayako One with negotiated resolution caps, SSO, and onboarding bundled.
Switching considerations
Watch the hidden fees on both sides. Zendesk Suite: AI, workforce management, quality assurance, Talk, and messaging usage can add cost. Kayako: Kayako One platform is sales-led so per-seat costs are not public Always confirm with the vendor before purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a 10-person team, Zendesk Suite or Kayako?
At entry tier and 10 seats on annual billing: Zendesk Suite Suite Team comes to $550/mo; Kayako Kay AI Agent comes to $1/mo. Kayako is the cheaper entry-tier choice at this team size.
Does Zendesk Suite have more pricing tiers than Kayako?
Zendesk Suite publishes more paid tiers (4 vs 2). More tiers usually means more granular ways to grow without re-platforming.
Which pricing was verified more recently?
Zendesk Suite's pricing was last verified 2026-05-16; Kayako's on 2026-05-17. Both pages link to the vendor's official pricing source so you can re-check before committing.