Help Scout vs Kayako
Help Scout vs Kayako, compared side by side on 17 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Help Scout is on 63/100 and Kayako on 34/100.
Where each one leads
Help Scout
- our overall score: 63/100 against 34/100
- headcount: 292 against 62
- LinkedIn following: 33,590 against 6,661
Kayako
Leads on none of the measures we hold for both companies.
At a glance
| Measure | Help Scout | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Customer support platform blending AI and human tools for scalable, personalized customer interactions. | Customer service and help desk software unifying communication channels for businesses. |
| Category | Customer Support Software, Help Desk Software, Knowledge Base Software, Live Chat Software | Customer Support Software, Help Desk Software, CRM Software, Live Chat Software |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2B | B2B |
| Offering | Software | Software |
| Founded | 2011 | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Boston, United States | London, United Kingdom |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Help Scout | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 292 | 62 |
| Headcount growthLast 12 months | +8.2% | Not published |
| Total funding | $51.8M | Not published |
| Latest round | Series B1 | Not published |
| LinkedIn followers | 33,590 | 6,661 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Help Scout | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 63/100 | 34/100 |
| Traction | 59/100 | 18/100 |
| Team | 70/100 | 60/100 |
| Search visibility | 39/100 | 28/100 |
| Quality | 68/100 | Not published |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | D (43/100) | F (39/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 87/100 | 82/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Help Scout | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Vercel | Not detected |
| CDN | Vercel | Cloudflare |
| CMS | Ghost | WordPress |
| Frameworks | Not detected | Tailwind CSS, Bootstrap |
| Analytics | Not detected | Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, Mixpanel |
| Support stack | Not detected | HubSpot |
Help Scout vs Kayako: common questions
Which is better, Help Scout or Kayako?
On our 0-100 score Help Scout rates higher (63/100 against 34/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 17 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Help Scout and Kayako compare on the numbers?
Help Scout leads on our overall score (63/100 against 34/100), headcount (292 against 62), LinkedIn following (33,590 against 6,661).
Read the full Help Scout review and pricing or the Kayako review and pricing. You can also browse other Help Scout alternatives we track.