HubSpot Service Hub vs Kayako
HubSpot Service Hub and Kayako, side by side across AI, pricing, channels, security, and seven more categories. We pull every figure from public sources and don’t pick a winner.
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HubSpot Service Hub
AI-powered omnichannel customer service platform for scaling support and retention.
Best for Growing SMB to mid-market teams wanting unified CRM and service without a separate helpdesk.
2006 · Cambridge, MA, USA.
Kayako
AI-first support platform. Kay AI agent positioned as an autonomous resolver, tagline "Scale Support Not Headcount."
Best for Mid-market to enterprise (retail/ecommerce, SaaS, financial services, healthcare) wanting managed, expert-led AI.
2001 (Jalandhar, India, by Varun Shoor). · London, UK (plus Gurgaon and Singapore).
Claimed: from the vendor, not independently verified.
3rd-party: sourced elsewhere, not on the vendor's site.
Everything else: from the vendor's own pages and verifiable.
Pricing
List prices, seat rules, trials, and pricing transparency.
- Pricing model
- HubSpot Service HubPer seat/mo (annual commitment for Pro and Enterprise).(3rd-party)source
- KayakoHybrid: flat platform fee (Kayako One) plus $1 per AI-resolved ticket.
- Free plan
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Contact management, basic ticketing, team email, live chat (with HubSpot branding).
- KayakoNot offered
- Free trial / guarantee
- HubSpot Service Hub14 days for paid tiers; Customer Agent 28-day trial.
- Kayako90-day AI Agent Pilot with refund guarantee; 14-day trial also cited.(3rd-party)source
- Price
- HubSpot Service HubStarter $15/seat/mo (monthly); promo ~$9 noted. · Professional $100/seat/mo (annual required). · Enterprise $150/seat/mo (annual required).(3rd-party)source
- Kayako$79/mo flat (Kayako One). · Single platform tier. · Enterprise/custom via sales.(3rd-party)source
- Seat minimum
- HubSpot Service HubEnterprise 10 seats minimum; none disclosed for Starter and Pro.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoNone stated (legacy Cloud 5, On-Prem 10).(3rd-party)source
- Unlimited agents
- HubSpot Service HubNo. Priced per seat.
- KayakoKayako One flat fee implies unlimited agents, though not stated explicitly.(claimed)source
- Implementation fee
- HubSpot Service HubPro $1,500 one-time onboarding (mandatory unless via partner); Enterprise $3,500.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoWhite-glove onboarding included.
- Transparency
- HubSpot Service HubPricing page did not render full content; third-party sources are consistent.
- KayakoLow. No plan prices listed publicly; directs to Talk to an Expert. The $1/resolution rate is the only public figure.
Channels
Where each tool can talk to customers.
- HubSpot Service HubNative
- KayakoNative
- Live chat
- HubSpot Service HubNative
- KayakoNative
- Voice
- HubSpot Service HubNative (browser VoIP via Twilio; limited IVR, advanced needs integration).(3rd-party)source
- KayakoListed as a channel (native voice is contested).
- SMS
- HubSpot Service HubAdd-on (native SMS paid add-on; Service teams via Sakari and others).
- KayakoListed as a channel (native SMS is contested).
- HubSpot Service HubNative (Pro and Enterprise; Meta verification).
- KayakoNative (unified inbox).(claimed)source
- Social
- HubSpot Service HubVia integration (Facebook Messenger native; others via apps).
- KayakoNative. X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn.(claimed)source
Voice & Telephony
Native voice vs telephony integrations.
- Native vs via integration
- HubSpot Service HubNative browser VoIP (Twilio); lacks advanced IVR and routing natively. Most add Aircall, Dialpad, or CloudTalk.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoVoice channel listed; native voice/IVR is contested (Twilio suggested as an alternative).
- Voice AI / transcription
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Auto transcription, AI call summaries, and sentiment, native.(claimed)source
- KayakoNot disclosed
- Telephony billed separately
- HubSpot Service HubNative minutes limited by tier; advanced telephony integrations billed by vendor.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoNot disclosed
AI & Automation
Autonomous resolution, agentic actions, models, and how AI is priced.
- Autonomous AI agent
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Breeze Customer Agent resolves inquiries 24/7 and escalates complex ones.(claimed)source
- KayakoYes. Kay triages, drafts, processes refunds, updates shipping, creates users, and closes cases.(claimed)source
- Copilot / Assist mode
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Breeze Copilot does reply drafts, summaries, KB suggestions, and call analysis on all tiers.(claimed)source
- KayakoYes. Response suggestions, sentiment coaching, auto-translation, duplicate detection, field autofill.(claimed)source
- Claimed automation rate
- HubSpot Service HubUp to 70% of conversations resolved automatically.(claimed)source
- Kayako80%+ of repetitive tickets resolved within 90 days; 68% AI resolution rate.(claimed)source
- AI channel coverage
- HubSpot Service HubEmail and live chat (Customer Agent). WhatsApp, SMS, and voice not confirmed as autonomous.(claimed)source
- KayakoEmail, chat, voice, social (X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp), SMS.(claimed)source
- Agentic actions (API) vs answer-only
- HubSpot Service HubNot disclosed. Breeze handles answering and routing; outbound API actions (e.g. refunds) not documented.
- KayakoActions via API. Refunds, shipping updates, and user creation through external APIs.(claimed)source
- Knowledge sources
- HubSpot Service HubCRM data, KB articles, closed ticket history, conversations, and web data.
- KayakoKnowledge base, ticket history and resolution data, company docs, customer profile data.(claimed)source
- Underlying model
- HubSpot Service HubMultiple third-party LLMs (OpenAI GPT, Anthropic Claude); not named on HubSpot's own pages.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoNot disclosed
- Trains on past tickets
- HubSpot Service HubKB Agent generates drafts from resolved tickets. Providers contractually barred from training on customer data.
- KayakoYes. Continuous Learning trains on resolved tickets.(claimed)source
- Pre-deploy simulation / sandbox
- HubSpot Service HubNot disclosed
- KayakoNo named simulation mode. No-code builder tests rules against historical data.
- Multilingual
- HubSpot Service HubYes. KB in dozens of languages; Breeze UI in 6 languages.(claimed)source
- KayakoYes. Multi-language with auto-translation.(claimed)source
- Runs on your existing helpdesk vs native-only
- HubSpot Service HubNative only. Runs in HubSpot Service Hub.
- KayakoBoth. Kay can layer onto Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, or Kayako's own helpdesk.(claimed)source
- AI pricing model
- HubSpot Service HubOutcome-based credits (Apr 2026): 50 credits per resolved conversation ($0.50). Copilot free on all tiers. Monthly credits per tier; overage $0.01/credit.
- KayakoPer resolved ticket (counts only when Kay solves without a human).
- AI unit price
- HubSpot Service Hub$0.50 per resolved conversation. Customer Agent on Pro and Enterprise only.
- Kayako$1 per AI-resolved ticket.
- Copilot / Assist price
- HubSpot Service HubFree. Included on all tiers, including Free.(claimed)source
- KayakoBundled into the platform.
How Open.cx compares
Open.cx runs on top of HubSpot Service Hub or Kayakoas an AI layer, or works as its own helpdesk. Here's where it lands on the same questions.
- Runs on your existing helpdesk vs native-only
- Both. Add it on top of the helpdesk you already run, or use it as your own inbox. Works with Zendesk, Intercom, Front, Freshdesk, Gorgias, Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics 365, Twilio Flex, and Creatio.
- Autonomous AI agent
- Yes. Autopilot resolves tickets end to end on its own, across every channel.
- AI pricing model
- Per resolution, so you pay for outcomes. Escalations to a human are free.
- Claimed automation rate
- 77% average automation; up to 80% (Trunkrs)(claimed)source
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data residency, and access controls.
- SOC 2 Type II
- HubSpot Service HubSOC 2 Type II (no NDA); SOC 3 also.
- KayakoAWS infrastructure holds SOC 1/2/3; Kayako does not claim its own SOC 2 certification.
- GDPR
- HubSpot Service HubYes. DPA, deletion, consent tracking, cookie banners.
- KayakoGDPR referenced; certified under EU-US DPF, UK Extension, and Swiss-US DPF.
- HIPAA / PCI
- HubSpot Service HubEnterprise tier only, with signed BAA.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoListed as an evaluation criterion, not a confirmed certification.
- SSO / SAML
- HubSpot Service HubSAML SSO (Okta, Azure AD, OneLogin) and SCIM via Okta. Which tiers include it is unclear.
- KayakoSSO supported; SAML SSO via connectors; 2FA.
- Data residency
- HubSpot Service HubUS (default), EU (Frankfurt), Canada, and Australia; paid plans can migrate.
- KayakoNot disclosed (data may be stored in the EEA, US, or other countries).
Integrations
Marketplace breadth, APIs, and developer tooling.
- Marketplace / integrations (approx.)
- HubSpot Service Hub2,000+ apps.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoNo native marketplace; hundreds via Zapier (Integrately lists 554). Native connectors: Salesforce, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, Shopify, Stripe, Jira, GitHub.
- Shopify depth
- HubSpot Service HubNative data-sync (contacts, companies, products bidirectional; orders Shopify to HubSpot only). Does not natively connect to Service ticket workflows.
- KayakoPre-built connector syncing order and customer data into the SingleView timeline; bi-directional.(claimed)source
- Open / public API
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Public REST API (date-versioned); OAuth and Private App tokens; webhooks.
- KayakoYes. RESTful API plus webhooks (developer.kayako.com).
- Developer SDK / MCP
- HubSpot Service HubOfficial SDKs for Node.js, TypeScript, PHP, and .NET.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoDev docs exist; no dedicated SDK package named.
Automation & Workflows
Builders, triggers, routing, and SLAs.
- Workflow builder
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Visual builder; Pro up to 300 workflows; Enterprise up to 1,000.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoYes. No-code builder: describe rules in natural language, AI drafts them, test on historical data, approval gates.(claimed)source
- Triggers / automations
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Ticket changes, SLA breach, CSAT/NPS, conversation events, forms, and dates.
- KayakoYes. Triggers/monitors with conditions, time-based, and AI-triggered (e.g. sentiment drop escalates).(claimed)source
- Routing
- HubSpot Service HubSmart routing with capacity (Pro+); skill-based (Enterprise); round-robin, territory, and VIP.(claimed)source
- KayakoYes. AI triage auto-classifies and routes; custom SLAs per channel.(claimed)source
- Macros / canned responses
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Support macros and canned responses for live chat.
- KayakoYes. Prewritten responses and macros.(claimed)source
- SLA management
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Conditional SLAs with custom goals (Enterprise); pause/resume; basic SLA at Pro.
- KayakoYes. Custom SLAs per channel; performance across intents, channels, and regions.(claimed)source
Collaboration
How support teams work a queue together.
- Internal notes
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Private comments on tickets.
- KayakoYes. With @mentions.(claimed)source
- Collision detection
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Alerts when two agents are on the same conversation.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoYes. Helps prevent duplicate effort.(claimed)source
- Side conversations
- HubSpot Service HubYes. @Mention teammates in internal notes.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoNo named feature; collaboration with experts/vendors referenced.
- Shared inbox
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Conversations Inbox.
- KayakoYes. Multi-team shared inboxes.(claimed)source
Self-Service & Knowledge
Knowledge base, help center, and deflection.
- Knowledge base
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Pro and Enterprise only; multi-language, SEO, analytics.
- KayakoYes. Semantic search, freshness scoring, content gaps, multilingual.(claimed)source
- Help center
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Customer-facing KB.
- KayakoYes. Public help center in Kayako One.(claimed)source
- Community forum
- HubSpot Service HubNot offered natively.
- KayakoNot offered
- AI answers from knowledge base
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Breeze KB Agent generates drafts from tickets; Customer Agent surfaces articles (Pro and Enterprise).
- KayakoYes. AI drafts KB articles from resolved tickets; AI chat widget; 80%+ deflection claimed.(claimed)source
Reporting & Analytics
Dashboards, custom reports, and CSAT.
- Dashboards
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Pre-built; custom dashboards (Enterprise).
- KayakoYes. Prebuilt dashboards (volume, handle time, FCR, CSAT/NPS, deflection, SLA).(claimed)source
- Custom reports
- HubSpot Service HubYes. Filterable custom reports (Pro+); Enterprise advanced.
- KayakoCustom-report builder not confirmed (legacy product had 100+ reports).
- Included in lowest tier
- HubSpot Service HubFree and Starter: basic ticket reports; advanced at Pro+.
- KayakoPrebuilt reports in the Kayako One base.(claimed)source
- CSAT surveys
- HubSpot Service HubYes. CSAT, NPS, and custom surveys (Pro and Enterprise; not Starter or Free).
- KayakoYes. CSAT tracked (76%-90% in a case study).(claimed)source
Onboarding & Support
Implementation, CSM tiers, and partners.
- Onboarding
- HubSpot Service HubHubSpot Direct Onboarding (coaching, mandatory Pro $1,500 / Enterprise $3,500); partner-led; Advanced Onboarding.
- KayakoWhite-glove, expert-led onboarding included; phased 2-4 week implementation; 90-day AI Pilot with refund guarantee.(claimed)source
- Support channels
- HubSpot Service HubFree and Starter: community, email, chat; Pro and Enterprise add phone.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoHelp center (support.kayako.com), Talk to an Expert, email; reviews note responsiveness gaps.(claimed)source
- Dedicated CSM
- HubSpot Service HubEnterprise (beta) via Premium Support add-on: TAM, 1-hr email SLA.
- KayakoYes. CSM as a single point of contact (appears standard).(claimed)source
- Implementation partners
- HubSpot Service Hub6,000+ Solutions Partners globally.(3rd-party)source
- KayakoNo partner directory; ESW/Trilogy implies internal services only.