Hiver
Hiver is a multi-channel customer service platform that transforms your Gmail interface into a collaborative help desk for managing shared inboxes, live chat, and voice support without leaving your email.
Kado
Kado is a relationship management tool that transforms your Outlook or Gmail inbox into a searchable database to help you track interactions and manage contacts effortlessly.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Hiver | Kado |
|---|---|---|
| Website | hiverhq.com | kado.email |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starting Price | $15/month | $15/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 7 days free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2011 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, USA | London, UK |
Overview
Hiver
Hiver transforms your existing Gmail interface into a powerful customer service hub. Instead of jumping between different tools, you can manage shared inboxes like support@ or info@ directly from the email environment you already know. You can assign emails to team members with one click, track status in real-time, and write internal notes on email threads to collaborate behind the scenes without forwarding messages to colleagues.
Beyond just email, you can handle live chat, WhatsApp messages, and even voice calls from the same sidebar. It eliminates the need for complex help desk training because it lives right inside Gmail. You can also automate repetitive tasks, build custom reports to track team performance, and ensure no customer query ever falls through the cracks. It is ideal for teams that want professional support capabilities without the steep learning curve of traditional software.
Kado
Kado is a relationship management tool designed to sit directly inside your existing workflow. Instead of manually entering data into a complex CRM, you can capture contact information and interaction history automatically from your Gmail or Outlook inbox. It helps you stay on top of your professional network by surfacing forgotten connections and organizing your communication history without the administrative overhead of traditional platforms.
You can use Kado to build a searchable knowledge base of your team's interactions, making it ideal for small teams, recruiters, and consultants who live in their email. It solves the problem of 'lost' contacts and siloed information by creating a unified view of who you know and when you last spoke. Whether you are managing a sales pipeline or just keeping track of a growing network, it ensures no relationship falls through the cracks.
Overview
Hiver Features
- Shared Inboxes Manage group aliases like support and sales directly from Gmail while keeping track of who is working on what.
- Email Notes Collaborate with your teammates through private notes on email threads instead of using messy forwards or external chat apps.
- Collision Detection See in real-time when another team member is replying to an email so you never send duplicate responses.
- Automated Workflows Set up rules to automatically assign emails based on keywords or sender, saving you hours of manual sorting every week.
- Multi-Channel Support Handle live chat, WhatsApp, and voice calls from a single sidebar without ever leaving your Gmail browser tab.
- Visual Analytics Track key metrics like first response time and resolution rate with built-in dashboards to improve your team performance.
- Email Templates Create and share canned responses with your team to answer common customer questions instantly and maintain a consistent voice.
- Customer Surveys Insert feedback surveys directly into your email signatures to measure customer satisfaction immediately after you resolve an issue.
Kado Features
- Automatic Contact Capture. Build your database automatically as Kado extracts contact details and social profiles directly from your incoming and outgoing emails.
- Interaction History. View a complete timeline of every email and meeting you've had with a contact so you always have full context.
- Relationship Intelligence. Identify which relationships are cooling off with automated reminders that prompt you to reach out at the right time.
- Centralized Search. Find anyone in your network instantly using powerful filters for company, job title, or specific keywords found in your correspondence.
- Team Collaboration. Share contact notes and interaction history with your colleagues to prevent overlapping outreach and stay aligned on key accounts.
- Email Integration. Manage your entire network without leaving your inbox through native extensions for both Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
Pricing Comparison
Hiver Pricing
- Up to 10 users
- 2 Shared Inboxes
- Shared Labels
- Email Notes
- Collision Detection
- Slack Integration
- Everything in Lite, plus:
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited Shared Inboxes
- WhatsApp & Chat channels
- Automations
- Detailed Analytics
- CSAT Surveys
Kado Pricing
- Unlimited contact storage
- Full interaction history
- Gmail & Outlook integration
- Social profile enrichment
- Advanced search filters
- Everything in Pro, plus:
- Team-wide contact sharing
- Shared interaction timelines
- Administrative controls
- Priority email support
Pros & Cons
Hiver
Pros
- Zero learning curve since it works entirely inside Gmail
- Eliminates duplicate replies with effective collision detection
- Internal notes keep team communication organized and private
- Setup is extremely fast compared to traditional help desks
Cons
- Requires a Google Workspace account to function
- Mobile app experience is more limited than desktop
- Can feel cluttered if managing many shared inboxes
- No forever-free tier for very small startups
Kado
Pros
- Eliminates manual data entry by syncing with your inbox
- Very low learning curve for Gmail and Outlook users
- Surfaces social media profiles automatically for your contacts
- Lightweight alternative to bulky enterprise CRM systems
Cons
- Limited advanced sales automation compared to major CRMs
- Requires consistent email usage to be truly effective
- Mobile experience is primarily through the email client