# Move from Kayako to Rinhelp

Kayako cases, with their notes and files, and your “Help Center” articles move over the Kayako API, or from a paid MySQL data dump. Ask for archived=1, or every case closed 30 days ago or longer is left out.

| Conversations | Time to read them |
| --- | --- |
| 1,000 | no per-minute limit to time it by |
| 10,000 | no per-minute limit to time it by |

Limit used: no per-minute number (per-minute limits, numbers not published), about 2 per conversation. Rinhelp takes up to 3,000 conversations a minute. Importing is free: it never emails your customers, never runs Rin and never counts toward a plan.

Only the “billing contact” or someone with the “Owner” role can request Kayako’s data dump, and Kayako charges a fee for it. Take what you need before you cancel, since Kayako can delete the instance and deleted data can’t be restored.

## Prompt for a chat app

Kayako has no MCP, and its MySQL dump is a file a chat app can’t open, so read https://rinhelp.com/migrate/kayako.md and use the Kayako API with the sign-in I give you. Bring over my “Help Center” articles first, then a batch of recent cases.

## Prompt for a coding agent

Use https://rinhelp.com/migrate/kayako.md to copy every Kayako case into Rinhelp. Sign in with Basic auth (a staff username and password) or OAuth 2.0, list cases with archived=1 using limit and offset, and read each case’s messages and notes. When Kayako answers 429, wait as long as Retry-After says.

## Words

| Their word | Rinhelp |
| --- | --- |
| Case | Conversation |
| Users | Customer |
| Agent | Teammate |

## What stays behind

- Automations (triggers, monitors)
- SLA
- Reports
- Customer portal theme

## Facts

- Kayako offers two ways out: a full data dump, or the API. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48683-exporting-kayako-data-to-another-customer-support-system (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako’s data dump can be requested only by the account’s billing contact or someone with the “Owner” role. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48683-exporting-kayako-data-to-another-customer-support-system (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako’s full dump includes conversations with attachments and notes, users, and “Help Center” articles with their files. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48683-exporting-kayako-data-to-another-customer-support-system (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako doesn’t support importing its data into another help desk. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48683-exporting-kayako-data-to-another-customer-support-system (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako makes the dump only as a MySQL file, charges a service fee for it, and offers only an up-to-date backup. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48696-requesting-a-data-dump-or-backup-for-your-kayako-instance (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako’s API signs in with the username and password of a staff account (Basic auth), or with OAuth 2.0. Vendor page: https://developer.kayako.com/api/v1/reference/introduction/ (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako’s case list leaves out cases closed 30 days ago or longer unless you add archived=1. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48375-retrieving-all-conversations-or-cases (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako lists 10 cases by default, with limit for more and offset to move on. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48375-retrieving-all-conversations-or-cases (checked 2026-10-31)
- Kayako rate limits some API actions per minute without publishing numbers, and answers 429 with a Retry-After header. Vendor page: https://developer.kayako.com/api/v1/reference/rate_limiting/ (checked 2026-10-31)
- Once Kayako deletes a cancelled instance, the data can’t be restored. Vendor page: https://help.kayako.com/article/48474-ending-subscription-or-account-cancellation (checked 2026-10-31)

## Steps

Import source: `kayako`

Connect Rinhelp's MCP server, https://mcp.rinhelp.com/mcp, then follow https://mcp.rinhelp.com/migrate.md step by step with the facts above.

1. [Connect your AI agent](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/98a0def1-a07d-4c34-9f19-4d168626b40c-connect-your-ai-agent)
2. [Move to Rinhelp with your AI agent](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/5a2a3f45-4e61-4daf-8d23-570a8bfc24a1-move-to-rinhelp-with-your-ai-agent)
3. [Import your help center articles](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/a79b3172-a803-44a2-9236-0ab73d56b051-import-your-help-center-articles)
4. [Keep your old help center links working](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/ba9cf0f3-9740-4c90-9ca5-7a9a0ef0b450-keep-your-old-help-center-links-working)
5. [Import saved replies](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/5d8f8400-2a36-4974-a646-c9f04a41361d-import-saved-replies)
6. [Import past conversations](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/7e85f2b0-336d-4774-850a-826951d9585c-import-past-conversations)
7. [Switch your support email to Rinhelp](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/44c7935d-ccee-409b-83ac-fa4e5f762eb0-switch-your-support-email-to-rinhelp)
8. [Replace your chat widget](https://docs.rinhelp.com/articles/031f9d71-579b-4229-8f50-3eee8e31c277-replace-your-chat-widget)

## Questions

### Where are my older Kayako cases?

Kayako hides cases closed 30 days ago or longer from its list unless the request adds archived=1. The AI agent asks for them, so your closed history comes across too.

### Should I buy Kayako’s data dump?

Only as a backup. It costs a fee, arrives as a MySQL file that a chat app can’t read, and Kayako won’t help import it. The AI agent can read the same cases over the API instead.

### Can I cancel Kayako before the move is done?

Wait. Kayako can delete your instance after you cancel, and deleted data can’t be restored, so finish the move and the catch-up first.

By Wilbert Liu, founder of Rinhelp. Page: https://rinhelp.com/migrate/kayako