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Live Chat & Chatbots · head to head

Chatra vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Chatra logo

Chatra

Live Chat & Chatbots

Live chat and CRM software for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations logo

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Live Chat & Chatbots

Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Chatra has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chatra free plan is capped at 5 chats per month and one agent seat; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Chatra covers Live chat messaging, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatra and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatra and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeChatraZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, IOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20102015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat & Chatbots).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Chatra

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM functionality
  • Visitor tracking
  • Chat history
  • Shopify
  • Zapier

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Live chat
  • SMS messaging
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk Support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • API
  • Web support
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Chatra

  • Small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgradenot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Customer engagementnot Chatra
  • Lead generationnot Chatra
  • Customer supportnot Chatra
  • Sales automationnot Chatra

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Chatra

  • Free plan is capped at 5 chats per month and one agent seat
  • Essential and Pro tiers are billed per agent seat at $31/month and $41/month (or $25/month and $33/month if billed yearly), so cost rises directly with headcount

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • Low included monthly active users (1,000 MAU) and notifications (1,000) necessitate paid add-ons for most businesses
  • Custom implementations require developer resources for webhooks and API configuration

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatra

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Live chat
    • Basic CRM
    • 1 agent
  • Starter$15/month
    • Unlimited agents
    • Advanced CRM
  • Business$49/month
    • Priority support
    • Custom branding

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

On request
  • Team$19/month
    • Chat + messaging
    • Basic features
    • Limited agents
  • Growth$49/month
    • Omnichannel
    • Advanced automation
    • Routing
  • Professional$99/month
    • All features
    • Custom workflows
    • Premium support

Which should you pick?

Choose Chatra if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want crm functionality.

Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if

  • You need live chat.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want sms messaging.

Questions people ask

Is Chatra or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatra starts at Free and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatra or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Chatra has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chatra and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
Does Chatra or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Chatra runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Chatra for free?
Yes. Chatra has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
What is Chatra best used for?
Chatra is most often used for small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgrade. Of those, small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgrade is not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can Chatra do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Chatra covers Live chat messaging, CRM functionality, Visitor tracking, Chat history. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Both handle Slack, API, Web support, Mobile app support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations: Can I buy Zendesk Sunshine Conversations standalone?

No. Sunshine Conversations is only available with Zendesk Suite Professional, Enterprise, or Enterprise Plus plans. It cannot be purchased as a standalone product.

Source
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations: What messaging channels does Sunshine Conversations support?

Sunshine Conversations connects 15+ messaging channels including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, SMS, and provides a Web Widget for on-site chat.

Source
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations: What are the usage limits on Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?

The base includes 1,000 Monthly Active Users and 1,000 notifications per month. Additional usage requires $50 add-ons for each 2,500 MAU pack or $50 for each 25,000 notification pack.

Source

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