Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Chatwoot vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Chatwoot logo

Chatwoot

Customer Support

Open-source customer engagement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations logo

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Live Chat & Chatbots

Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chatwoot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chatwoot free plan limited to 2 agents and 500 conversations per month; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Chatwoot covers Email inbox, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Chatwoot and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeChatwootZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat & Chatbots
Founded20172015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Chatwoot

  • Email inbox
  • Social channels
  • Knowledge base
  • Chatbots
  • Reports
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Line

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • SMS messaging
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk Support
  • API
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Chatwoot

  • Self-hosted supportnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Privacy-first chatnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Multi-channel supportnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Where each one falls short

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

Chatwoot

  • Free plan limited to 2 agents and 500 conversations per month
  • Self-hosted option requires managing infrastructure, updates, and external messaging costs
  • Smaller ecosystem and community compared to Zendesk or Intercom
  • AI features require credit consumption and additional configuration

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

Chatwoot

Free
  • HackerFree
    • 2 agents
    • 500 conversations per month
    • 1 live chat channel
  • Startups$19/month
    • Unlimited agents
    • Unlimited conversations

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 Chatwoot if

  • You need email inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want social channels.
Chatwoot review

Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if

  • You need sms messaging.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want facebook messenger.
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations review

Questions people ask

Is Chatwoot or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatwoot 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, Chatwoot or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Chatwoot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chatwoot and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
Does Chatwoot or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Chatwoot runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Chatwoot for free?
Yes. Chatwoot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
What is Chatwoot best used for?
Chatwoot is most often used for self-hosted support, privacy-first chat, multi-channel support. Of those, self-hosted support and privacy-first chat are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can Chatwoot do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Chatwoot covers Email inbox, Social channels, Knowledge base, Chatbots. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration, Salesforce. Both handle Live chat, Slack, Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chatwoot: Does Chatwoot offer a self-hosted option?

Yes. Chatwoot provides both cloud-hosted and self-hosted versions. Self-hosting is free with the open-source version, though you handle infrastructure, maintenance, and external messaging costs.

Source
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
Chatwoot: What communication channels does Chatwoot support?

Chatwoot supports email, live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media channels consolidated into a single inbox.

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
Chatwoot: Is there a free plan for Chatwoot?

Yes. Chatwoot offers a free Hacker plan supporting up to 2 agents, 500 conversations per month, and one live chat channel.

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
Chatwoot: What AI features does Chatwoot include?

Chatwoot includes Captain AI agent for automated responses, Copilot for smart reply suggestions, and live translation features.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Chatwoot

More on Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Keep looking

Other head to heads