Live Chat & Chatbots · head to head
HubSpot Live Chat vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
HubSpot Live Chat
Live Chat & Chatbots
Live chat integrated with HubSpot CRM platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
Live Chat & Chatbots
Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only HubSpot Live Chat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: HubSpot Live Chat the Internet Archive's capture of HubSpot's live chat page on 4 January 2022 confirmed live chat is offered free as part of Service Hub, which the page states also has separate premium plans, though no premium figure appeared on the page itself.; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
- They diverge on capability: HubSpot Live Chat covers Live chat messaging, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HubSpot Live Chat and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.
| Attribute | HubSpot Live Chat | Zendesk Sunshine Conversations |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2006 | 2015 |
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 HubSpot Live Chat
- Live chat messaging
- CRM integration
- Visitor identification
- Chatbot builder
- Gmail
- Outlook
Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Live chat
- SMS messaging
- Facebook Messenger
- WhatsApp integration
- Zendesk Support
- API
Both cover
- Salesforce
- Slack
- 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.
HubSpot Live Chat
- Customer engagement
- Lead generation
- Customer support
- Sales automation
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Customer engagement
- Lead generation
- Customer support
- Sales automation
Both are used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
HubSpot Live Chat
- The Internet Archive's capture of HubSpot's live chat page on 4 January 2022 confirmed live chat is offered free as part of Service Hub, which the page states also has separate premium plans, though no premium figure appeared on the page itself.
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
HubSpot Live Chat
Free- FreeFree
- Live chat
- CRM
- Basic features
- Starter$50/month
- Marketing automation
- Enhanced features
- Professional$320/month
- Advanced workflows
- Custom reporting
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 HubSpot Live Chat if
- You need live chat messaging.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
- You also want crm integration.
Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if
- You need live chat.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want sms messaging.
Questions people ask
- Is HubSpot Live Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
- Neither clearly leads. HubSpot Live Chat 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, HubSpot Live Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
- HubSpot Live Chat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HubSpot Live Chat and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
- Does HubSpot Live Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
- HubSpot Live Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use HubSpot Live Chat for free?
- Yes. HubSpot Live Chat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
- What is HubSpot Live Chat best used for?
- HubSpot Live Chat is most often used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation.
- What can HubSpot Live Chat do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
- HubSpot Live Chat covers Live chat messaging, CRM integration, Visitor identification, Chatbot builder. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Both handle Salesforce, Slack, 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.
SourceZendesk 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.
SourceZendesk 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