SaaS · head to head
Intercom vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
SaaS
Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Intercom has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Intercom pricing is high and unpredictable with confusing per-seat, per-feature, and usage-based structure that makes cost estimation difficult; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
- They diverge on capability: Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Intercom and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.
| Attribute | Intercom | Zendesk Sunshine Conversations |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Category | SaaS | Unknown |
| Founded | 2011 | 2015 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Intercom
- AI-powered inbox
- Chatbots
- Help center
- Product tours
- Customer data platform
- Automation
- Mobile SDKs
- HubSpot
Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- SMS messaging
- Facebook Messenger
- WhatsApp integration
- Zendesk Support
- API
- Web support
- Mobile app support
- IOS support
Both cover
- Live chat
- Salesforce
- Slack
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Intercom
- Customer support
- Lead generation
- User onboardingnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Product adoptionnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Customer engagement
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Customer engagement
- Lead generation
- Customer support
- Sales automationnot Intercom
Both are used for customer support, lead generation, customer engagement, 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.
Intercom
- Pricing is high and unpredictable with confusing per-seat, per-feature, and usage-based structure that makes cost estimation difficult
- API rate limited to 1,000 calls per minute, which may constrain integrations for high-volume data users
- Does not support multiple language versions of knowledge base articles, requiring creation of duplicate articles for each language
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
Intercom
Free- Essential$29/month
- Fin AI Agent
- Messenger
- Shared inbox
- Advanced$85/month
- Multiple team inboxes
- Workflow automation
- Round robin assignment
- Expert$132/month
- SSO
- HIPAA support
- SLAs
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 Intercom if
- You need ai-powered inbox.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want chatbots.
Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if
- You need sms messaging.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want facebook messenger.
Questions people ask
- Is Intercom or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
- Neither clearly leads. Intercom 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, Intercom or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
- Intercom has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Intercom and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
- Does Intercom or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Intercom for free?
- Yes. Intercom has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
- What is Intercom best used for?
- Intercom is most often used for customer support, lead generation, user onboarding, product adoption. Of those, user onboarding and product adoption are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
- What can Intercom do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
- Intercom covers AI-powered inbox, Chatbots, Help center, Product tours. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration, Zendesk Support. Both handle Live chat, Salesforce, Slack.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Intercom: Is there a free tier and what are the limitations?
Intercom offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required and access to all features and add-ons. After trial, Essential plan starts at $29/seat/month. Free Lite seats are available on paid plans: 20 with Advanced, 50 with Expert.
SourceZendesk 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.
SourceIntercom: Does Intercom support single sign-on (SSO)?
Yes, Intercom supports SAML SSO with identity provider integration, but it is only available on the Expert plan ($132+/seat/month). SSO also works with Intercom's mobile apps on iOS and Android.
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.
SourceIntercom: Can I export my data from Intercom?
Yes. You can export conversations in CSV format via the Data Export feature in Reports, apply filters to refine exports, and use the REST API to programmatically access conversation and customer data.
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.
SourceIntercom: What would a team of 10 cost on Intercom?
Minimum cost would be $290/month for 10 Essential seats at $29/seat/month. Advanced plan costs $850/month for 10 seats. Prices increase with additional add-ons like Fin AI ($0.99 per resolution), SMS, WhatsApp, or email campaigns.
Source