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Customer Support · head to head

LiveAgent vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

LiveAgent logo

LiveAgent

Customer Support

All-in-one help desk software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations logo

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Live Chat

Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LiveAgent has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: LiveAgent social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where LiveAgent and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeLiveAgentZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20042015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 LiveAgent

  • Ticketing system
  • Call center
  • Social media
  • Knowledge base
  • Customer portal
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • Magento

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.

LiveAgent

  • Multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messagesnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teamsnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Where each one falls short

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

LiveAgent

  • Social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price
  • The entry plan is limited to 3 email accounts, 2 live chat buttons and 3 contact forms
  • WhatsApp numbers are rationed by plan, at 5 on Large Business and 20 on Enterprise
  • The advertised prices require annual billing, and monthly billing raises the entry plan from $10 to $13 per agent
  • Every published price is a discounted rate against a higher regular price

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

LiveAgent

Free
  • Small Business$10/month
    • Ticketing
    • Live chat
    • Knowledge base
  • Medium Business$19/month
    • Everything in Small
    • Call center
    • IVR
  • Large Business$33/month
    • Everything in Medium
    • Social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)
  • Enterprise$46/month
    • Everything in Large
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Priority support

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 LiveAgent if

  • You need ticketing system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want call center.
LiveAgent 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 LiveAgent or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. LiveAgent 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, LiveAgent or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
LiveAgent has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LiveAgent and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
Does LiveAgent or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
LiveAgent runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use LiveAgent for free?
Yes. LiveAgent has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
What is LiveAgent best used for?
LiveAgent is most often used for multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messages, ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teams. Of those, multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messages and ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teams are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can LiveAgent do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Call center, Social media, Knowledge base. 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

LiveAgent: How much does LiveAgent cost?

LiveAgent charges per agent on annual billing: Small Business at $10/agent/month, Medium at $19/agent/month, Large at $33/agent/month, and Enterprise at $46/agent/month (regular rates are $15, $29, $49, and $69 respectively). Monthly billing costs 30% more.

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
LiveAgent: Does LiveAgent offer a free trial?

Yes, LiveAgent provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, offering full access to all features including AI agents.

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
LiveAgent: Are AI agents included in all LiveAgent plans?

Yes, all LiveAgent plans include free AI agents with features like chatbots, answer assistants, human handover, and autoresponders.

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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