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Live Chat & Chatbots · head to head

LivePerson vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

LivePerson logo

LivePerson

Live Chat & Chatbots

Enterprise-grade conversational AI platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations logo

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Live Chat & Chatbots

Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LivePerson no price is published for any of the three tiers, and the page states no cost metric; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: LivePerson covers Conversational AI, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where LivePerson and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeLivePersonZendesk Sunshine Conversations
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android, Messaging appsWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19952015

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 LivePerson

  • Conversational AI
  • Mobile messaging
  • Intent detection
  • Zendesk
  • Webhooks
  • Messaging apps support

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • SMS messaging
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Zendesk Support
  • API

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • 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.

LivePerson

  • Conversational AI and messaging across web, SMS and social channelsnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Routing customer conversations between bots and human agentsnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Where each one falls short

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

LivePerson

  • No price is published for any of the three tiers, and the page states no cost metric
  • Despite advertising minimal add ons, SMS outbound and WhatsApp carry separate charges plus a 15% handling fee
  • X is supported only with additional fees
  • Every route to a figure is a quote request or an RFP

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

LivePerson

On request
  • Professional$100/month
    • Live chat
    • Basic AI
    • Automations
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Advanced AI
    • Custom integrations
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated 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 LivePerson if

  • You need conversational ai.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android, Messaging apps.
  • You also want mobile messaging.

Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if

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

Questions people ask

Is LivePerson or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. LivePerson starts at On request 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, LivePerson or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
LivePerson starts at On request and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations at On request.
Does LivePerson or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
LivePerson runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android, Messaging apps. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is LivePerson best used for?
LivePerson is most often used for conversational ai and messaging across web, sms and social channels, routing customer conversations between bots and human agents. Of those, conversational ai and messaging across web, sms and social channels and routing customer conversations between bots and human agents are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can LivePerson do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
LivePerson covers Conversational AI, Mobile messaging, Intent detection, Zendesk. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration, Zendesk Support. Both handle Live chat, Salesforce, Slack, Web 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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