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Olark vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Olark logo

Olark

Live Chat

Make your business human

From
$29/month
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

  • Each has a real cost: Olark the AI website agent is a $400 a month flat plan billed annually at $4,800, which is a large step from the $29 per agent human only plan; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Olark covers Chat transcripts, 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 Olark and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.

Attributes where Olark and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeOlarkZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting price$29/monthOn request
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20092015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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 Olark

  • Chat transcripts
  • Visitor insights
  • Customization
  • Offline messaging
  • Shortcuts
  • HubSpot
  • Zendesk
  • Mailchimp

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Olark

  • Live chat on a website with a small support teamnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Running an AI agent on website conversations with human handoffnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Where each one falls short

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

Olark

  • The AI website agent is a $400 a month flat plan billed annually at $4,800, which is a large step from the $29 per agent human only plan
  • That flat price covers only one human seat, with each additional seat at $29 a month
  • Regional routing, SSO and custom SLAs require a custom enterprise plan with no published 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

Olark

$29/month
  • Standard AI Website Agent$400/month
    • One human agent seat included
    • Unlimited AI conversations
    • Automatic FAQ and knowledge updates
  • Live Chat Only$29/month
    • Human operators only
    • No AI component
    • Upgradeable to AI later
  • Custom Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Regional routing
    • Advanced integrations
    • Custom workflows

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 Olark if

  • You need chat transcripts.
  • You also want visitor insights.
Olark 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 Olark or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Olark starts at $29/month 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, Olark or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Olark starts at $29/month and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations at On request.
Does Olark or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Olark runs on Web. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Olark best used for?
Olark is most often used for live chat on a website with a small support team, running an ai agent on website conversations with human handoff. Of those, live chat on a website with a small support team and running an ai agent on website conversations with human handoff are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can Olark do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Olark covers Chat transcripts, Visitor insights, Customization, Offline messaging. 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

Olark: How much does Olark's Standard AI plan cost?

Olark's Standard AI Website Agent plan costs $400 per month when billed annually ($4,800/year). This includes one human agent seat, unlimited AI conversations, automatic FAQ updates, lead capture, and white glove support with no token limits or overages.

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
Olark: What is the cost for additional agent seats on Olark?

Additional human agent seats on Olark cost $29 per agent per month. This rate applies when upgrading from the Standard AI plan.

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
Olark: Does Olark charge based on token usage?

No, Olark explicitly states 'No token costs, ever.' The Standard AI plan charges per agent seat with no usage-based overages or token limits, avoiding unexpected cost spikes during peak traffic periods.

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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