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Rasa vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Rasa logo

Rasa

Live Chat

Open-source framework for building conversational AI

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 Rasa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rasa free Developer Edition caps conversations at 1,000 external or 100 internal per company per month; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Rasa covers NLU engine, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rasa and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeRasaZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsOn-premise, Cloud deployment, Docker, KubernetesWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20162015

Identical on both: 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 Rasa

  • NLU engine
  • Dialogue management
  • Multi-language support
  • Testing tools
  • Teams
  • Custom channels
  • On-premise support
  • Cloud deployment support

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Live chat
  • SMS messaging
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk Support
  • Web support
  • Mobile app support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • API

What people use each for

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

Rasa

  • Developers self-hosting an open source conversational AI framework before needing enterprise scalenot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rasa

  • Free Developer Edition caps conversations at 1,000 external or 100 internal per company per month
  • Rasa Pro and the Business Plan (Pro plus Studio) are not priced on the site and require contacting sales

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

Rasa

Free
  • Free Developer EditionFree
    • One bot per company
    • Up to 1,000 external conversations per month or 100 internal conversations per month
    • Free Rasa license for local or production use
  • Rasa Pro$undefined/mo
    • Pro-code framework with CALM dialogue understanding
    • Language-agnostic NLU, enterprise search, multi-LLM management
    • Kubernetes support
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Full access to Rasa Platform and Premium Support
    • 24/7/365 support with Customer Success Manager
    • Business reviews and guidance

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 Rasa if

  • You need nlu engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on On-premise, Cloud deployment, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want dialogue management.
Rasa review

Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if

  • You need live chat.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want sms messaging.
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations review

Questions people ask

Is Rasa or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Rasa 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, Rasa or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Rasa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Rasa and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
Does Rasa or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Rasa runs on On-premise, Cloud deployment, Docker, Kubernetes. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Rasa for free?
Yes. Rasa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
What is Rasa best used for?
Rasa is most often used for developers self-hosting an open source conversational ai framework before needing enterprise scale. Of those, developers self-hosting an open source conversational ai framework before needing enterprise scale is not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can Rasa do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Rasa covers NLU engine, Dialogue management, Multi-language support, Testing tools. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Both handle Slack, API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rasa: Does Rasa offer a free version?

Yes. Rasa offers a free Developer Edition with one bot per company, up to 1,000 external conversations per month, and free community support.

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
Rasa: What support is included with Rasa's free tier?

The free tier includes community forum support with responses from Rasa community members. Paid tiers add premium support with enhanced response times.

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
Rasa: What is the difference between Rasa Pro and Enterprise?

Rasa Pro includes the pro-code framework with advanced NLU and multi-LLM management. Enterprise adds full platform access, 24/7 support, dedicated Customer Success Manager, and business reviews.

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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