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Salesforce Service Cloud Chat vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat logo

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Software

Live chat integrated with Salesforce Service Cloud

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations logo

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Software

Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Salesforce Service Cloud Chat entry-level pricing of $25 per user per month is relatively expensive for small businesses; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Salesforce Service Cloud Chat covers Live chat messaging, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salesforce Service Cloud Chat and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.

Attributes where Salesforce Service Cloud Chat and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeSalesforce Service Cloud ChatZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting price$25/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Mobile appsWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19992015

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM integration
  • Agent desktop integration
  • Visitor tracking
  • Salesforce ecosystem
  • Gmail
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Live chat
  • SMS messaging
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk Support
  • API

Both cover

  • 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.

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Customer engagement
  • Lead generation
  • Customer support
  • Sales automation

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Customer engagement
  • Lead generation
  • Customer support
  • Sales automation

Both are used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation, 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.

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Entry-level pricing of $25 per user per month is relatively expensive for small businesses
  • Requires Salesforce CRM setup and integration for full functionality
  • Limited standalone capability outside of Salesforce ecosystem
  • Complex configuration required for advanced features

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

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

$25/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Salesforce Service Cloud Chat review.

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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You work on Web, Mobile apps.
  • You also want crm integration.
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat 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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Salesforce Service Cloud Chat starts at $25/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, Salesforce Service Cloud Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat starts at $25/month and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations at On request.
Does Salesforce Service Cloud Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat runs on Web, Mobile apps. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Salesforce Service Cloud Chat best used for?
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat is most often used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation.
What can Salesforce Service Cloud Chat do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat covers Live chat messaging, CRM integration, Agent desktop integration, Visitor tracking. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Both handle Slack, Web support, Mobile app support, IOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat: What is Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?

Salesforce Chat is a real-time customer engagement tool enabling businesses to connect with customers through personalized live chat interactions embedded in apps and on websites, with AI-powered chatbot 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
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat: What is the pricing for Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?

Salesforce Service Cloud entry-level pricing starts at $25 per user per month, with multiple tiers available and add-ons ranging from $50 to $75 depending on required features.

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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Related pages

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