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Customer Support · head to head

Salesforce Service Cloud vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Salesforce Service Cloud logo

Salesforce Service Cloud

Customer Support

Customer service software that powers loyalty

From
$25/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: Salesforce Service Cloud the vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management, 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 Salesforce Service Cloud and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.

Attributes where Salesforce Service Cloud and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeSalesforce Service CloudZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting price$25/monthOn request
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded19992015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Case management
  • Omnichannel routing
  • AI-powered bots
  • Field service
  • Self-service
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce CRM
  • MuleSoft

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Enterprise customer servicenot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Field servicenot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Self-service portalsnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • AI-powered supportnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Customer engagementnot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Lead generationnot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Customer supportnot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Sales automationnot Salesforce Service Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • The vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers

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

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Case management
    • Knowledge base
    • Web & email support
  • Professional$80/month
    • CTI
    • Omni-channel routing
    • Custom reports
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Web API
    • Einstein AI
    • Workflow automation
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • 24/7 support
    • Configuration services
    • Premier success

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 if

  • You need case management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want omnichannel routing.
Salesforce Service Cloud 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 or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Salesforce Service Cloud 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 or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Salesforce Service Cloud starts at $25/month and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations at On request.
Does Salesforce Service Cloud or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Salesforce Service Cloud runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Salesforce Service Cloud best used for?
Salesforce Service Cloud is most often used for enterprise customer service, field service, self-service portals, ai-powered support. Of those, enterprise customer service and field service are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can Salesforce Service Cloud do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management, Omnichannel routing, AI-powered bots, Field service. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Both handle Slack, Web support, Android 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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