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tawk.to vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

tawk.to logo

tawk.to

Live Chat

100% free live chat software

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 tawk.to has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: tawk.to removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: tawk.to covers Ticketing, 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 tawk.to and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.

Attributes where tawk.to and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
Attributetawk.toZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, MacWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20132015

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 tawk.to

  • Ticketing
  • Knowledge base
  • CRM
  • Video chat
  • Screen sharing
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • Wix

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

tawk.to

  • Website live chat and visitor engagementnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Customer support automationnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Customer engagementnot tawk.to
  • Lead generationnot tawk.to
  • Customer supportnot tawk.to
  • Sales automationnot tawk.to

Where each one falls short

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

tawk.to

  • Removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan
  • Enhanced AI Assist chatbot is a paid add-on starting at $29/month rather than included free
  • Human staffed chat agents are billed at $1/hour as a separate add-on

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

tawk.to

Free
  • Free Core SoftwareFree
    • Live chat software with no feature limitations
    • Chat pages
    • Knowledge base (hosted help center)
  • Branding Removal$29/month
    • Remove Powered by tawk.to widget branding
  • AI Assist Premium$29/month
    • AI-powered chatbot automation
  • Hired Chat Agents$1/hour
    • Professional trained agents 24/7/365

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 tawk.to if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want knowledge base.
tawk.to 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 tawk.to or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. tawk.to 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, tawk.to or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
tawk.to has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for tawk.to and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
Does tawk.to or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
tawk.to runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use tawk.to for free?
Yes. tawk.to has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
What is tawk.to best used for?
tawk.to is most often used for website live chat and visitor engagement, customer support automation. Of those, website live chat and visitor engagement and customer support automation are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can tawk.to do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
tawk.to covers Ticketing, Knowledge base, CRM, Video chat. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration, Salesforce. Both handle Live chat, Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

tawk.to: How much does tawk.to cost?

tawk.to is free for core live chat, knowledge base, ticketing, and CRM. Premium add-ons start at $29/month for branding removal or AI Assist, and $1/hour for hired chat agents.

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
tawk.to: Is tawk.to free forever?

Yes, tawk.to's core software including live chat, knowledge base, ticketing, and contacts is free forever with no feature limitations.

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
tawk.to: How are tawk.to's hired chat agents priced?

Hired chat agents are billed at $1 per hour with professional trained staff providing 24/7/365 support.

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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