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Live Chat & Chatbots · head to head

Zendesk Chat vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Live Chat & Chatbots

Live chat software from Zendesk

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations logo

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Live Chat & Chatbots

Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Zendesk Chat messaging and live chat require at least the Suite Team plan at $55/agent/month paid yearly; the base Support Team plan at $19/agent/month does not include chat at all; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Zendesk Chat and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeZendesk ChatZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting price$49/monthOn request
Founded20072015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat & Chatbots).

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 Zendesk Chat

  • Web messaging
  • Mobile messaging
  • Chatbots
  • Proactive chat
  • Analytics
  • Triggers
  • Shopify
  • WordPress

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Live chat
  • SMS messaging
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Slack
  • API
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Zendesk Support
  • Salesforce
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Zendesk Chat

  • Support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widgetnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Customer engagementnot Zendesk Chat
  • Lead generationnot Zendesk Chat
  • Customer supportnot Zendesk Chat
  • Sales automationnot Zendesk Chat

Where each one falls short

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

Zendesk Chat

  • Messaging and live chat require at least the Suite Team plan at $55/agent/month paid yearly; the base Support Team plan at $19/agent/month does not include chat at all
  • Enterprise-grade chat features (Admin Copilot, skills-based routing) require Suite Professional at $115/agent/month or higher

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

Zendesk Chat

$49/month
  • Suite Team$49/month
    • Messaging
    • Help center
    • Basic bots
  • Suite Growth$79/month
    • Team + Multiple brands
    • Custom fields
  • Suite Professional$99/month
    • Growth + AI
    • Custom analytics

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 Zendesk Chat if

  • You need web messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want mobile messaging.
Zendesk 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 Zendesk Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. Zendesk Chat starts at $49/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, Zendesk Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
Zendesk Chat starts at $49/month and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations at On request.
Does Zendesk Chat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
Zendesk Chat runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Zendesk Chat best used for?
Zendesk Chat is most often used for support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widget. Of those, support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widget is not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can Zendesk Chat do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Chatbots, Proactive chat. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Both handle Zendesk Support, Salesforce, 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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Related pages

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