Software · head to head
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations vs Botpress
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
Software
Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Botpress has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans; Botpress managed cloud version (Botpress Cloud) availability and pricing not accessible; open-source deployment requires managing infrastructure
- They diverge on capability: Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, Botpress covers Visual bot builder.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Zendesk Sunshine Conversations and Botpress actually diverge.
| Attribute | Zendesk Sunshine Conversations | Botpress |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud) |
| Founded | 2015 | 2016 |
Identical on both: 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 Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Live chat
- SMS messaging
- Facebook Messenger
- WhatsApp integration
- Salesforce
- Zendesk Support
- API
- Web support
Only in Botpress
- Visual bot builder
- NLU integration
- Multi-channel support
- Analytics
- Teams
- Messenger
- On-premise support
Both cover
- Slack
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Customer engagementnot Botpress
- Lead generationnot Botpress
- Customer supportnot Botpress
- Sales automationnot Botpress
Botpress
- Development teams building chatbots and conversational AI using MIT-licensed open-source frameworknot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
- Organisations needing custom conversational interfaces with programmatic control via SDK/CLInot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Botpress
- Managed cloud version (Botpress Cloud) availability and pricing not accessible; open-source deployment requires managing infrastructure
- Dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Botpress
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Botpress review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Zendesk Sunshine Conversations if
- You need live chat.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want sms messaging.
Choose Botpress if
- You need visual bot builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud).
- You also want nlu integration.
Questions people ask
- Is Zendesk Sunshine Conversations or Botpress better?
- Neither clearly leads. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request and Botpress at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations or Botpress?
- Botpress has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations and Free for Botpress.
- Does Zendesk Sunshine Conversations or Botpress run on more platforms?
- Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android. Botpress runs on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud).
- Can I use Botpress for free?
- Yes. Botpress has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
- What is Zendesk Sunshine Conversations best used for?
- Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is most often used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation. Of those, customer engagement and lead generation are not what Botpress is typically brought in for.
- What can Zendesk Sunshine Conversations do that Botpress cannot?
- Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration. Botpress covers Visual bot builder, NLU integration, Multi-channel support, Analytics. Both handle Slack.
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.
SourceZendesk 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.
SourceZendesk 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