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ManyChat vs Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

ManyChat logo

ManyChat

Live Chat

Chatbot and automation platform for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS

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 ManyChat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ManyChat pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.; Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot be purchased standalone; requires expensive Zendesk Suite Professional or higher plans
  • They diverge on capability: ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, 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 ManyChat and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations actually diverge.

Attributes where ManyChat and Zendesk Sunshine Conversations differ
AttributeManyChatZendesk Sunshine Conversations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: platforms (web, ios, android), 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 ManyChat

  • Visual Flow Builder
  • Instagram Automation
  • WhatsApp Automation
  • SMS Marketing
  • Broadcast Campaigns
  • E-commerce Integrations

Only in Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

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

What people use each for

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

ManyChat

  • Automating Instagram DM and comment repliesnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • Lead generation via chat funnelsnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • WhatsApp order updates and broadcastsnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
  • E-commerce cart recovery via chatnot Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

Zendesk Sunshine Conversations

  • Customer engagementnot ManyChat
  • Lead generationnot ManyChat
  • Customer supportnot ManyChat
  • Sales automationnot ManyChat

Where each one falls short

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

ManyChat

  • Pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • WhatsApp automation requires a connected WhatsApp Business API number with separate messaging costs.
  • The free plan has restrictive contact and feature limits compared to paid competitors.
  • Advanced flow logic can become difficult to manage for very complex automation sequences.

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

ManyChat

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Limited contacts
    • Core automation features
    • Basic channels
  • Pro$15/month
    • Higher contact limits
    • All channels
    • Broadcast messaging

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 ManyChat if

  • You need visual flow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want instagram automation.
ManyChat 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 ManyChat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations better?
Neither clearly leads. ManyChat 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, ManyChat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations?
ManyChat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ManyChat and On request for Zendesk Sunshine Conversations.
Does ManyChat or Zendesk Sunshine Conversations run on more platforms?
ManyChat runs on web, ios, android. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use ManyChat for free?
Yes. ManyChat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations starts at On request.
What is ManyChat best used for?
ManyChat is most often used for automating instagram dm and comment replies, lead generation via chat funnels, whatsapp order updates and broadcasts, e-commerce cart recovery via chat. Of those, automating instagram dm and comment replies and lead generation via chat funnels are not what Zendesk Sunshine Conversations is typically brought in for.
What can ManyChat do that Zendesk Sunshine Conversations cannot?
ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, Instagram Automation, WhatsApp Automation, SMS Marketing. Zendesk Sunshine Conversations covers Live chat, SMS messaging, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ManyChat: How much does Manychat cost?

Manychat offers a free plan at $0/month and Pro plan starting at $15/month. Pro plan pricing scales with number of contacts. Elite tier offers custom pricing. Free plan allows automation for up to 1,000 contacts.

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
ManyChat: What channels does Manychat support?

Free plan supports Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger. Pro and Elite plans add WhatsApp, SMS text messaging, and email. All channels allow unlimited custom automation flows once contacts are engaged.

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
ManyChat: How does Manychat AI pricing work?

Manychat AI features including Intention Recognition, AI Steps, Text Improver, and Flow Builder Assistant are available in Pro and Elite plans at no extra cost. Pro plan includes monthly Chaos AI credits for AI-powered features.

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
ManyChat: Can I cancel my Manychat subscription anytime?

Yes, Manychat allows cancellation of payment plans at any time. No long-term contract is required. Standard payment methods including credit cards are accepted.

Source
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