Olark vs Smooch (Sunshine Conversations)
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Olark | Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $29/seat/mo | From $115/seat/mo |
| Best For | Small to medium businesses needing basic live chat | Existing Zendesk customers needing omnichannel messaging |
| Standout Feature | Visitor insights and chat targeting | Deep integration with Zendesk ecosystem |
| Free Plan | ✗ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
Olark and Smooch (now Sunshine Conversations by Zendesk) both enable customer conversations, but with different approaches. Olark specializes in website live chat, while Smooch provides a conversation API that unifies messaging across multiple channels.
Your decision hinges on whether you need a simple chat widget or a comprehensive messaging orchestration platform.
Feature Comparison
Olark delivers focused live chat functionality with features like proactive chat triggers, visitor information display, and seamless handoffs between agents. It excels at converting website visitors into engaged customers.
Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) orchestrates conversations across WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, SMS, email, and web chat through a single interface. It includes advanced features like conversation routing, bot integration, and unified customer profiles.
The core difference is channel scope: Olark perfects web chat, while Smooch manages omnichannel messaging complexity.
Pricing Comparison
Olark maintains simple per-seat pricing at $29-$39 monthly per agent, with all features included and no hidden costs for chat volume.
Smooch uses tiered pricing from $19-$99 per agent monthly, with costs varying based on channel integrations, conversation volume, and advanced features like AI routing and analytics.
Olark
Pros
- ✓ Easy setup and customization
- ✓ Good visitor tracking
- ✓ Reliable uptime
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing gets expensive
- ✗ Limited mobile app functionality
- ✗ No social media integration
Smooch (Sunshine Conversations)
Pros
- ✓ Strong Zendesk integration
- ✓ Good channel coverage
- ✓ Mature platform
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing gets expensive
- ✗ Complex setup process
- ✗ Limited customization options
Verdict
Choose Olark if you want straightforward website chat with minimal setup. Choose Smooch if you need to unify conversations across multiple messaging channels with advanced routing capabilities.
Choose Olark if: You need reliable website chat at $29-$39 per agent monthly with straightforward implementation and no channel complexity.
Choose Smooch if: You require omnichannel messaging orchestration at $19-$99 per agent monthly and can manage the additional setup complexity.
For teams seeking omnichannel simplicity without per-agent scaling costs, Converge provides unified customer communication at $49/month flat rate, combining multi-channel support with predictable pricing.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Olark comparisons and all Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) comparisons.