Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) vs Zendesk

Smooch (now Sunshine Conversations) is Zendesk's own messaging API layer — not a competitor to Zendesk, but a component of it. Zendesk acquired Smooch in 2019 and rebranded it as Sunshine Conversations, integrating it into the Zendesk platform as the underlying messaging infrastructure. Searching "Smooch vs Zendesk" today is like comparing an engine to the car it powers — they are the same product.

Sunshine Conversations provides the API layer that powers Zendesk's messaging channels: WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Apple Messages, LINE, and custom messaging integrations. It is available as part of Zendesk Suite (Suite Professional at $115/agent/month and above) or as a standalone API for developers building custom messaging experiences on Zendesk infrastructure. The standalone Sunshine Conversations API is priced at $0.10-$0.15 per Monthly Active User on top of Zendesk licensing.

Sunshine Conversations is the messaging layer inside Zendesk — the comparison is between the API component and the full platform it belongs to. Sunshine Conversations API provides: multi-channel messaging (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, LINE, Viber, custom), conversation orchestration, switchboard for routing between bots and humans, user identity linking across channels, and structured message types (carousels, quick replies, forms).

Zendesk Suite wraps this API with: a ticketing system, agent workspace, Guide knowledge base, Talk voice, Explore analytics, AI Copilot ($50/agent), and the 1,500+ app marketplace. Most businesses use Zendesk Suite and get Sunshine Conversations implicitly — the API powers the messaging behind the scenes.

The standalone API use case is narrow: large enterprises building custom conversational experiences, chatbot platforms routing to human agents, or developers connecting Zendesk messaging infrastructure to non-Zendesk agent tools. For standard support operations, the Suite is the product.

Zendesk Suite Professional at $115/agent/month includes Sunshine Conversations features. Standalone Sunshine Conversations API adds $0.10-$0.15 per MAU on top of base Zendesk licensing. For most businesses, the messaging capabilities come bundled — there is no separate "Smooch" cost. You pay for the Zendesk Suite tier you need.

Suite tiers: Team $55/agent, Growth $89/agent, Professional $115/agent, Enterprise $169/agent (all annual). Sunshine Conversations features (switchboard, multi-channel orchestration) are fully available on Professional and above. Basic messaging works on all tiers.

Standalone API pricing: per-MAU model favors low-volume use cases. High-volume messaging (100K+ MAU) requires enterprise pricing discussion. Implementation requires developer resources — the API is not a no-code product.

Use Zendesk Suite if you want a complete help desk with Sunshine Conversations' messaging capabilities built in. Suite Professional ($115/agent) and above include Sunshine Conversations features — no separate purchase needed. Ticketing, Guide knowledge base, Talk voice, Explore analytics, and 1,500+ marketplace apps are all bundled.

Use Sunshine Conversations API directly if you are a developer building custom messaging experiences and need the API layer without Zendesk's agent workspace. The API connects to WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, LINE, Viber, Telegram (via custom integration), and custom channels. You can build your own agent interface or integrate with non-Zendesk support tools.

Smooch and Zendesk are the same company. Sunshine Conversations (formerly Smooch) is the messaging API layer inside Zendesk Suite. Most businesses should simply evaluate Zendesk Suite as a complete platform. The standalone API is relevant only for developers building custom messaging on Zendesk infrastructure.

For teams that need messaging-first support across WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and Zalo without per-agent pricing or API complexity, Converge offers all channels at $49/month flat for up to 15 agents.