Kustomer vs Smooch (Sunshine Conversations)
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Kustomer | Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $89/seat/mo | From $115/seat/mo |
| Best For | Enterprise teams needing CRM-integrated customer service | Existing Zendesk customers needing omnichannel messaging |
| Standout Feature | Unified customer timeline with CRM data integration | Deep integration with Zendesk ecosystem |
| Free Plan | ✗ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.2 |
Kustomer and Smooch (now Sunshine Conversations) serve different aspects of customer communication. Kustomer provides a comprehensive customer service platform with unified customer management, while Smooch focuses on conversation APIs and messaging orchestration across multiple channels.
The choice depends on whether you need a complete customer service solution or flexible messaging APIs for custom implementations.
Feature Comparison
Kustomer offers a full customer service suite with unified customer timelines, automated workflows, and comprehensive case management. It's designed for support teams who want powerful features without technical implementation.
Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) specializes in conversation orchestration with APIs that connect multiple messaging channels. It's built for developers who need to integrate messaging capabilities into existing systems or create custom conversation flows.
Kustomer includes built-in ticketing, knowledge base, customer satisfaction surveys, and detailed analytics. Smooch provides conversation APIs, channel integrations, message routing, and webhook capabilities for custom implementations.
Pricing Comparison
Kustomer uses per-agent pricing from $89 to $139 monthly per user, providing predictable costs that include all customer service features. This works well for traditional support team structures.
Smooch charges $19 to $99 per agent monthly, with additional costs for API usage and premium channels. While the base price is lower, total costs can vary significantly based on message volume and integrations used.
Kustomer
Pros
- ✓ Strong CRM features
- ✓ Customer timeline view
- ✓ Good AI capabilities
Cons
- ✗ Per-seat pricing
- ✗ Complex setup
- ✗ Enterprise-focused
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 Kustomer if you want a complete customer service platform with built-in workflows and reporting. Choose Smooch if you need flexible conversation APIs to build custom messaging experiences.
Choose Kustomer if: You need a comprehensive customer service platform with unified customer views, automation tools, and ready-to-use support workflows.
Choose Smooch if: You have development resources and need flexible conversation APIs to build custom messaging experiences across multiple channels.
For teams wanting effective customer communication without development overhead or complex pricing structures, Converge delivers essential features at $49/month flat rate, eliminating per-agent fees and usage-based cost unpredictability.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Kustomer comparisons and all Smooch (Sunshine Conversations) comparisons.