Telecommunications · head to head
Aircall vs Drift

Aircall
Telecommunications
Cloud phone system for modern business
- From
- $30/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Aircall a minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier; Drift product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended
- They diverge on capability: Aircall covers Cloud phone, Drift covers Live chat.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Aircall and Drift actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Aircall
- Cloud phone
- IVR
- Call routing
- Power dialer
- Analytics
- Call recording
- Integrations
- Zendesk
Only in Drift
- Live chat
- AI chatbots
- Meeting scheduling
- Email sequences
- Visitor intelligence
- Conversation routing
- Mobile app
- Analytics dashboard
Both cover
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- SOC2
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Aircall
- Cloud phone system for sales and support teamsnot Drift
- Call routing, IVR and shared numbersnot Drift
- Logging calls against CRM records through integrationsnot Drift
- Power dialling outbound lists on the Professional tiernot Drift
- SMS and MMS alongside voicenot Drift
Drift
- Lead qualificationnot Aircall
- Meeting bookingnot Aircall
- Customer supportnot Aircall
- Account-based marketingnot Aircall
- Sales accelerationnot Aircall
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Aircall
- A minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier
- Essentials is limited to 3 teams; unlimited teams need Professional
- Salesforce CTI, the power dialer and advanced analytics all require Professional
- SSO, API support and an SLA are Custom tier only
- AI voice and messaging agents are separate add-ons billed per minute or per conversation on top of the seat price
Drift
- Product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended
- Mandatory bundling within Salesloft increases cost
- No free tier available
- Customer support and knowledge base have been deprioritized
- Limited to enterprise B2B pipeline generation focus
Pricing, plan by plan
Aircall
$30/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Aircall review.
Drift
$2500/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Aircall if
- You need cloud phone.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
- You also want ivr.
Questions people ask
- Is Aircall or Drift better?
- Neither clearly leads. Aircall starts at $30/month and Drift at $2500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Aircall or Drift?
- Aircall starts at $30/month and Drift at $2500/month.
- Does Aircall or Drift run on more platforms?
- Aircall runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Drift runs on Web.
- What is Aircall best used for?
- Aircall is most often used for cloud phone system for sales and support teams, call routing, ivr and shared numbers, logging calls against crm records through integrations, power dialling outbound lists on the professional tier. Of those, cloud phone system for sales and support teams and call routing, ivr and shared numbers are not what Drift is typically brought in for.
- What can Aircall do that Drift cannot?
- Aircall covers Cloud phone, IVR, Call routing, Power dialer. Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, SOC2, GDPR.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Aircall: What is the minimum cost to start with Aircall?
Aircall requires a 3-license minimum on annual billing, making the real entry price $90 per month ($30 per user times 3 users) for the Essentials plan, not the advertised $30 per user.
SourceDrift: What is the current status of Drift in 2026?
On March 6, 2026, Clari and Salesloft announced the gradual sunset of Drift's conversational marketing solution, with 1mind named as its exclusive AI successor. Drift remains available but its future is limited.
SourceAircall: Does Aircall include AI call features in base plans?
No, AI Voice Agents and AI Assist Pro are separate add-ons billed on top of base plans. The Essentials and Professional plans include call recording and analytics but not AI features.
SourceDrift: How much does Drift cost?
Drift pricing starts around $2,500/month ($30,000/year) for Premium chat-only capabilities, with Enterprise plans exceeding $80,000/year. Drift is bundled within Salesloft and billed annually only.
SourceAircall: How many countries can I create phone numbers in?
Aircall supports creating local phone numbers in 100 or more countries, enabling businesses to appear local to customers regardless of location.
SourceDrift: What features come with Drift Premium?
Premium plans include live chat widget, custom chatbot flows, meeting scheduling with calendar integration, basic playbooks, email sequences, and standard integrations.
SourceAircall: What is Aircall's uptime guarantee?
Aircall guarantees 99.95 percent uptime with seven global data centers and system redundancy on every level.
SourceDrift: Does Drift offer a free plan?
No, Drift no longer publicly advertises a free plan as of 2026. All plans require annual billing through Salesloft.
SourceRelated pages
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