Softwr

Live Chat · head to head

Crisp vs Drift

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Drift logo

Drift

Technology

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Crisp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; Drift product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended
  • They diverge on capability: Crisp covers Shared inbox, Drift covers AI chatbots.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Drift actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Drift differ
AttributeCrispDrift
Starting priceFree$2500/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb
CategoryLive ChatTechnology

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2015).

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 Crisp

  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Knowledge base
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • Zapier

Only in Drift

  • AI chatbots
  • Meeting scheduling
  • Email sequences
  • Visitor intelligence
  • Conversation routing
  • Mobile app
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Segment
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Customer service and support automationnot Drift
  • Chat and omnichannel messagingnot Drift
  • Chatbot and AI conversation managementnot Drift
  • Customer profile and ticket managementnot Drift
  • Team collaboration on customer communicationnot Drift

Drift

  • Lead qualificationnot Crisp
  • Meeting bookingnot Crisp
  • Customer supportnot Crisp
  • Account-based marketingnot Crisp
  • Sales accelerationnot Crisp

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles
  • Additional agents cost $10/month per seat beyond included seats
  • Customer profile limits increase with each tier; 5,000 (Mini) to 200,000 (Plus)
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

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

Crisp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 seats
    • Website chat widget
    • Shared inbox
  • Mini$45/month
    • 4 seats
    • ~$5 AI credits (around 90 automated conversations)
    • Shared email inbox
  • Essentials$95/month
    • 10 seats
    • ~$25 AI credits (around 450 automated conversations)
    • Omnichannel inbox
  • Plus$295/month
    • 20+ seats
    • ~$75 AI credits (around 1,350 automated conversations)
    • Unlimited task automations

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want chatbots.
Crisp review

Choose Drift if

  • You need ai chatbots.
  • You also want meeting scheduling.
Drift review

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Drift better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and Drift at $2500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or Drift?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $2500/month for Drift.
Does Crisp or Drift run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Drift runs on Web.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drift starts at $2500/month.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for customer service and support automation, chat and omnichannel messaging, chatbot and ai conversation management, customer profile and ticket management. Of those, customer service and support automation and chat and omnichannel messaging are not what Drift is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Drift cannot?
Crisp covers Shared inbox, Chatbots, Knowledge base, Video calls. Drift covers AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences, Visitor intelligence. Both handle Live chat, Slack, Segment, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crisp: How much does Crisp cost?

Crisp offers a free plan ($0/month for 2 seats), Mini ($45/month for 4 seats), Essentials ($95/month for 10 seats), Plus ($295/month for 20+ seats), and Enterprise (custom pricing).

Source
Drift: 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.

Source
Crisp: Is there a free version of Crisp?

Yes, Crisp Free includes 2 seats, website chat widget, shared inbox, and mobile/desktop apps with a 100 customer profile limit and no AI credits.

Source
Drift: 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.

Source
Crisp: What are AI credits in Crisp?

AI credits power automated conversations. Mini plan includes ~$5 credits (90 conversations), Essentials includes ~$25 credits (450 conversations), Plus includes ~$75 credits (1,350 conversations).

Source
Drift: 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.

Source
Crisp: Does Crisp charge per additional agent?

Yes, additional agents beyond included seats cost $10/month per person. Free plan includes 2 seats; additional seats available on paid plans.

Source
Drift: 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.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Crisp

More on Drift

Keep looking

Other head to heads