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Software Development · head to head

Cursor vs Drift

Cursor logo

Cursor

Software Development

The AI-first code editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Drift logo

Drift

Technology

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cursor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cursor cannot work fully offline; AI features require internet connection; Drift product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended
  • They diverge on capability: Cursor covers AI code completion, Drift covers Live chat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cursor and Drift actually diverge.

Attributes where Cursor and Drift differ
AttributeCursorDrift
Starting priceFree$2500/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, LinuxWeb
CategorySoftware DevelopmentTechnology
Founded20222015

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Cursor

  • AI code completion
  • Natural language editing
  • Codebase chat
  • Multi-file editing
  • Code generation
  • Bug fixing assistance
  • Refactoring suggestions
  • AI pair programming

Only in Drift

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

What people use each for

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

Cursor

  • AI-assisted codingnot Drift
  • Code generationnot Drift
  • Bug fixingnot Drift
  • Refactoringnot Drift
  • Learning new codebasesnot Drift
  • Rapid prototypingnot Drift

Drift

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cursor

  • Cannot work fully offline; AI features require internet connection
  • Local models require requests to route through Cursor's backend, not true localhost support
  • Free tier capped at 2,000 completions per month
  • Codebase indexing uploads code chunks to compute embeddings, with file caching handled server-side

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

Cursor

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 2,000 completions/month
    • 50 slow premium requests
    • Basic autocomplete
  • Pro$20/month
    • Unlimited completions
    • 500 fast premium requests
    • Composer multi-file editor
  • Pro+$60/month
    • 3x Pro limits on Agent requests
    • Priority feature access
  • Teams Standard$40/user/month
    • All Individual Pro features
    • Centralized billing
    • SAML/OIDC SSO

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cursor if

  • You need ai code completion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want natural language editing.
Cursor review

Choose Drift if

  • You need live chat.
  • You also want ai chatbots.
Drift review

Questions people ask

Is Cursor or Drift better?
Neither clearly leads. Cursor 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, Cursor or Drift?
Cursor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cursor and $2500/month for Drift.
Does Cursor or Drift run on more platforms?
Cursor runs on Windows, Macos, Linux. Drift runs on Web.
Can I use Cursor for free?
Yes. Cursor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drift starts at $2500/month.
What is Cursor best used for?
Cursor is most often used for ai-assisted coding, code generation, bug fixing, refactoring. Of those, ai-assisted coding and code generation are not what Drift is typically brought in for.
What can Cursor do that Drift cannot?
Cursor covers AI code completion, Natural language editing, Codebase chat, Multi-file editing. Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cursor: What's included in Cursor's free tier and what are its limits?

The free Hobby plan provides 2,000 completions per month and 50 slow premium requests, with access to basic autocomplete features. Codebase-wide indexing and the Composer multi-file editor are not available on the free plan.

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
Cursor: Does Cursor require an internet connection to edit code?

While Cursor can open and edit files locally, its AI features including autocomplete, chat, agents, and codebase-aware reasoning require internet access to cloud-hosted models.

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
Cursor: Can I use Cursor with local models running on my machine?

Cursor can integrate with local models, but requests still route through Cursor's backend for prompt building. True localhost mode without external endpoints is not supported. The paid plan ($20+/month) is required to use local models.

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
Cursor: What privacy controls does Cursor offer?

Cursor offers Privacy Mode (enabled on paid Team plans) which prevents customer data from being used for model training, with zero data retention agreements with all AI providers. When disabled, Cursor may use codebase data to improve features.

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
Cursor: What are the differences between Pro and Pro+ plans?

Pro ($20/month) includes unlimited completions and 500 fast premium requests, while Pro+ ($60/month) provides 3x those request limits, priority feature access, and extended Agent capabilities.

Source
Cursor: Does Cursor support SSO and on which plan?

SSO with SAML/OIDC is included on Teams Standard ($40/user/month) and higher plans, with full team administration and audit logs.

Source
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