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Technology · head to head

Drift vs HubSpot CRM

Drift logo

Drift

Technology

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot CRM logo

HubSpot CRM

Remote Work

Free CRM for sales and marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HubSpot CRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Drift product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended; HubSpot CRM starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • They diverge on capability: Drift covers Live chat, HubSpot CRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drift and HubSpot CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Drift and HubSpot CRM differ
AttributeDriftHubSpot CRM
Starting price$2500/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android
CategoryTechnologyRemote Work
Founded20152006

Identical on both: 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 Drift

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

Only in HubSpot CRM

  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Email
  • Reporting
  • Automation
  • GitHub
  • Zapier
  • Google Workspace

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Drift

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

HubSpot CRM

  • Contact and deal management for sales teamsnot Drift
  • Customer data organization and reportingnot Drift
  • Team collaboration with permission controlsnot Drift

Where each one falls short

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

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

HubSpot CRM

  • Starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • Free plan limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts, requiring upgrade for larger teams
  • Per-seat pricing model on all paid tiers, making team expansion costly

Pricing, plan by plan

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

HubSpot CRM

Free
  • Free CRMFree
    • Up to 2 users
    • 1,000 contacts
    • Unlimited customer data
  • Starter$15/month
    • Required fields
    • Permission sets
    • Multiple currencies
  • Professional$50/month
    • AI customer agent
    • Duplicate management
    • Standard contact scoring
  • Enterprise$75/month
    • Custom objects
    • Organize teams
    • Single sign-on

Which should you pick?

Choose Drift if

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

Choose HubSpot CRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
  • You also want deal tracking.
HubSpot CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Drift or HubSpot CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and HubSpot CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drift or HubSpot CRM?
HubSpot CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/month for Drift and Free for HubSpot CRM.
Does Drift or HubSpot CRM run on more platforms?
Drift runs on Web. HubSpot CRM runs on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
Can I use HubSpot CRM for free?
Yes. HubSpot CRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drift starts at $2500/month.
What is Drift best used for?
Drift is most often used for lead qualification, meeting booking, customer support, account-based marketing. Of those, lead qualification and meeting booking are not what HubSpot CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Drift do that HubSpot CRM cannot?
Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Email, Reporting. Both handle Salesforce, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
HubSpot CRM: What is the cost of HubSpot CRM for different company sizes?

Free CRM for up to 2 users at $0/month. Starter at $15/month per seat (new customers only), Professional at $50/month per seat, Enterprise at $75/month per seat.

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
HubSpot CRM: What are the user and contact limits on the free HubSpot CRM plan?

Free plan supports up to 2 users, 1,000 contacts, and unlimited customer data with no expiration date or credit card required.

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
HubSpot CRM: Can data migrate from free to paid HubSpot CRM plans without loss?

Users can upgrade from free to premium tiers without data migration required, meaning all contacts and information transfer to the new plan.

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
HubSpot CRM: Is there a discount for HubSpot CRM new customer pricing?

Starter plan offers a new customer discount with no set end date, but HubSpot reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.

Source
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