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Technology · head to head

Drift vs LiveAgent

Drift logo

Drift

Technology

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LiveAgent logo

LiveAgent

Customer Support

All-in-one help desk software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LiveAgent 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; LiveAgent social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price
  • They diverge on capability: Drift covers AI chatbots, LiveAgent covers Ticketing system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drift and LiveAgent actually diverge.

Attributes where Drift and LiveAgent differ
AttributeDriftLiveAgent
Starting price$2500/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTechnologyCustomer Support
Founded20152004

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

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

Only in LiveAgent

  • Ticketing system
  • Call center
  • Social media
  • Knowledge base
  • Customer portal
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • Magento

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Drift

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

LiveAgent

  • Multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messagesnot Drift
  • Ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teamsnot 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

LiveAgent

  • Social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price
  • The entry plan is limited to 3 email accounts, 2 live chat buttons and 3 contact forms
  • WhatsApp numbers are rationed by plan, at 5 on Large Business and 20 on Enterprise
  • The advertised prices require annual billing, and monthly billing raises the entry plan from $10 to $13 per agent
  • Every published price is a discounted rate against a higher regular price

Pricing, plan by plan

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

LiveAgent

Free
  • Small Business$10/month
    • Ticketing
    • Live chat
    • Knowledge base
  • Medium Business$19/month
    • Everything in Small
    • Call center
    • IVR
  • Large Business$33/month
    • Everything in Medium
    • Social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)
  • Enterprise$46/month
    • Everything in Large
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Drift if

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

Choose LiveAgent if

  • You need ticketing system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want call center.
LiveAgent review

Questions people ask

Is Drift or LiveAgent better?
Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and LiveAgent at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drift or LiveAgent?
LiveAgent has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/month for Drift and Free for LiveAgent.
Does Drift or LiveAgent run on more platforms?
Drift runs on Web. LiveAgent runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use LiveAgent for free?
Yes. LiveAgent 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 LiveAgent is typically brought in for.
What can Drift do that LiveAgent cannot?
Drift covers AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences, Visitor intelligence. LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Call center, Social media, Knowledge base. Both handle Live chat, Slack, GDPR.

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
LiveAgent: How much does LiveAgent cost?

LiveAgent charges per agent on annual billing: Small Business at $10/agent/month, Medium at $19/agent/month, Large at $33/agent/month, and Enterprise at $46/agent/month (regular rates are $15, $29, $49, and $69 respectively). Monthly billing costs 30% more.

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
LiveAgent: Does LiveAgent offer a free trial?

Yes, LiveAgent provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, offering full access to all features including AI agents.

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
LiveAgent: Are AI agents included in all LiveAgent plans?

Yes, all LiveAgent plans include free AI agents with features like chatbots, answer assistants, human handover, and autoresponders.

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
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