Technology · head to head
Drift vs Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge
Technology
Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft Edge 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; Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
- They diverge on capability: Drift covers Live chat, Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Drift and Microsoft Edge actually diverge.
| Attribute | Drift | Microsoft Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2500/month | Free |
| Pricing model | Unknown | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2015 | Unknown |
Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).
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 Microsoft Edge
- Internet Explorer mode
- Enterprise Mode Site List
- Entra ID integration
- Purview DLP for browsing
- Intune and Group Policy
- Vertical tabs and Workspaces
- Sleeping tabs
- Chrome extension compatibility
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Drift
- Lead qualificationnot Microsoft Edge
- Meeting bookingnot Microsoft Edge
- Customer supportnot Microsoft Edge
- Account-based marketingnot Microsoft Edge
- Sales accelerationnot Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge
- A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot Drift
- Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot Drift
- Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot Drift
- Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot 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
Microsoft Edge
- Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
- It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
- Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
- Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
- IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
- By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.
Pricing, plan by plan
Drift
$2500/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.
Microsoft Edge
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Edge if
- You need internet explorer mode.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want enterprise mode site list.
Questions people ask
- Is Drift or Microsoft Edge better?
- Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and Microsoft Edge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Drift or Microsoft Edge?
- Microsoft Edge has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/month for Drift and Free for Microsoft Edge.
- Does Drift or Microsoft Edge run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Microsoft Edge for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Edge 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 Microsoft Edge is typically brought in for.
- What can Drift do that Microsoft Edge cannot?
- Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?
In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?
Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?
Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?
Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.
Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?
Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Edge
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