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Drift vs Podium

Drift logo

Drift

Live Chat

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Free plan
No
Visit DriftFull review
Podium logo

Podium

Customer Support

Messaging platform for local businesses

From
$249/month
Free plan
No
Visit PodiumFull review

The short version

  • Drift is a conversational marketing and sales platform; Podium is a customer messaging platform.
  • Drift starts at $2500/mo, Podium at $249/mo.
  • Only Drift lists live chat; only Podium lists text messaging.
  • Where Drift falls short: product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended.
  • Where Podium falls short: no transparent pricing published online.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drift and Podium actually diverge.

Attributes where Drift and Podium differ
AttributeDriftPodium
Starting price$2500/month$249/month
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded20152014

Identical on both: free tier (No).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Drift.

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 Podium

  • Text messaging
  • Review management
  • Webchat
  • Payments
  • Team inbox
  • Automation
  • Google
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Drift

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

Podium

  • Managing customer messages and reviews for local businessesnot Drift
  • Converting inbound leads through text and web chatnot 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

Podium

  • No transparent pricing published online
  • 10DLC base fee amount not specified
  • Bulk Messages credits and limits not quantified

Pricing, plan by plan

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

Podium

$249/month
  • Essentials$249/mo
    • Inbox
    • Reviews
    • Website chat
  • Standard$449/mo
    • Essentials + Campaigns
    • Payments
    • Automation
  • ProfessionalOn request
    • Standard + Advanced analytics
    • Multi-location

Which should you pick?

Choose Drift if

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

Choose Podium if

  • You need text messaging.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want review management.
Podium review

Questions people ask

Is Drift or Podium better?
Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and Podium at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drift or Podium?
Drift starts at $2500/month and Podium at $249/month.
Does Drift or Podium run on more platforms?
Drift runs on Web. Podium runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Podium is typically brought in for.
What can Drift do that Podium cannot?
Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. Podium covers Text messaging, Review management, Webchat, Payments. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, SOC2, 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
Podium: How do I find out Podium pricing for my business?

Podium requires contacting their sales team directly at 1-801-438-4425 or visiting http://podium.com/getpricing for a custom quote based on your business needs.

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
Podium: What messaging features might incur additional costs?

10DLC messaging has a base fee (amount unspecified) and Bulk Messages credits are available with limits that are not detailed on their public pricing page.

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
Podium: Does Podium publish pricing tiers online?

No. Podium states plans are designed to fit specific business needs and requires sales team consultation instead of displaying standard public pricing.

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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