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Technology · head to head

Drift vs Pure Chat

Drift logo

Drift

Technology

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pure Chat logo

Pure Chat

Live Chat

Simple and affordable live chat for any business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pure Chat 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; Pure Chat growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • They diverge on capability: Drift covers Live chat, Pure Chat covers Live chat widget.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drift and Pure Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Drift and Pure Chat differ
AttributeDriftPure Chat
Starting price$2500/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android
CategoryTechnologyLive Chat
Founded20152011

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 Pure Chat

  • Live chat widget
  • Visitor information
  • Chat transcripts
  • Department routing
  • Zapier
  • API
  • Web support
  • Mobile app support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

What people use each for

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

Drift

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

Pure Chat

  • Customer support chatnot Drift
  • Website engagementnot Drift
  • Lead capturenot Drift
  • Sales 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

Pure Chat

  • Growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • Additional operators cost extra: $13-$15/month per operator depending on plan and billing
  • Growth plan has significantly lower limits than PRO

Pricing, plan by plan

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

Pure Chat

Free
  • Growth$49/month
    • 4 users/operators
    • 1 website
    • 100 SMS notifications
  • Growth Annual$39/month
    • Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate
  • PRO$99/month
    • 10 users/operators
    • Unlimited websites
    • 1,000 SMS notifications
  • PRO Annual$79/month
    • Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate

Which should you pick?

Choose Drift if

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

Choose Pure Chat if

  • You need live chat widget.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want visitor information.
Pure Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Drift or Pure Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and Pure Chat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drift or Pure Chat?
Pure Chat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/month for Drift and Free for Pure Chat.
Does Drift or Pure Chat run on more platforms?
Drift runs on Web. Pure Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
Can I use Pure Chat for free?
Yes. Pure Chat 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 Pure Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Drift do that Pure Chat cannot?
Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. Pure Chat covers Live chat widget, Visitor information, Chat transcripts, Department routing. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot.

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
Pure Chat: How much does PureChat cost?

PureChat's Growth plan costs $49/month (or $39/month annually) with 4 users and 1 website. The PRO plan is $99/month (or $79/month annually) with 10 users and unlimited websites.

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
Pure Chat: Does PureChat offer a free trial?

Yes, PureChat offers a free 30-day trial of the PRO plan to prospective customers.

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
Pure Chat: What is the difference between Growth and PRO plans?

Growth includes 4 users and 1 website with 100 SMS notifications per month. PRO includes 10 users, unlimited websites, and 1,000 SMS notifications. Additional operators can be added for $8-$15/month.

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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