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Drift vs Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Drift logo

Drift

Technology

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat logo

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Live Chat

Live chat integrated with Salesforce Service Cloud

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Drift product is being sunset by Salesloft with successor service (1mind) recommended; Salesforce Service Cloud Chat entry-level pricing of $25 per user per month is relatively expensive for small businesses
  • They diverge on capability: Drift covers Live chat, Salesforce Service Cloud Chat covers Live chat messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drift and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Drift and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat differ
AttributeDriftSalesforce Service Cloud Chat
Starting price$2500/month$25/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile apps
CategoryTechnologyLive Chat
Founded20151999

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), 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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM integration
  • Agent desktop integration
  • Visitor tracking
  • Salesforce ecosystem
  • Gmail
  • Web support
  • Mobile app support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

What people use each for

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

Drift

  • Lead qualificationnot Salesforce Service Cloud Chat
  • Meeting bookingnot Salesforce Service Cloud Chat
  • Customer support
  • Account-based marketingnot Salesforce Service Cloud Chat
  • Sales accelerationnot Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Customer engagementnot Drift
  • Lead generationnot Drift
  • Customer support
  • Sales automationnot Drift

Both are used for customer support, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

  • Entry-level pricing of $25 per user per month is relatively expensive for small businesses
  • Requires Salesforce CRM setup and integration for full functionality
  • Limited standalone capability outside of Salesforce ecosystem
  • Complex configuration required for advanced features

Pricing, plan by plan

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

Salesforce Service Cloud Chat

$25/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Salesforce Service Cloud Chat review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Drift if

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

Choose Salesforce Service Cloud Chat if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You work on Web, Mobile apps.
  • You also want crm integration.
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Drift or Salesforce Service Cloud Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drift or Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?
Drift starts at $2500/month and Salesforce Service Cloud Chat at $25/month.
Does Drift or Salesforce Service Cloud Chat run on more platforms?
Drift runs on Web. Salesforce Service Cloud Chat runs on Web, Mobile apps.
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 Salesforce Service Cloud Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Drift do that Salesforce Service Cloud Chat cannot?
Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. Salesforce Service Cloud Chat covers Live chat messaging, CRM integration, Agent desktop integration, Visitor tracking. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams.

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
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat: What is Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?

Salesforce Chat is a real-time customer engagement tool enabling businesses to connect with customers through personalized live chat interactions embedded in apps and on websites, with AI-powered chatbot support.

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
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat: What is the pricing for Salesforce Service Cloud Chat?

Salesforce Service Cloud entry-level pricing starts at $25 per user per month, with multiple tiers available and add-ons ranging from $50 to $75 depending on required features.

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
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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