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Drift vs Zoho CRM

Drift logo

Drift

Software

The Conversation Cloud

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

Software

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho CRM 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; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Drift covers Live chat, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drift and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Drift and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeDriftZoho CRM
Starting price$2500/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20151996

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Drift

  • Lead qualificationnot Zoho CRM
  • Meeting bookingnot Zoho CRM
  • Customer support
  • Account-based marketingnot Zoho CRM
  • Sales accelerationnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Drift
  • Lead managementnot Drift
  • Customer support
  • Marketing automationnot Drift
  • Analytics & reportingnot 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

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

Pricing, plan by plan

Drift

$2500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Drift review.

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Drift if

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

Choose Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Zoho CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Drift or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Drift starts at $2500/month and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drift or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/month for Drift and Free for Zoho CRM.
Does Drift or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Drift runs on Web. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Zoho CRM for free?
Yes. Zoho CRM 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 Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Drift do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Drift covers Live chat, AI chatbots, Meeting scheduling, Email sequences. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA.

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
Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

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
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

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
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

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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