Software: Drift

Category: Conversational Marketing & Sales Platform

Primary Use: AI chat, lead qualification, and sales pipeline acceleration

Developer: Drift (now part of Salesloft)

Starting Price: Custom pricing (enterprise-focused)

Free Trial/Plan: Demo available upon request

Platform: Web-based (cloud)

Official Website: drift.com

Drift is a cloud-based conversational marketing and sales platform designed to help businesses engage website visitors in real time, qualify leads automatically, and accelerate revenue pipelines. The software combines live chat, AI-powered chatbots, meeting scheduling tools, and CRM integrations to support sales-driven communication workflows.

What Is Drift?

Drift is a SaaS platform launched in 2015 with a focus on conversational marketing. Unlike traditional live chat tools that emphasize customer support, Drift is primarily designed to support sales and revenue teams. The platform enables businesses to interact with high-intent website visitors through automated chat flows that qualify leads and book meetings instantly.

The system uses AI-powered chatbots to ask structured questions, route conversations to appropriate sales representatives, and integrate collected data directly into CRM systems. Drift is commonly used by B2B organizations and SaaS companies seeking to shorten sales cycles and increase conversion rates.

Drift operates entirely in the cloud and is accessed through a browser-based dashboard.

Who Uses Drift?

Drift is primarily used by B2B companies, SaaS providers, enterprise sales teams, and marketing departments that focus on inbound lead generation. The platform is especially common among organizations with high-value products or services that require qualification before a sales conversation.

Revenue operations teams often use Drift to identify qualified leads in real time, schedule demos, and prioritize high-intent visitors. Marketing teams deploy it to replace traditional web forms with conversational lead capture experiences.

Core Features

Drift provides a conversational chatbot builder that allows businesses to create automated qualification flows. These chatbots greet website visitors, ask predefined questions, and collect relevant information such as company size, budget range, or product interest. Based on user responses, the system can route leads to specific sales representatives or teams.

The platform includes AI-powered conversation capabilities designed to interpret user intent and respond dynamically. This allows Drift to engage visitors even when they ask open-ended questions. The AI component can identify high-intent behavior and trigger targeted engagement based on browsing patterns.

Live chat functionality is also included, enabling sales representatives to join conversations in real time. When a qualified lead is identified, a representative can step in immediately to continue the conversation and guide the prospect through the next stage of the sales process.

Meeting scheduling is integrated directly within the chat experience. Prospects can book appointments with available sales representatives without leaving the website. Calendar synchronization ensures that scheduling is aligned with team availability.

Drift also provides account-based marketing (ABM) features. Businesses can personalize website experiences for target accounts by displaying tailored messages or routing visitors from specific companies directly to assigned representatives.

Integrations and Compatibility

Drift integrates with major CRM systems such as Salesforce and HubSpot. These integrations allow conversation data and lead information to flow directly into existing sales pipelines. Marketing automation platforms and email systems can also be connected to support follow-up campaigns.

The platform supports integration with calendar tools for meeting scheduling and can connect with analytics platforms to measure conversion performance. API access is available for custom integrations within enterprise environments.

Drift is deployed via a website script that embeds the chat widget directly into a site. Because it is cloud-based, no local installation is required, and updates are applied automatically.

Pricing Structure

Drift uses a custom pricing model tailored primarily to mid-sized and enterprise organizations. Public pricing tiers are not listed, and businesses typically request a demo or consultation to receive a quote.

Pricing generally depends on factors such as team size, feature requirements, traffic volume, and integration needs. Enterprise packages may include advanced AI capabilities, dedicated support, onboarding services, and account-based marketing features.

Billing is typically structured through annual contracts.

Advantages and Limitations

Drift is structured around revenue acceleration and sales engagement rather than traditional customer support. Its AI-driven lead qualification and integrated meeting scheduling features are designed to reduce friction in the buying process. Deep CRM integrations support streamlined data management for sales teams.

However, the platform is primarily targeted at B2B and enterprise environments. Pricing is custom and may be higher than standard live chat tools. Businesses seeking basic support-focused chat solutions may find more cost-effective alternatives in other platforms.

Alternatives to Drift

Several platforms offer similar conversational marketing and sales automation functionality. Intercom provides customer messaging and engagement automation. HubSpot Chat integrates conversational tools within CRM systems. Tidio focuses on ecommerce live chat and automation. Zendesk offers customer support and messaging capabilities.

Each alternative differs in channel focus, enterprise depth, and pricing structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Drift do?

Drift is a conversational marketing platform that automates lead qualification and enables real-time sales engagement.

Is Drift cloud-based?

Yes. Drift operates as a web-based SaaS platform.

Does Drift offer public pricing?

No. Pricing is provided through custom enterprise quotes.

Can Drift integrate with CRM systems?

Yes. It integrates with CRM platforms such as Salesforce and HubSpot.

Who typically uses Drift?

B2B companies, SaaS providers, and enterprise sales teams commonly use the platform.

Key Takeaways

Drift is a cloud-based conversational marketing and sales platform designed to qualify leads, book meetings, and accelerate revenue pipelines. The software combines AI-powered chatbots, live sales chat, meeting scheduling, and CRM integrations. Pricing is custom and tailored primarily to mid-sized and enterprise B2B organizations.