Chatwoot vs Drift
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Chatwoot | Drift |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $19/seat/mo | From $2500/mo |
| Best For | Technical teams wanting open-source flexibility | Large enterprises with complex B2B sales processes |
| Standout Feature | Open-source with self-hosting option | Advanced conversational AI and revenue acceleration |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4 | 4.4 |
Chatwoot and Drift serve different market segments despite both being customer communication platforms. Chatwoot is an open-source, developer-friendly solution with transparent pricing, while Drift targets enterprises with premium conversational marketing features.
This comparison highlights the trade-offs between Chatwoot's flexibility and affordability versus Drift's advanced automation and enterprise integrations.
Feature Comparison
Chatwoot offers solid fundamentals: multi-channel inbox, team collaboration, and basic automation. Being open-source, it provides unlimited customization potential and self-hosting options for complete data control.
Drift focuses on conversational marketing with sophisticated chatbots, lead scoring, and sales acceleration tools. Its AI can qualify leads, book meetings, and integrate deeply with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot.
For technical teams, Chatwoot's API-first approach and webhook capabilities offer more integration flexibility. For sales-focused organizations, Drift's account-based marketing and revenue attribution features are more valuable.
Pricing Comparison
The pricing gap is enormous. Chatwoot starts at $20/agent/month with a free tier for small teams, while Drift begins at $2,500/month minimum - over 100x more expensive for small teams.
Chatwoot's transparent per-agent pricing scales predictably, making it budget-friendly for growing teams. Drift's enterprise pricing model includes custom quotes that can reach tens of thousands monthly.
Only large enterprises with substantial marketing budgets can justify Drift's premium. Most small to medium businesses will find Chatwoot's pricing more sustainable.
Chatwoot
Pros
- ✓ Open-source option available
- ✓ Good channel coverage
- ✓ Active development community
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing model
- ✗ Self-hosting requires technical expertise
- ✗ Limited advanced features in lower tiers
Drift
Pros
- ✓ Powerful conversational AI
- ✓ Strong B2B focus
- ✓ Advanced lead qualification
Cons
- ✗ Extremely expensive pricing
- ✗ Complex setup and learning curve
- ✗ Overkill for small businesses
Verdict
Choose Chatwoot if you want open-source flexibility, transparent pricing, and don't mind some technical setup. Choose Drift if you need enterprise-grade conversational marketing and have the budget for premium features.
Choose Chatwoot if: You want affordable, customizable customer support with open-source flexibility and don't need advanced marketing automation.
Choose Drift if: You're an enterprise needing sophisticated conversational marketing, lead qualification, and have budget for premium pricing.
Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate - it bridges the gap with modern features and reasonable pricing without the complexity of either platform.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Chatwoot comparisons and all Drift comparisons.