Drift vs Zoho SalesIQ
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Drift | Zoho SalesIQ |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $2500/mo | From $39/seat/mo |
| Best For | Large enterprises with complex B2B sales processes | Zoho ecosystem users wanting integrated live chat and visitor tracking |
| Standout Feature | Advanced conversational AI and revenue acceleration | Deep Zoho CRM integration with lead scoring and visitor intelligence |
| Free Plan | ✗ | ✓ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4 | 4.4/5 |
Drift and Zoho SalesIQ represent different philosophies in customer engagement. Drift pioneered conversational marketing with premium pricing, while SalesIQ offers comprehensive chat and visitor intelligence at budget-friendly rates.
The decision often comes down to budget constraints and whether you need Drift's advanced conversational marketing features or SalesIQ's broader toolset at lower cost.
Feature Comparison
Drift excels at conversational marketing with advanced chatbots, account-based marketing integration, and sophisticated lead routing. Its playbooks and meeting scheduling features are industry-leading for B2B sales teams.
Zoho SalesIQ provides visitor tracking, lead scoring, screen sharing, and seamless CRM integration. It includes chatbots, co-browsing, and detailed analytics at a fraction of Drift's cost.
Drift focuses on high-value B2B conversions, while SalesIQ offers broader functionality for various business types and sizes.
Pricing Comparison
The pricing difference is substantial. Drift starts at $2,500/month for their Premium plan with custom enterprise pricing often exceeding $5,000+ monthly. Zoho SalesIQ starts free, then $12-20/operator monthly.
A typical implementation costs $30,000+ annually for Drift versus $1,440-2,400 annually for SalesIQ - over 10x difference.
Drift
Pros
- ✓ Powerful conversational AI
- ✓ Strong B2B focus
- ✓ Advanced lead qualification
Cons
- ✗ Extremely expensive pricing
- ✗ Complex setup and learning curve
- ✗ Overkill for small businesses
Zoho SalesIQ
Pros
- ✓ Very competitive pricing
- ✓ Excellent Zoho ecosystem integration
- ✓ Good visitor tracking and lead scoring
Cons
- ✗ Interface feels dated
- ✗ Best value within Zoho ecosystem
- ✗ Limited integrations outside Zoho
Verdict
Choose Drift if you're a high-growth B2B company with budget for premium conversational marketing tools. Choose Zoho SalesIQ if you need comprehensive chat features, visitor tracking, and CRM integration without enterprise pricing.
Choose Drift if: You're a well-funded B2B company needing advanced conversational marketing and can justify the premium investment.
Choose Zoho SalesIQ if: You need comprehensive chat features, visitor intelligence, and CRM integration without enterprise-level costs.
Alternative: Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate for modern chat features without the complexity of per-agent pricing or enterprise minimums.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Drift comparisons and all Zoho SalesIQ comparisons.