Drift: what it is, how it works & who it's for

B2B conversational marketing chat, now being phased out in favor of 1mind

Updated · Pricing checked October 2026

Salesloft acquired Drift in 2024. In March 2026, Clari + Salesloft announced a gradual sunset of Drift and named 1mind as its exclusive AI successor; drift.com now redirects to Salesloft.

What is Drift?

Drift is a B2B conversational marketing platform that puts live chat and chatbots on company websites to engage visitors, qualify leads and route buyers to sales reps. It was one of the best-known tools in the category and became part of Salesloft in 2024. Sales and marketing teams used Drift to turn anonymous website traffic into booked sales conversations while connecting chat data to their CRM and sales workflow.

Drift is now being retired. In March 2026, Clari + Salesloft announced a gradual sunset of the Drift product and an exclusive agreement naming 1mind as its successor. Existing customers are being referred to 1mind, whose AI agents work on websites, in products and on video calls, with buyer signals flowing into Salesloft workflows. The drift.com domain now redirects to a Salesloft page about the transition, though a Drift login remains available.

Drift at a glance

Drift infographic: how it works in 5 steps, key features, pricing model and who it is best for
Drift at a glance. Share or embed this infographic with a link to this page.

How does Drift work?

  1. Add chat to your website

    Drift customers place a chat widget on their site that greets visitors and starts conversations.

  2. Qualify visitors

    Chatbots ask preset qualifying questions and answer common questions about the product.

  3. Route to sales

    High-intent visitors are routed to the right sales rep for a live conversation or meeting.

  4. Sync with the sales stack

    Conversation data and buyer signals sync with the CRM and Salesloft so reps can follow up.

  5. Plan the transition

    Current customers work with Clari + Salesloft on moving to 1mind or another chat platform before Drift is retired.

Drift key features

Website live chat

Real-time chat between website visitors and sales or support reps.

Chatbots for lead qualification

Automated conversations that ask qualifying questions and capture lead details.

Lead routing

Sends qualified, high-intent visitors to the right rep based on rules and account data.

Personalized conversations

Uses web activity, CRM data and past conversations to tailor messages.

Salesloft integration

Buyer intent captured in chat can feed seller workflows in Salesloft, including Rhythm.

Successor path to 1mind

1mind's AI agents are positioned to replace Drift, with signals flowing into the Clari + Salesloft revenue platform.

Drift login for current users

Existing customers can still sign in to Drift from the Salesloft site while the transition to 1mind is under way.

Why use Drift?

  • Existing Salesloft customers keep chat data connected to their sales workflow during the transition.
  • Chat-based qualification helps sales teams focus on high-intent visitors.
  • Routing gets buyers to the right rep quickly instead of waiting on a form follow-up.
  • The named successor offers a supported migration path rather than an abrupt shutdown.

Who is Drift best for?

A good fit for

  • Existing Drift customers planning their migration
  • B2B sales teams already using Salesloft or Clari
  • Companies evaluating 1mind as Drift's successor

Less suited to

  • New buyers looking for a long-term chat platform, since Drift is being phased out
  • Small businesses that need low-cost, self-serve live chat
  • Customer support teams that need a full help desk

Drift pricing

Pricing modelContact sales
Free planNot confirmed
Free trialNot confirmed
Starting priceSee the official pricing page

No public Drift pricing is published, and the product is being sunset. Existing customers should contact Clari + Salesloft about contract terms and the move to 1mind.

Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official website before you buy.

Drift pros and cons

Pros

  • Long track record in B2B conversational marketing
  • Tight connection to the Salesloft sales workflow
  • Clear successor named for existing customers

Cons

  • Product is being sunset, so it is not a long-term choice
  • No public pricing
  • Customers must plan a migration to 1mind or another tool

Drift integrations and platforms

Works with

  • Salesloft
  • Clari

Available on

  • Web

Drift alternatives

Drift FAQ

Is Drift shutting down?

Yes, Drift is being phased out. In March 2026, Clari + Salesloft announced a gradual sunset of its Drift conversational marketing product and named 1mind as the exclusive AI successor. Existing Drift customers are being referred to 1mind. The announcement did not publish a detailed end-of-life timeline, so customers should check with their account team.

What is Drift used for?

Drift is used by B2B companies to chat with website visitors, qualify them with chatbots and route promising buyers to sales reps. It connects chat conversations to the CRM and to Salesloft, so sellers can follow up on intent signals. Its main users have been marketing and sales teams at mid-size and enterprise companies.

Who owns Drift?

Salesloft acquired Drift in 2024. Salesloft now presents itself together with Clari as Clari + Salesloft, and Drift is part of that company's product lineup while it is phased out. The drift.com website now redirects to a Salesloft page explaining the transition to 1mind.

What are the best Drift alternatives?

The official successor for existing customers is 1mind, which offers AI agents for websites, products and sales calls. Other common options for B2B website chat include Intercom, HubSpot's chat tools and Qualified. The right choice depends on whether you need sales-focused lead routing, customer support, or both.

Drift vs Intercom: what's the difference?

Drift focused on B2B sales, using chat to qualify visitors and route them to reps, with a deep Salesloft connection. Intercom focuses on customer service, combining a help desk with its Fin AI agent and also supporting sales conversations. Unlike Drift, Intercom remains actively developed and publishes its pricing.

Sources

This overview is based on Drift's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.