7 BEST DRIFT ALTERNATIVES AFTER THE 2026 SHUTDOWN

1. AskMeEvo

€0 – €499/mo (flat)

Best for: SMBs replacing Drift with an AI-first chatbot

AskMeEvo replaces Drift’s chatbot functionality with a flat-pricing AI agent that learns from your website content. No seat costs, no per-message fees. Every answer includes source citations so visitors know where the information comes from. Setup takes about 20 minutes. Includes contact capture for lead generation (replacing Drift’s lead routing) and human handoff when the AI cannot answer. The free plan covers 100 conversations per month.

2. Intercom

From $29/seat/mo + $0.99/resolution

Best for: Teams that want Drift-level features at enterprise scale

Intercom is the closest feature match to Drift: conversational marketing, lead qualification, live chat, and AI chatbot (Fin). The pricing model is complex with seat fees plus per-resolution charges, making it expensive for small teams. Best for mid-market companies that have budget for a full conversational platform and need advanced routing and qualification workflows.

3. Tidio

$0 – $499+/mo

Best for: E-commerce businesses needing chat plus automation

Tidio combines live chat, chatbots, and the Lyro AI assistant. The visual flow builder makes it easy to recreate Drift-style qualification flows without code. Good Shopify and WooCommerce integrations. Pricing has three dimensions (plan, seats, AI add-on) so budget carefully. More accessible than Intercom for small teams.

4. HubSpot Chat

Free – $890/mo (Marketing Hub)

Best for: Teams already using HubSpot CRM

HubSpot offers a free chatbot builder integrated with its CRM. If you already use HubSpot for marketing or sales, the chat widget connects directly to your contact database and deal pipeline. The free tier is limited but functional. The AI capabilities are basic compared to dedicated chatbot builders. The real cost comes when you need Marketing Hub features for advanced lead routing.

5. Crisp

€0 – €95/mo (flat per workspace)

Best for: Startups replacing Drift on a budget

Crisp bundles live chat, chatbot, CRM, and shared inbox at flat per-workspace pricing. No per-seat charges. The chatbot builder supports basic qualification flows. AI capabilities are available as an add-on. Good value for small teams that need a multi-tool platform without Intercom-level pricing.

6. Chatbase

$0 – $399/mo (credit-based)

Best for: Teams that want AI chatbot simplicity

Chatbase lets you build an AI chatbot from your website content in minutes. Easy setup and multiple AI model choices. Does not have Drift’s live chat, routing, or qualification features, but handles AI-powered Q&A well. Credit-based pricing means costs grow with usage. Best as a lightweight chatbot replacement, not a full Drift substitute.

7. LiveChat

$20 – $69/agent/mo

Best for: Sales teams that need human-first conversations

LiveChat is a mature human-chat platform. No built-in AI chatbot (that requires a separate ChatBot.com subscription). Good if your Drift usage was primarily human agents having real-time conversations with prospects. Per-agent pricing is straightforward. Missing the AI and automation features that made Drift popular.

Step 1: Export your Drift knowledge base

Go to Drift Settings > Knowledge Base and export all articles as HTML or PDF. If you used Drift Playbooks, document each playbook’s qualification logic (the questions asked and routing rules) in a spreadsheet for reference.

Step 2: Create your AskMeEvo agent

Sign up at askmeevo.com and create a new agent. Enter your website URL. AskMeEvo will crawl your site and learn from all public pages, including any knowledge base or FAQ content. This replaces Drift’s content training.

Step 3: Configure contact capture

In AskMeEvo settings, enable contact capture. This replaces Drift’s lead qualification by collecting visitor email addresses during conversations. Set up email notifications so your team receives leads immediately.

Step 4: Install the widget

Remove the Drift JavaScript snippet from your website. Add the AskMeEvo embed code in its place. The widget appears in the same bottom-right position. If you use a CMS like WordPress, Webflow, or Shopify, use the one-click integration instead.

Step 5: Test and go live

Ask your chatbot the same questions your customers typically ask. Check that answers are accurate and cite the right source pages. Verify that contact capture works and notifications arrive. Once satisfied, you are live. The entire migration typically takes under one hour.

MIGRATE FROM DRIFT IN UNDER ONE HOUR

Your first agent is free.

What happened to Drift?

Drift was acquired by Salesloft in 2024. Since then, Salesloft has repositioned Drift as an enterprise-only product with minimum contracts around $2,500 per month. Small and mid-size businesses that used Drift’s free or starter plans no longer have access to those tiers.

Can I still use Drift for free?

No. Drift’s free plan and lower-tier plans have been discontinued. The current minimum engagement is approximately $2,500 per month, targeted at enterprise sales teams. Small businesses need to find an alternative.

What is the cheapest Drift replacement?

AskMeEvo offers a free plan with 100 conversations per month. For most small businesses, the €59/month plan (1,000 conversations) covers their needs. Crisp and HubSpot Chat also offer free tiers with basic chatbot functionality.

How long does it take to migrate from Drift?

Migrating to AskMeEvo takes about one hour. The AI agent learns from your website automatically, so you do not need to manually rebuild conversation flows. The main work is removing the Drift snippet and adding the new widget code.

Will I lose my Drift conversation history?

Export your conversation history from Drift before your subscription ends. Most alternatives do not import Drift conversation data, but you can keep the export for reference. Going forward, your new tool will maintain its own conversation history.

Which Drift alternative is best for lead generation?

AskMeEvo captures visitor contact information during conversations and sends it to your team via email or webhook. For more advanced lead routing and scoring, Intercom or HubSpot Chat offer pipeline management features, though at higher price points.