Drift vs Intercom: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Drift and Intercom. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Intercom starts at $29/mo, making it $21/mo cheaper than Drift ($50/mo). Drift offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Drift vs Intercom: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Drift | Intercom |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $50/mo | $29/mo |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 3 |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | flat | per-seat |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Intercom is the more affordable option, starting at $29/mo compared to Drift's $50/mo. Both are Customer Support tools with 7 combined pricing plans and 29 features compared.
Drift stands out with a free plan for getting started. Drift uses flat pricing while Intercom uses per-seat pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Customer Support needs.
| Pricing Plans |  Drift Try it free |  Intercom Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Essential $29/month $2 / year Includes
| |
| Tier 2 | ProPopular $50/monthCheapest $600 / year Includes
| Advanced $85/month $7 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | Business $100/monthCheapest $1200 / year Includes
| Expert $132/month $11 / year Includes
|
| Tier 4 | Enterprise Custom pricing Includes
| — |
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What Reviewers Say
Drift
Drift offers a free plan, offers 4 tiers vs 3.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Drift
Try Drift freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Drift if:
- •You need a free plan with Basic features, Limited integrations—Drift offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You need 4 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Drift offers negotiated terms for large deployments
Choose Intercom if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Intercom starts at $29/mo, saving $21/mo compared to Drift at $50/mo
- •You want more features built-in—Intercom offers 7 additional features across its plans
- •Intercom's 3-tier per-seat structure gives clearer cost visibility for budget planning
Drift offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Intercom requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Drift a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Drift's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $50/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against Intercom's tiering starting at $29/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Drift's 4 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Intercom's 3 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Drift is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.
Frequently Asked Questions: Drift vs Intercom
Which is cheaper, Drift or Intercom?
How many pricing plans does Drift have vs Intercom?
Does Drift or Intercom offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Drift or Intercom?
What is the most popular Drift plan?
Does Drift or Intercom offer custom enterprise pricing?
What pricing models do Drift and Intercom use?
Sources
- Drift Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Intercom Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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