Live chat plugins have revolutionized how people communicate- offering comprehensive solutions for businesses to connect with customers, improve service, and boost conversion. Looking for the best live chat tool for your business? Here is a head-to-head comparison of Drift vs 3CX to help you narrow it down and learn more about your options.

Drift vs 3CX Feature Comparison

Getting right down to business, let’s look at the most important features and functions of both chat tools and how they compare. 

User Interface and Ease of Use

Drift has a relatively simple- but very effective- interface. It is easy to navigate, newbie-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. The installation process requires a bit more knowledge than some other options, but there are guides to get you through.

3CX looks and feels more technical than Drift. The interface is nicely laid out, and the support team is exceptional when helping with setup. 

Side-by-side, the Drift user interface is a bit smoother, but 3CX has the technical edge for those who want more control. 

Core Features

Drift Features:

• Live chat 
• Agent profiles and status
• Saved chat and activity history
• Meeting functions
• Advanced reporting
• Lead bots and knowledge bots
• Real-time notifications
• Dynamic routing

3CX Features:

• Instant messaging
• Live chat website plugin
• Integrates with Facebook and WhatsApp Messenger
• Team status tracking
• Advanced web conferencing
• Customizable extensions
• CRM integration
• Click-to-call

To summarize, Drift’s features create an easily trackable communication system between agents and customers- letting businesses use the data to better their approaches. 3CX is more about providing a cost-effective and efficient system for inter-team communication and customer service. 

Integration and Compatibility- Drift vs 3CX

Here is a list of the main integrations available through Drift.

• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Marketo
• Slack

Now, here is the integrations list for 3CX.

• Microsoft Outlook & Microsoft Dynamics
• Salesforce
• Act!
• Exact
• Zendesk
• Office 365
• Google Contacts
• Vtiger
• MS Exchange
• Freshdesk
• Many more

As you can see, 3CX offers far more integration options, which is great for versatility and optimizing your chat function. 

It is also the more impressive of the two for device compatibility. 3CX works for Android, Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Linux- and has web-based options. Drift, on the other hand, is only available web-based and for Android or iPhone/iPad. 

Customization and Branding

Both chat apps offer ways to customize things to suit your brand better. Drift lets you set up responses in your own company voice, while 3CX has full brand customization through personalized chat bubbles and greetings.

Performance and Reliability- Drift vs 3CX

How reliable are these chat apps, how well do they perform, and does one stand above the other? Here is an overview of how they fair after our investigations. 

Performance Metrics

Drift gets generally positive feedback about its speed, responsiveness, and reliability. It works particularly well on Android devices- running just as quickly from a mobile platform as it does on a web-based PC. 

3CX is also mostly good, but some people say it takes a while to get everything up and running smoothly. Once you get past the setup, however, it tends to run as it should- no matter what device you use. 

Pricing and Value for Money

Cost is a crucial factor for any business choosing a live chat tool to enhance their communication. Here is an overview of the must-know information regarding Drift and 3CX plans, prices, and value for money. 

Pricing Plans

Drift and 3CX both offer free plans- but with limitations. The free version of Drift only has a basic live chat function without any other useful features. 3CX’s free version includes much more- including video conferencing, WhatsApp integration, cloud hosting, and talk links. However, it is limited to fewer than 10 users.

Here is a closer look at Drift’s paid plans.

1: Premium (by quote only)

There is no price advertised for Drift Premium. Instead, each business receives an individual quote based on the size of their team and what they want to achieve. The plan includes:

• Standard live chat
• Customizable chatbots
• Lead routing
• Live notifications
• Meetings
• Integrated Salesforce dashboards
• Other integrations

2: Enterprise (by quote only)

Like the previous plan, there is no set price for Drift Enterprise- you must request a quote. It includes everything mentioned above- with a few extras.

• Automation
• Advanced lead routing
• API reports
• 24/7 support
• A dedicated success manager
• Optimization

3CX works quite differently. This platform does offer set prices, but they can be quite complicated to work out at first. 

1: 3CX StartUp PRO ($175 per year for 10-19 users, $275 per year for 20 or more users)

The StartUp PRO plan is the same regardless of how many users you have- only the price changes. It covers everything included in the free version, plus:

• Call queues
• Call and chat reports
• Voicemail to text function
• Business hours routing (also works for holiday planning)
• Chat monitoring and barge-in options

2: Pro (from $145 to $4,945 per year based on the number of simultaneous calls)

As well as all the features already mentioned, the 3CX Pro version also includes:

• Call recording
• Hot desking
• SMS
• Video conferencing up to 100 people
• Call from designers

3: Enterprise (from $185 to $6,100 per year based on the number of simultaneous calls)

The extra features included in this plan over the others are:

• Video conferencing up to 250 people
• Custom logos
• Skill-based chat routing
• Stop & start call recordings

Value Proposition

It is hard to pinpoint how good the value for money is on Drift without knowing the costs. However, customers state that the plans are well tailored to them, and working on a quote basis means nobody has to pay for more than they need. 

3CX is more upfront with its costs, which suggests transparency and value. The more users you have, the more expensive it becomes- so its value depends on the setup and goals of your business. 

Return on investment is something to consider before choosing a live chat tool. Think about the annual cost of a subscription compared to the income it is expected to generate. Luckily, both platforms offer a free entry-level experience to learn more about how they may make a difference. 

Customer Support and Resources

Something Drift and 3CX have in common is excellent customer support. Whichever live chat tool you pick from these two, you will find plenty of help along the way.

Support Channels

Let’s start with Drift. The majority of the customer service happens through live chat (to be expected, really). There are agents available around the clock (if you have an Enterprise plan) to answer queries and support you with any issues- chatting in real-time to resolve whatever matters arise. Other Drift support channels include:

• Over-the-phone assistance
• Scheduled training sessions
• Raising a ticket (remote support for system issues)

3CX has all of the support channels that Drift has- as well as email support for less urgent matters. Like Drift, live chat support is the go-to, but phone support is also a big part of what the team does. 

Documentation and Learning Resources

Onboarding and user training is available with subscriptions to either of these chat apps. Where they differ is the approach they take to ongoing learning.

Drift offers a personalized service through dedicated success teams- which work with clients to help them get the most out of their experience. However, this only applies to certain plans (that cost a bit more). 

3CX by comparison has a large selection of training videos and how-to guides available through an extensive knowledge base. It is less personal, but it is more accessible to a wider range of users. 

User Feedback and Reviews

Both of these chat apps rate impressively high when it comes to customer satisfaction. They have strong ratings on Trustpilot and other leading review websites.

Customer Reviews and Ratings

62% of people gave Drift a five-star rating on Trustpilot, giving it an overall rating of 4.4. In comparison, 3CX was given five stars by 75% of people but has a slightly lower overall rating of 4.1%. 

Generally speaking, people mostly mention how easy and accessible Drift is- praising its customer support and the efficiency of its many tools. 3CX also gets a lot of love for its comprehensive and responsive support for users- and its excellent integration variety. 

Chatway: The Best Drift vs 3CX Alternative for Small Businesses

Chatway is an excellent low-cost alternative for SMEs looking to use live chat to increase engagement and improve service without all the fuss. The free version offers plenty of features for a solo agent to operate. For just $9 per agent per month, you get access to all features, including:

• Unlimited chat
• Conversation history
• Full customization
• Canned responses
• Private notes and reminders
• Email integration
• Multilingual widgets
• Facebook Messenger integration

If you are looking for a simple but effective live chat tool for your small business, Chatway is an excellent choice.

Recommended: See how Chatway compares to multiple live chat apps

Conclusion

Drift and 3CX both provide advanced live chat tool possibilities for small, medium, or large businesses- but they do so very differently. The free Drift package is fine for smaller independent companies who simply want a more professional and convenient way to converse with clients, but you will need to pay for a subscription if you want anything more.

Overall, 3CX wins against Drift for transparency, versatility, and value. Chatway is a great alternative for a small business looking for an easier way to communicate. The best thing is you can try them all for free.

Live chat tools changed how people attract, interact with, and serve clients. Don’t miss out on valuable business- find your perfect fit today!