Instagram’s free comment reply, or a drop that grows your account
Meta Business Suite can send a free DM when someone comments a keyword, set up on desktop. UnlockDM adds a verified follow gate, referral rewards and DMs in your followers’ language, from $3.99 a campaign, and your first drop is free.
Instagram built-in automation pricing last verified October 17, 2026
Instagram built-in automation pricing vs UnlockDM pricing
Instagram built-in automation bills freemium tiers. UnlockDM bills per campaign, so a month with no launch costs nothing.
Instagram built-in automation
Meta Business Suite includes free Inbox automations for Instagram, including keyword replies to messages and a Comment to message automation, set up on desktop.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | — |
UnlockDM
Pay per campaign, no subscription. Your first drop is free for the first 50 unlocks.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| spark | $3.99₹299 in India · per campaign | 500 unlocks |
| drop | $8.99₹699 in India · per campaign | 2,000 unlocks |
| viral | $18.99₹1499 in India · per campaign | Unlimited unlocks |
No monthly fee. A campaign is billed once, when you launch it.
Instagram built-in automation vs UnlockDM, feature by feature
“Unclear” means the vendor does not state it publicly. We would rather say that than guess.
| Feature | Instagram built-in automation | UnlockDM |
|---|---|---|
| Comment-to-DM | Yes | Yes |
| Follow gate | Unclear | Yes |
| Referral rewards | Unclear | Yes |
| Story replies | Unclear | Yes |
| Multiple IG accounts | Unclear | No |
| White label | Unclear | No |
| Campaign analytics | Unclear | Yes |
| Beyond Instagram | Yes | No |
| Official Meta API | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp |
Which one should you actually pick?
Pick Instagram built-in automationif…
- You need a simple keyword reply and do not want to pay for anything.
- You already manage your Facebook Page, Instagram and WhatsApp in Meta Business Suite.
- You only need standard replies such as greetings, away messages, FAQs, hours or location.
- You would rather not connect your Instagram account to a third-party app.
Pick UnlockDM if…
- You want fans to follow you before they receive the reward, with the follow checked live.
- You want story reply, DM keyword and Reel-share triggers, plus DM text auto-translated into 18 languages.
- You want referral bonus rewards and are happy to pay once per campaign (from $3.99, first campaign free).
Instagram built-in automation strengths
- Free and built by Meta, with no third-party app to connect.
- Comment to message sends a DM reply to comments that contain chosen keywords or phrases.
- One automation setup covers Facebook Pages, Instagram and WhatsApp Business accounts.
Where it falls short
- Keyword automations, including Comment to message, are only available in Meta Business Suite on desktop.
- Custom keyword automations match up to five keywords each, are case-sensitive, need an exact match, and a keyword can be used in only one automation.
- If a template automation such as an away message is also triggered, Meta sends that instead of the custom keyword reply.
Instagram built-in automation vs UnlockDM: common questions
If you just need a DM sent when someone comments a keyword, Meta Business Suite’s free Comment to message automation may be enough. UnlockDM is for creators who want more from a campaign: a verified follow gate, referral bonus rewards, Reel-share and story reply triggers, and auto-translated DMs. It charges once per campaign (from $3.99) and the first campaign is free.
Meta says keyword automations, including Comment to message, are only available in Meta Business Suite on desktop.
Meta says custom keyword automations can match up to five keywords or phrases, keywords are case-sensitive and must match exactly, and the same keyword can only be used in one automation.
Your first drop is free
No monthly fee. Set a keyword, pick a reward, and pay only when you launch a campaign.