Most comparisons of Instagram DM automation tools start with feature checklists. That is the wrong place to start.
The feature lists of ManyChat, CreatorFlow, Inrō, and UnlockDM overlap more than they differ. They all do comment-to-DM, keyword triggers, and link delivery. What actually decides how much you pay over a year is not the feature list. It is the billing model.
There are three billing models in this comparison: per active contact, flat monthly, and per campaign. Pick the wrong one for how you actually work and you either overpay every month or get punished for growing your audience. This guide compares all four tools on that basis, then gives you a verdict by use case.
The Comparison at a Glance
Here is how the four tools line up on the variables that matter most.
| Tool | Billing model | Free plan | Instagram only | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ManyChat | Per active contact | 25 contacts | No (multi-platform) | Always-on support and sales across channels |
| CreatorFlow | Flat monthly | 500 DMs/mo | Yes | Continuous Instagram automation at steady volume |
| Inrō | Flat monthly (AI agent) | Yes + 50 AI credits | Yes | Conversational, AI-driven DM replies |
| UnlockDM | Per campaign (one-time) | Free first campaign | Yes | Occasional drops, giveaways, and launches |
Each row hides a very different cost curve as you scale. The sections below unpack each one.
ManyChat: Per Active Contact
ManyChat is the name everyone knows. It is a multi-platform automation tool covering Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, and email. If you run customer service or sales across several channels at once, that breadth is genuinely useful.
The catch is the billing model. ManyChat charges by active contact, which means your bill grows with your audience whether or not your activity changes. A creator who has been collecting contacts for two years through organic engagement keeps climbing tiers even if they send the same number of DMs each month.
In March 2026, ManyChat cut its free plan from 1,000 active contacts to just 25. That made the free tier effectively a demo, since 25 contacts is gone after one post that performs. Paid plans now start around $15 per month for the entry Pro tier and climb steadily as your contact count rises, reaching the $60 to $140 range at higher contact volumes.
We break the contact-based model down in detail in our ManyChat pricing explained guide, including how contacts accumulate faster than most creators expect. ManyChat is the right tool when you genuinely need multi-platform automation and run it continuously. For Instagram-only creators, you are paying for breadth you will not use.
CreatorFlow: Flat Monthly
CreatorFlow is Instagram-only and built around a flat monthly fee tied to DM volume rather than contact count. It covers comment-to-DM, Story reply automation, keyword triggers, lead capture, and basic DM sequences.
The pricing is simple to predict. CreatorFlow is free for up to 500 DMs per month, then roughly $15 per month for 5,000 DMs and $30 per month for 10,000. Your audience size does not change the bill. Only the volume of DMs you send does.
That predictability is the whole appeal. If you run automation every week and your volume is steady, you know exactly what you will pay regardless of how large your following grows. For a side-by-side of the two most-compared tools here, see our dedicated ManyChat vs CreatorFlow breakdown.
The trade-off is that you pay the monthly fee even in months when you run nothing. A flat subscription only makes sense if you use it consistently.
Inrō: Flat Monthly With an AI Agent
Inrō is the most distinct of the four. It is Instagram-focused like CreatorFlow, and it bills as a flat monthly subscription, but its core pitch is an AI agent that handles back-and-forth DM conversations rather than just firing a single scripted reply.
Where the other tools send a keyword-triggered message, Inrō can carry a short conversation: answering questions, qualifying interest, and nudging toward a link or booking. It offers a free plan that includes 50 AI agent credits so you can test the conversational quality before committing. Paid plans start around $19 per month.
That AI layer is a real differentiator, and it is worth paying for if your DMs need genuine two-way conversation rather than a one-shot delivery. If your campaigns are simpler, where someone comments a keyword and you send a link or reward, the AI agent is capability you may not need.
UnlockDM: Per Campaign, One-Time
UnlockDM takes the third path. Instead of billing per contact or per month, it charges a one-time fee per campaign, and it runs on the official Meta Instagram API so it stays inside platform policy.
You pay once when you launch a campaign, and that is the entire cost for that campaign. There is no monthly subscription accruing in the background and no per-contact meter climbing as your audience grows. The pricing is flat and published:
| UnlockDM plan | Price (USD) | Price (INR) | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spark | $3.99 | ₹299 | A single small campaign |
| Drop | $8.99 | ₹699 | A bigger drop with more unlocks and features |
| Viral | $18.99 | ₹1,499 | High-volume launches and giveaways |
The tier you pick sets that campaign's unlock cap and its feature set. Early adopters lock in 50% off those prices for life. You pay per campaign, never per contact and never per month.
To be clear about scope: UnlockDM is Instagram-only. It does not offer multi-platform automation, an AI chatbot, or built-in email marketing. It is built to run focused campaigns, where someone comments a keyword and gets a DM with a link, reward, or referral code, on the official Meta API. If you want a deeper look at why one-time campaign billing behaves so differently from a subscription, our per-campaign pricing explainer walks through the math.
How the Billing Models Compare as You Scale
This is the part the feature lists hide. Run the same activity through each model for a year and the totals diverge sharply.
A creator with a large, growing audience who runs automation occasionally pays the most under ManyChat, because the contact meter climbs even in quiet months. Under CreatorFlow or Inrō, that same creator pays a flat fee every month, including the months they ran nothing. Under UnlockDM, they pay only for the campaigns they actually launched.
Flip the scenario. A business that runs always-on support and sales every single day of the month gets the most value from a flat-monthly or per-contact tool, because the cost is spread across constant use. Paying per campaign would make no sense if you never stop running campaigns.
The lesson is that no billing model is universally cheaper. The cheapest model is the one that matches your rhythm. Our Instagram DM automation pricing guide maps each model against usage patterns if you want to see the full breakdown.
The Verdict by Use Case
Here is the honest, per-situation answer.
If you run always-on support or sales
Choose a per-contact or flat-monthly tool. ManyChat fits if you need multiple channels (Instagram plus WhatsApp, Messenger, and SMS) and run them constantly. CreatorFlow fits if you are Instagram-only with steady daily volume and want a predictable flat fee.
If you need conversational, two-way DMs
Inrō is the strongest pick. Its AI agent handles genuine back-and-forth in a way the keyword-trigger tools do not, and the free plan with 50 AI credits lets you judge the quality before you pay.
If you run occasional drops, giveaways, or launches
A per-campaign tool wins. If you fire up automation a few times a quarter for a product launch, a giveaway, or a lead magnet, paying a recurring subscription for the months in between is wasted money. UnlockDM's one-time per-campaign pricing means you pay only for the campaigns you run.
If you are not sure yet
Start with a free plan and a small real campaign before committing to any subscription. CreatorFlow's free 500 DMs, Inrō's free AI credits, and UnlockDM's free first campaign all let you test on real traffic at zero cost. For a wider field of options, our roundup of the best Instagram DM automation tools compares more tools by billing unit.
FAQ
What is the difference between ManyChat, CreatorFlow, Inro, and UnlockDM?
They differ mainly by billing model. ManyChat charges per active contact and gets pricier as your audience grows. CreatorFlow and Inrō charge a flat monthly fee. UnlockDM charges a one-time fee per campaign on the official Meta API, so you pay only when you run something.
Which Instagram DM tool is cheapest as my audience grows?
It depends on usage. ManyChat gets more expensive as contacts accumulate, even if engagement is flat. CreatorFlow and Inrō stay flat monthly regardless of audience size. For occasional drops or launches, UnlockDM's per-campaign pricing is cheapest since you pay once per campaign, not per month or per contact.
Is UnlockDM cheaper than ManyChat for Instagram?
For occasional campaigns, yes. UnlockDM charges one-time per campaign: Spark $3.99, Drop $8.99, Viral $18.99. ManyChat bills monthly per active contact, starting around $15 and climbing as contacts grow. If you run automation continuously all month, a flat-monthly tool may suit you better than per-campaign pricing.
Does Inro have a free plan?
Yes. Inrō offers a free plan and includes 50 AI agent credits so you can test its conversational replies before paying. Paid plans start around $19 per month flat. Inrō's focus is an AI agent that handles back-and-forth DM conversations, which sets it apart from simpler keyword-trigger tools.
Which tool is best for a one-time giveaway or product launch?
A per-campaign tool like UnlockDM fits one-time events best, since you pay once for that campaign instead of a recurring subscription. Flat-monthly tools like CreatorFlow or Inrō make more sense if you run automation continuously every month rather than in occasional bursts.
UnlockDM is the per-campaign option in this lineup: one-time pricing on the official Meta API, built for creators who run drops and giveaways rather than always-on automation.
