Compare
Instagram DM automation tools, compared
What each tool bills for, what it costs to start, and which ones gate on a follow. Every row says when we last checked it.
| Tool | Bills for | Entry price | Free tier | Follow gate | Referral rewards | Story replies | Beyond Instagram | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnlockDM | Per campaign | $3.99/campaign | First drop free | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Always current |
| ManyChat | Per active contact | $14/mo | 25 active contacts per month | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 2026-08-25 |
| ReplyKaro | Flat monthly | $3/mo | 1,000 DMs per month | Unclear | No | Unclear | No | 2026-08-11 |
| PilotDM | Freemium tiers | Not published | Unlimited DMs listed, up to 3 workspaces | Yes | No | Yes | No | 2026-09-17 |
| WhoseDM | Flat monthly | Not published | Basic automation, no card required | Unclear | No | Unclear | No | 2026-07-24 |
| ChatAutoDM | Flat monthly | $6/mo | 1,000 contacts | Unclear | No | Unclear | No | 2026-08-04 |
| LinkDM | Flat monthly | $19/mo | 1,000 DMs per month | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | 2026-10-12 |
| CreatorFlow | Flat monthly | $15/mo | 500 DMs per month | Yes | No | Yes | No | 2026-07-07 |
| Zorcha | Usage credits | $14.99/mo | 15,000 AI credits, 20 AI FAQs, no email capture | Yes | No | Yes | No | 2026-10-06 |
| HyperDM | Usage credits | $33/mo | 50 conversations per month, no card required | Unclear | No | Yes | No | 2026-09-13 |
| LinktoDM | Freemium tiers | $15/mo | 2,000 contacts, 2 to 3 creator accounts, unlimited automations | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 2026-09-30 |
| Inrō | Per active contact | from €12.99/mo | 100 activated contacts per month, 3 active automations, 3 campaigns per month | Yes | Unclear | Yes | No | 2026-10-17 |
| Chatfuel | Flat monthly | $20/mo | No | Unclear | Unclear | Yes | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
| InstantDM | Flat monthly | $12/mo | 500 DM automations per month, 5 post automations, 3 trigger words, 1 Instagram account | Yes | Unclear | Yes | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
| SendPulse | Per active contact | $12/mo | 3 chatbots, up to 500 subscribers, up to 10,000 messages per month | Yes | Unclear | Yes | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
| Spur | Flat monthly | $15/mo | No | Partial | Unclear | Partial | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
| Wati | Flat monthly | $69/mo | No | Unclear | Unclear | Yes | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
| Elev8or Engage | Freemium tiers | $9.99/mo | 1 social account, unlimited contacts and quick automations; advanced AutoDM flows show Elev8or branding | Yes | Unclear | Yes | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
| Instagram built-in automation | Freemium tiers | Free | Free for Instagram business accounts connected to Meta Business Suite; keyword and comment automations are desktop only | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Yes | 2026-10-17 |
Prices are the vendors’ published figures in USD as of the date in the last column. “Unclear” means the vendor does not state it publicly. Check the vendor’s own pricing page before buying.
Only pay when you actually launch
Every other tool on this table bills monthly. UnlockDM bills per campaign, and your first drop is free.