Instagram DM automation that goes live in five minutes
Turn comments, story replies and keywords into automated DMs that send the link, answer the question and capture the lead. Pick a trigger, write the message, publish. No flowchart builder, no developer, no onboarding call.
Free forever plan · No credit card · Unsubscribe anytime
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- Official Instagram Messaging API
- We never see your password
- iOS and Android apps
- No flowchart builder
- signup to first live automation
- ~5 min
- median time to deliver a DM
- 0.8s
- forever plan, no card
- Free
signup to first live automation
median time to deliver a DM
forever plan, no card
@yourbrand
DM Automation active
Works with Instagram Reels, feed posts, Stories and the DM inbox — plus Facebook Pages. Business or Creator account required, which is a free switch in Instagram’s settings.
Features
Everything you need, none of the flowchart
Nine capabilities that cover how Instagram DMs actually get used. All of them available from day one, all of them editable from your phone.
Comment-to-DM automation
Someone comments your keyword on a post or Reel and the DM lands in their inbox seconds later.
- Exact-match, contains and any-comment trigger modes
- Public comment reply plus the private DM, from one setup
- Works on Reels, feed posts and live videos
Story reply automation
Turn story reactions and replies into a conversation instead of an unread pile.
- Trigger on keyword, emoji reaction or any reply
- Different answers for different stories
- Follow-up message after a set delay
Keyword triggers in DMs
Map words like PRICE, LINK or BOOK to instant, accurate answers.
- Unlimited keywords and synonyms per automation
- Fallback message when nothing matches
- Handover to a human on request
Welcome and away messages
Greet first-time messagers instantly and set expectations when you are offline.
- Separate first-time and returning greetings
- Business-hours schedule with timezone support
- Menu buttons for the most common requests
Lead capture and handoff
Collect an email or phone number inside the DM and push it to your stack.
- In-DM email and phone capture with validation
- Tags and custom fields on every contact
- Webhook and Zapier-style handoff to your CRM
One inbox for humans and bots
See automated replies and your own messages in the same thread, on any device.
- Automated and manual messages in one timeline
- Assign conversations to teammates
- Pause automation per contact
Native mobile apps
Build, edit and monitor automations from the phone you already post from.
- Create and edit automations from iOS and Android
- Push notifications for conversations needing a human
- Attach an automation to a post seconds after publishing
Analytics that map to revenue
Track triggers fired, replies sent, links clicked and leads captured.
- Per-automation and per-post breakdowns
- Click tracking on every link sent
- Conversation volume over time
Built on the official API
Automation that runs through Meta's approved Instagram messaging API.
- Official Meta Instagram Messaging API
- Respects the 24-hour messaging window
- Only replies to people who message you first
How it works
Four steps, one sitting
No flowchart, no developer, no onboarding call. This is the whole setup for your first automated DM.
- When
- comment contains “GUIDE”
- Then
- send DM + reply publicly
dmauto.link/guide
delivered in 0.8s
- 1
Connect your Instagram account
Sign in with Instagram and approve the messaging permissions. The account needs to be a Business or Creator account, which is a free switch in Instagram's settings. Takes about a minute.
- 2
Pick a trigger
Choose what starts the conversation: a comment on a post, a reply to a story, a keyword in a DM, or any first-time message. Point it at one post or at everything you publish.
- 3
Write the message
Type the DM exactly as you want it to read, add the link or file, and add buttons if you want to branch. Preview it as the recipient will see it.
- 4
Turn it on and watch the first ones land
Publish the automation and test it from a second account. From there, the dashboard shows triggers, replies and clicks, and you edit the copy whenever you like without rebuilding anything.
Free forever plan · No credit card · Unsubscribe anytime
You’re on the list.
Check your inbox — your setup link is on its way. If it has not arrived in a few minutes, look in promotions or spam.
Reporting
Four numbers, not forty
Every automation reports what it triggered, what got delivered, what got clicked and what turned into a lead. Each number points at a specific thing to fix, which is the point of tracking them apart.
- Clicks low, triggers high → the message copy is wrong
- Triggers low → the call to action on the post is wrong
- Clicks high, leads low → the page you sent them to is wrong
1,284
Triggered
1,211
Delivered
612
Clicked
188
Leads
Example dashboard figures, shown to illustrate the report layout.
Head to head
How we compare
Six platforms on the things that decide whether an automation ships this week or next quarter. Including where someone else is the better answer.
| Feature | DM AutomationThis platform | InstantDM | ManyChat | Chatfuel | Respond.io | SendPulse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free forever | Yes, no card | Yes, contact-limited | No | No | Yes, message-limited |
| Time to first live automation | ~5 minutes | ~5 minutes | 30–60 minutes | 1–2 hours | Days | 30–60 minutes |
| Guided setup, no flow builder needed | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Comment-to-DM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Story reply triggers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Limited |
| Build automations on mobile | Yes | Yes | Inbox only | No | Inbox only | Inbox only |
| Link click tracking | Yes | Paid plans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Per-automation analytics | Yes | Basic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Pricing scales on | Messages sent | Messages sent | Total contacts | Conversations | Seats + contacts | Subscribers |
| Team inbox | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp and SMS | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Official Instagram Messaging API | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | Free | Free | ~$15/mo | ~$23/mo | ~$79/mo | ~$8/mo |
| Get started | Start free | Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit |
Competitor prices are their public list prices — see the full comparison.
Use cases
What people actually automate
Six patterns that cover most of what gets built. Each one is a single automation, not a project.
Creators
A Reel does 200k views, the comments fill with 'link?' and the moment passes.
- Automation
- Comment-to-DM on the keyword, sending the link plus one follow-up the next day.
- Result
- Every commenter gets the link while they still care.
Coaches and consultants
Discovery calls die in the gap between interest and the booking page.
- Automation
- Story reply trigger that qualifies with two questions, then sends the calendar link.
- Result
- Calls booked from a story instead of a landing page.
Ecommerce
Size, shipping and stock questions arrive all day, every day.
- Automation
- Keyword triggers for the top twenty questions, human handover for the rest.
- Result
- Instant answers, and staff time spent only on real edge cases.
Local businesses
DMs arrive after closing and are answered the next afternoon.
- Automation
- Welcome and away messages with hours, directions and a booking link.
- Result
- Nobody waits overnight for a two-line answer.
Agencies
Ten client accounts, each with its own inbox and its own chaos.
- Automation
- One workspace per client, reusable automation templates, per-client reporting.
- Result
- A repeatable deliverable instead of manual inbox babysitting.
Course creators
Launch weeks generate more DMs than the team can read.
- Automation
- Keyword-triggered enrolment info, waitlist capture and a cart-close reminder.
- Result
- The launch runs without anyone refreshing the inbox.
Guides
Learn DM automation properly
Practical walkthroughs, not listicles. Each one ends with an automation you can ship.
Platforms
InstantDM: What It Does, Who It Is For, and How Setup Works
A full look at InstantDM — the triggers it supports, how its guided setup works, what the mobile apps actually do, what the free plan covers, and where it fits against the rest of the category.
September 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Pricing
Free Instagram DM Automation: What You Actually Get
Which Instagram DM automation tools have a real free plan, what the limits are, and how far you can get without paying anything.
September 14, 2026 · 3 min read
Templates
24 Instagram DM Automation Templates You Can Copy
Ready-to-use automated DM copy for comment triggers, story replies, welcome messages, FAQs, follow-ups and handovers. Swap the brackets and publish.
September 13, 2026 · 4 min read
FAQ
Instagram DM automation FAQ
The questions people ask before setting up their first automated DM.
What is Instagram DM automation?
Instagram DM automation is software that sends direct messages on your behalf when something specific happens — someone comments a keyword on a Reel, replies to a story, or messages you for the first time. It runs through Meta's official Instagram Messaging API, so the messages come from your account and only go to people who contacted you first.
Is DM automation allowed on Instagram?
Yes, when it runs on the official Instagram Messaging API and respects Meta's rules: you reply to people who messaged you first, you stay inside the 24-hour messaging window for promotional content, and you do not send unsolicited bulk DMs. Tools that log into your account and drive the app in a browser are not allowed and put the account at risk. DM Automation uses the official API and never asks for your Instagram password.
Are you affiliated with Instagram or Meta?
No. DM Automation is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Instagram or Meta Platforms, Inc. We are a developer using Meta's publicly available Instagram Messaging API, which is the same interface every legitimate tool in this category uses. Instagram and Meta are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc.
Do I need a Business or Creator account?
Yes. The Instagram Messaging API is only available to Business and Creator accounts, and the account needs to allow access to messages from connected tools. Switching account type is free and takes under a minute in Instagram's settings.
How fast can I get a DM automation running?
About five minutes: connect the account, pick the trigger, write the message, turn it on. Platforms built around a visual flow builder, like ManyChat or Chatfuel, usually take an hour or more for a first working automation because you are assembling the flow node by node.
What is comment-to-DM automation?
Comment-to-DM sends a direct message to anyone who comments a specific word on one of your posts or Reels. It is the most used Instagram automation because it converts a public burst of attention into private conversations you own — the link, discount code or resource lands in the person's inbox seconds after they comment.
Will automated DMs get my account banned?
Not if you use an API-based tool and message people who have contacted you. Bans and restrictions come from unsolicited bulk messaging, browser-automation tools that simulate taps, and bought follower or engagement services. Sending a prompt reply to someone who just commented on your Reel is exactly what the API was built for.
Can I build automations from my phone?
Yes. Our iOS and Android apps carry the whole product, not just the inbox, so you can attach an automation to a Reel seconds after publishing it. Most competitors treat mobile as a read-only companion and require a desktop browser to build anything.
How much does it cost?
There is a free forever plan that runs real automations with no card required. Paid plans start at $15 a month billed annually and scale on messages sent rather than contacts collected, so one viral Reel does not permanently raise your bill.
What happens when someone asks something the automation cannot answer?
It says it is passing the question to a person, stops automating that conversation and notifies you. The thread appears in the shared inbox with the automated history attached, so whoever replies has the full context.
Your next Reel can sell while you sleep
Connect the account, pick a keyword, write one message. That is the entire job, and the free plan covers it.
Free forever plan · No credit card · Unsubscribe anytime
You’re on the list.
Check your inbox — your setup link is on its way. If it has not arrived in a few minutes, look in promotions or spam.