Instagram DM automation free: how comment-to-DM works

Instagram DM automation free of charge is possible: several tools on Meta's official API will send automated DMs when someone comments a keyword, and their free plans cover small and mid-size accounts. Craft's free plan, for example, handles 300 new Instagram conversations a month. Below: how to send automated DMs on Instagram step by step, the Meta rule every tool has to follow, and which free plans are worth trying.

Prices and limits as of September 21, 2026.

How comment-to-DM works#

The most common setup is "comment a word, get a message":

1. You publish a post or Reel and write in the caption: "Comment GUIDE and I'll send you the checklist".
2. Someone comments "GUIDE".
3. The tool publicly replies under the comment — for example, "Sent you a DM ✅" — so everyone sees the message went out.
4. At the same moment the person receives a private message in Direct with a button or link.
5. When they tap or reply, the rest of your funnel continues: the gift, a follow check, a question, an offer.

Instagram also lets tools react to direct messages with a keyword, not just comments. Either way, the automation runs through Meta's official API, so your account doesn't hand its password to anyone.

What you need before you start#

• A professional Instagram account — business or creator. Personal accounts can't use the official messaging API. Switching is free in Instagram settings.
• A tool connected through Meta's official API. Craft's app has passed Meta's review.
• A keyword and a reason to comment. A checklist, a discount, a short video — something people actually want.

Meta's one-message rule#

This is where most first setups go wrong, so it's worth knowing before you build.

• After a comment, you can send one message. The next message can only go after the person responds — writes back or taps a button. This rule is the same for every service; no tool can get around it.
• Messages are delivered within 24 hours of the person's last message. After that window closes, a new automated DM won't go through.

What this means in practice: make the first message short and give people an easy next step — a button like "Send me the guide" or a simple question. Don't plan a chain of three messages right after the comment: only the first one will arrive.

Free Instagram DM automation tools#

Units matter. A funnel of 3 messages per person uses 3 DMs but counts as one person. For a longer comparison, see Free ManyChat alternatives and Craft vs ManyChat.

How Craft's free limit works#

On the free plan, up to 300 new people a month can start a conversation with your Instagram account through funnels. The counter resets at the start of each month. People who already messaged you this month keep getting your funnels even after the limit is used up. Craft warns you at 80% and when the limit runs out. Details: Funnel limits on the free plan.

The free plan is one account — Instagram or Telegram. Paid plans have no contact limits at all.

Setting up comment-to-DM in Craft#

1. Connect your Instagram professional account at app.craftopen.space.
2. Create a funnel in the visual builder, from a template or from scratch. Add the first message with a button, then the next steps: the gift, a follow check, a delay, branches. Guide: Building a funnel.
3. Set the keyword in the funnel's triggers — exact match or "contains".
4. Connect a comment auto-reply. One auto-reply serves all your funnels and picks up their keywords by itself, so you never copy words twice. See Comment auto-reply for a funnel.
5. Turn the funnel on and test it: comment the keyword from a second account.
6. Watch the numbers right on the funnel map — how many people reached each step and what share tapped each button. See Stats on the funnel map.

When someone writes something the funnel can't answer, open Conversations: Instagram DMs and Telegram bot chats in one window, where you can pause the bot and reply yourself. See Conversations.

Prefer to describe it in words? The MCP connector (any plan) lets you build the same funnel from Claude or ChatGPT: "make a funnel that sends the checklist to anyone who comments GUIDE, but only if they follow the account". Setup: Connect your Claude.

Common mistakes#

• Planning several messages right after the comment. Only one arrives until the person responds.
• The funnel is off, the auto-reply is on. The post says "Sent you a DM" and nothing comes. In Craft, an auto-reply won't answer the keywords of a funnel that's off, for exactly this reason.
• A personal account. Switch to business or creator first.
• A vague keyword. Short, unique words work best: "GUIDE", "PRICE", "PLAN".

Frequently asked questions#

How do I send automated DMs on Instagram for free?#

Switch to a professional account, connect a tool that uses Meta's official API (Craft, LinkDM, CreatorFlow, ChatPlace or ManyChat all have free plans), set a keyword and write the first message. When someone comments the keyword, the DM goes out automatically.

Is Instagram DM automation allowed?#

Yes, when it runs through Meta's official API and follows its rules: one message after a comment, the rest after the person responds, and delivery within 24 hours of their last message.

Why did only the first message arrive?#

That's Meta's rule, not a bug. After a comment, the next message waits until the person replies or taps a button. Put a clear button in the first message.

How many DMs can I automate on Craft's free plan?#

There's no count of messages — the limit is 300 new people a month per Instagram account. Everyone who already messaged you that month keeps getting replies.

Can I check if someone follows me before sending the gift?#

Yes. Craft funnels can check whether the person follows your Instagram account before giving out the gift.

Try it free: https://app.craftopen.space