Reply in DM
Free forever with unlimited DMs
$0/month
Pro plan at $9/month to remove branding
Reply in DM vs Chatfuel
See how Reply in DM compares to Chatfuel for Instagram and Facebook comment-to-DM automation.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Reply in DM | Chatfuel |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber lists with opt-in | ||
| Post scheduling | ||
| Free unlimited DMs | ||
| Simple setup (under 2 minutes) | ||
| Unlimited contacts on the free plan | ||
| Flat pricing — never scales with your audience | ||
| Auto-reply to story replies | ||
| Publish post + story together, one rule for both | ||
| EU data residency option (GDPR-friendly) | ||
| Instagram DM automation | ||
| Facebook Messenger automation | ||
| Keyword triggers | ||
| Catch-all comment rules | ||
| Broadcast messages | ||
| File/image attachments in DMs | ||
| Visual chatbot flow builder | ||
| Shopify integration | ||
| AI-powered responses |
Pricing Comparison
Chatfuel
50 conversations/month on free trial
Starting at $14.39/month (Business plan)
Chatfuel Pros
- Strong visual chatbot builder
- Good Shopify and e-commerce integrations
- AI-powered response suggestions
- Template library for quick start
Chatfuel Cons
- No truly free plan — free trial limited to 50 conversations
- Complex setup for simple use cases
- Pricing can be confusing with multiple tiers
- No built-in post scheduling
- US-based data storage
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Reply in DM a good Chatfuel alternative?
Yes, especially if your primary need is comment-to-DM automation. Reply in DM offers unlimited free DMs, built-in subscriber lists, and a simpler setup process. Chatfuel is better if you need complex chatbot flows or AI-powered responses.
How does Reply in DM compare to Chatfuel for Instagram?
Both support Instagram DM automation, but Reply in DM is purpose-built for comment-to-DM workflows. You get keyword triggers, catch-all rules, subscriber lists, and broadcasts without needing to build chatbot flows. Plus, Reply in DM is free with unlimited DMs.
Does Chatfuel offer a free plan?
Chatfuel offers a free trial limited to 50 conversations per month. After that, plans start at $14.39/month. Reply in DM is free forever with unlimited DMs, posts, rules, subscriber lists and broadcasts on up to 2 connected accounts — the DMs carry a small Reply in DM footer link. Pro is $9/month with a 14-day free trial: it removes that footer and adds keyword auto-replies for incoming DMs, an AI chat assistant and a unified Instagram + Messenger inbox, on up to 4 connected accounts.
What are the best Chatfuel alternatives and competitors?
The main Chatfuel competitors for Instagram and Facebook DM automation are ManyChat, SendPulse, Tidio, and Reply in DM. If you need complex chatbot flows, AI responses, and Shopify integration, ManyChat and Chatfuel are the closest match. If you mainly want comment-to-DM — someone comments and instantly gets a DM with your link — Reply in DM is the simplest Chatfuel alternative: free with unlimited DMs, keyword triggers, catch-all rules, and subscriber lists, set up in under two minutes.
Chatfuel vs ManyChat — which is better for Instagram DM automation?
They overlap heavily: both are visual chatbot builders that cover Instagram and Facebook Messenger, keyword triggers, catch-all comment rules, broadcasts, and Shopify. The practical difference is how you hit their limits. Chatfuel's free trial stops at 50 conversations a month and paid plans start at $14.39/month; ManyChat is free up to 1,000 contacts and then starts at $15/month, scaling as your contact list grows. ManyChat is the more mature of the two but also the steeper learning curve, and neither has post scheduling built in. If you don't need flow building at all — you just want everyone who comments a keyword to get your link in a DM — Reply in DM does that free, with unlimited DMs and unlimited contacts, plus post scheduling and EU data residency.
Ready to Try Reply in DM?
Set up your first auto-reply in under 2 minutes. Free forever.
No credit card required.