The Short Answer
InstantDM and HeyDM are closer than most pairs we compare. Both charge a flat fee with no contact counting, both run on Meta's official API, and both have rupee prices for India. The difference is scope. InstantDM does more: Facebook Page automation, Instagram Live comments, post scheduling with the auto-DM attached, and a visual Flow Editor with an AI agent on its higher plans. HeyDM does less and costs less: ₹419 a month against ₹999 for InstantDM's Legend Pro, with Smart Safe Mode and WhatsApp support on the one plan.
- Pick InstantDM if you also automate a Facebook Page or Instagram Lives, want to schedule Reels with the DM already attached, or need a flow builder, an API or several accounts on one bill.
- Pick HeyDM if your work is comment-to-DM, Story replies and DM keywords on Instagram, and you'd rather pay ₹419 a month (or ₹3,999 a year) and get help on WhatsApp.
Pricing Side by Side
InstantDM shows prices in dollars and rupees, and its pricing page opens on yearly billing. Here are both options for every plan:
- Free ($0): 500 DM automations a month, up to 5 automated posts, 3 trigger words, AI comment replies and 1 Instagram account. DMs carry InstantDM branding, and Story replies, DM keywords and the follow gate need a paid plan.
- Legend Pro: $12 a month, or $9.99 a month billed yearly. In India, ₹999 a month or ₹833 a month billed yearly. Unlimited DM automations at up to 800 an hour, Instagram and Facebook, Story, Live and next-post automation, follow gate, email and phone capture, DM sequences of up to 10 messages, and post scheduling.
- Trendsetter: $29.99 a month or $24.99 yearly (₹1,999 or ₹1,666). Adds the Flow Editor with an AI agent node (you bring your own OpenAI, Claude, Gemini or DeepSeek key), Meta Ads and boosted Reel automation, up to 2,000 an hour, and API, webhook and MCP access.
- Trendsetter Pro: $59.99 a month or $49.99 yearly (₹4,999 or ₹4,165). No hourly limit, advanced account safety, priority processing and WhatsApp support.
- Multi-account plans: Multi Starter covers 3 accounts for $15 a month (₹1,299), and Multi Pro covers 10 accounts for $99 a month (₹7,999).
- HeyDM: $9.99 a month, or $99 a year ($8.25 a month). In India, ₹419 a month or ₹3,999 a year (₹333 a month). Unlimited automations and DMs, with a 14-day free trial.
On the same billing, HeyDM costs ₹580 a month less than Legend Pro on monthly plans (₹419 against ₹999) and ₹500 a month less on yearly plans (₹333 against ₹833). Over a year that's ₹3,999 against about ₹10,000. In dollars the gap is smaller: $9.99 against $12, or $8.25 against $9.99.
InstantDM's paid plans have a 7-day free trial, and the free plan needs no card. HeyDM's trial is 14 days.
InstantDM's prices and plan features were checked on 17 October 2026 on instantdm.com/pricing. They change often, so confirm before you decide.
An Example: Same Reel, Both Tools
Say you sell handmade jewellery from Jaipur and post a Reel with the caption "Comment PRICE, poori price list DM mein bhej dungi". Both tools send the list to every commenter, both can ask people to follow first, and neither bill moves if the Reel takes off. If that's the whole job, the difference is ₹580 a month.
It changes if you also want the same keyword to work on your Facebook Page, a DM to go out to people commenting during your Instagram Live, or next week's Reels scheduled with the automation already attached. HeyDM's Facebook Page and Live automation are still coming soon, and it doesn't schedule posts. Those are good reasons to pay for InstantDM.
Where InstantDM Is Stronger
- Facebook Page and Instagram Live automation on Legend Pro. Both are still coming soon on HeyDM.
- Post scheduling with the auto-DM attached, so a Reel and its comment automation go live together.
- A free plan with 500 DM automations a month, enough to test the idea before paying.
- Richer messages: button cards, carousels, image, PDF and file messages, product templates and a welcome message before the content.
- A Flow Editor and integrations on Trendsetter: conditions, tags, A/B splits, HTTP requests, Mailchimp, Kit and Klaviyo, plus an API, webhooks and an MCP server.
- An inbox with live chat, contact tags, and iOS and Android apps.
- Multi-account plans for agencies and people running several brands.
Where HeyDM Is Stronger
- Price on the same billing: ₹419 against ₹999 a month, or ₹3,999 against about ₹10,000 a year. In dollars, $9.99 against $12, or $8.25 against $9.99 a month on yearly plans.
- WhatsApp support on the only plan, 24/7, plus email. InstantDM lists email support on its other plans and adds WhatsApp support on Trendsetter Pro (₹4,999 a month).
- Smart Safe Mode on the base plan: natural reply delays, a first-DM wait of up to 60 minutes, message pacing, an hourly reply limit and a reply cap per post. Legend Pro has a reply delay and an adjustable hourly limit; InstantDM's viral-mode queues start at Trendsetter, and its smart slowdown mode and advanced account safety at Trendsetter Pro.
- AI variations of the DM itself. HeyDM writes several versions of each DM and comment reply, so followers don't all get identical text. InstantDM lists AI variations for public comment replies, and its AI inside DMs comes through the agent node on Trendsetter.
- A longer trial: 14 days against 7.
Switching From InstantDM
- List your active automations: post, keyword, DM text, and any follow gate or email step.
- Start the 14-day HeyDM trial and connect your Instagram professional account through Instagram's own login. No Facebook Page is needed.
- Recreate the automations on posts that still get comments, and switch on any older posts worth reviving.
- Pause the InstantDM automation on each post before HeyDM's goes live, so nobody gets two DMs.
- Test from a second account before you announce the keyword in a new Reel.
Our Take
If you use Facebook, Lives, scheduling or the Flow Editor, InstantDM is good value for what it covers, and it's one of the few tools besides HeyDM with proper rupee pricing. If you only need Instagram comment and Story automation done well, HeyDM gives you that for less than half of Legend Pro's rupee price. InstantDM's free plan and HeyDM's 14-day trial make it easy to try both on the same kind of post.
More comparisons: best Instagram DM automation tools and ManyChat alternatives for Instagram.
