ManyChat is the market leader, a full multi-channel flow builder priced per active contact in US dollars. AutoDM by ViaEpic is a flat-price Indian tool that does one job: keyword comment-to-DM on Instagram posts and Reels. Here is where each one wins, with prices checked on 18 September 2026.
Verdict. ManyChat is the most complete tool in this category and the most expensive way to do the simplest thing. If your only need is "comment LINK, get the link", AutoDM does that job for ₹0 to ₹49 a month with no contact caps. If you run multi-step funnels across Instagram, WhatsApp and email, ManyChat is the better product and worth its price.
| AutoDM by ViaEpic | ManyChat | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ₹0 · 500 DMs/month · 1 account · unlimited posts and keyword rules · no card | $0 · 25 active contacts/month · 4 live automations · 2 channels · "Powered by Manychat" branding on first message |
| Paid plans | Pro ₹49/month or ₹499/year (unlimited DMs, 3 accounts) · Agency ₹499/month (10 accounts) | Pro $39/month, or $29/month billed yearly, for 2,500 active contacts; $0.05 per extra contact. Essential and Business tiers also exist. |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly price in ₹, counted in DMs sent. No per-contact billing, no platform fee on your sales. | Per active contact, in USD. Cost rises as more people message you. Free tier was cut from 1,000 contacts to 25 on 2 March 2026. |
| Triggers | Keyword comments on posts and Reels; public comment reply; catch-up on older comments; broadcast to last-7-day commenters | Comments on posts and Reels, story replies, DM keywords, follows, mentions, ads, Live |
| Flows | One DM per rule. No multi-step flows (on the roadmap). | Full visual flow builder, conditions, tags, AI replies on Pro |
| Extras | DM log, repeat guard (one DM per person per rule per 24h). No story-reply triggers, email capture or analytics yet. | Inbox with seats, lead capture, Google Sheets sync, WhatsApp/SMS/Email on Pro, integrations |
| Branding | Small "via Auto DM by ViaEpic" tag on the optional public reply only, on Free. Never on the DM. Removed on Pro. | "Powered by Manychat" message on Free; removed on paid plans. |
| Setup | About 5 minutes. Email sign-up, Instagram Login, keyword + message per post. | Longer: pick a template, build a flow, connect channels. |
| India | Built in India, INR pricing, Razorpay checkout. | Global product, billed in USD. No INR plan. |
Sources: ManyChat Help Center plan articles (updated 27 Aug 2026) at manychat.com/pricing; AutoDM plans at autodm.viaepic.com/pricing. Checked 18 September 2026. Competitor prices change; verify before you buy.
Email and password at autodm.viaepic.com, then connect Instagram through Instagram's own login. No card.
Open each post or reel, add the keyword and the DM text. Run a catch-up on posts that already have keyword comments.
Do it post by post so nobody gets two DMs. Your Instagram account and posts are untouched throughout.
Yes for the comment-to-DM use case. AutoDM's Free plan sends up to 500 DMs a month with unlimited posts and keyword rules and no card. ManyChat's Free plan allows 25 active contacts a month. Neither free plan is unlimited.
A visual flow builder with multi-step sequences, story-reply and mention triggers, WhatsApp, SMS and email channels, an inbox with team seats, lead capture to Google Sheets, and AI-assisted replies. AutoDM currently does keyword comment-to-DM, public replies, catch-up and broadcast.
ManyChat Pro is $39 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly, for 2,500 active contacts, with overage at $0.05 per contact. AutoDM Pro is ₹49 a month or ₹499 a year for unlimited DMs. Prices checked on 18 September 2026.
Your Instagram account and posts are untouched; automations live in each tool. Create a free AutoDM account, connect Instagram, recreate your keyword rules per post, then pause the ManyChat automations. Run a catch-up in AutoDM if a post already has keyword comments.
AutoDM's Free plan needs no card. If it does the job, you've saved a subscription. If it doesn't, ManyChat is still there.