# What should I look for in an Instagram DM automation tool?

> Check that it uses the official Instagram API, paces sending, sends one DM per comment, respects STOP and never makes people follow first. Then compare triggers, pricing, data export and how its AI handles your data.

- Topic: Common creator problems
- Last checked: 2026-10-29
- Web page: https://stage.mydmflow.com/help/what-to-look-for-in-a-dm-automation-tool

There are many Instagram DM tools, and their websites all sound alike. This checklist helps you compare any of them, including Replavia. Ask each tool the same questions.

New to the idea? Start with [What is comment-to-DM automation?](https://stage.mydmflow.com/help/what-is-comment-to-dm-automation)

## Safety questions first

These protect your account, so ask them before price.

### Does it use the official Instagram API?

A tool that asks for your Instagram password, or works through a browser plugin, is not using the official API. Look for an app that passed Meta App Review.

**Replavia:** official API only, with permissions that passed Meta App Review. See [Is Replavia approved by Meta?](https://stage.mydmflow.com/help/is-replavia-approved-by-meta)

### Does it pace sending, with a warm-up for new accounts?

A burst of identical DMs is what spam systems watch for.

**Replavia:** 60 DMs an hour and 200 a day by default, and a 7-day warm-up for new accounts. Pro and Scale can raise it to 200 an hour and 2,000 a day. See [Sending limits](https://stage.mydmflow.com/help/sending-limits).

### Does one person get one DM per comment?

**Replavia:** yes. A person who comments many times on the same post gets one DM.

### Does it respect STOP?

**Replavia:** yes, on every plan. Replying STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE or CANCEL stops comment DMs and follow-up emails to that person.

### Does it offer follow-gating?

If a tool offers “follow to get the link”, that breaks Meta’s rules. It puts your account and the tool’s app at risk.

**Replavia:** no. People always get the link first. A friendly follow invite can come after it.

## Feature and price questions

### Which triggers does it support?

**Replavia:** five triggers on every plan: post or reel comments, live video comments, story replies, story mentions and DMs.

### How is it priced: flat, or by number of contacts?

Pricing by contacts can grow fast when a post goes viral.

**Replavia:** a flat monthly price. Pro is $9.99 and Scale is $29.99 a month. The price does not grow with your contacts. See [Plans and pricing](https://stage.mydmflow.com/help/plans-and-pricing).

### What does the free plan really include?

**Replavia:** 1 Instagram account, 2 automations, 1,500 DMs a month and all five triggers. The Lead Inbox shows your oldest 1,000 contacts.

## Data questions

### Can you export your leads, and delete your data?

**Replavia:** CSV export on every plan. You can delete your account yourself, with a 7-day recovery window before your data is erased.

### Where does the AI run, and what does it see?

**Replavia:** AI is on Pro and Scale only. It runs on Replavia’s own AI provider account, so you need no API key. Email addresses and phone numbers are removed from DM text before it reaches the AI provider.

### Which platforms does it cover?

**Replavia:** Instagram only, today.

## Good to know

- No tool can promise that Meta will never restrict an account. Be careful with any tool that says it can.
- For the full list of what Replavia leaves out, see [What can’t Replavia do?](https://stage.mydmflow.com/help/what-replavia-does-not-do)