Compare · Chatfuel alternative
HelloDM vs Chatfuel
An honest comparison for Instagram DM automation: pricing model, free plan, accounts and channels, and when Chatfuel is the better choice.
By HelloDM · Updated 10 November 2026
The short answer
HelloDM wrote this page, so weigh it accordingly. Competitor details were checked on 6 November 2026 on each vendor's own website and are linked below; prices change, so confirm on their site before you buy. How we compare · Report an error
At a glance
| HelloDM | Chatfuel | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Instagram DM automation: comment-to-DM, story replies, shares, DM keywords and Live comments. Plus a free link-in-bio page, a brand-deal detector and brand campaigns. | An AI chatbot builder for Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and websites, priced around monthly AI credits. |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly price. Paid plans have unlimited DMs and unlimited contacts. | Yearly plans that include a monthly AI-credit allowance; when credits run out, AI replies pause until you add credits or upgrade. |
| Free plan | 1,500 DMs a month, unlimited automations, 1 Instagram account, every safety control, no HelloDM branding in your DMs. No card. | No free-forever plan; a free trial with a starting balance. |
| Paid plans | Starter $8.99/month ($4.99/month billed annually), ₹399 in India. Pro $14.99/month ($9.99 annually), ₹499 in India. | Business S at $18/month billed yearly ($216/year), including $20 of AI credits a month and one bot. |
| Instagram accounts | 1 free, 2 Starter, 3 Pro, unlimited on Enterprise. | Business plans: one business and one bot. Agency plans: 3 or more companies. |
| Channels | Instagram only. | Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and website. |
| How it connects | Meta's official Instagram API; Meta Verified Tech Provider. No password. | States it is an official Meta partner. |
Which one fits
Choose HelloDM if…
- Your job is comment-to-DM, story replies and keyword replies on Instagram, not open-ended AI chat.
- You want a free plan: 1,500 DMs a month, no card, no trial clock.
- You want predictable flat pricing with no credits that run out mid-month.
- You are in India: pricing in rupees, plus a built-in invoice generator.
Choose Chatfuel if…
- You want AI-written replies to open-ended questions in DMs.
- You need WhatsApp or a website chatbot alongside Instagram.
- You run an agency and want a management dashboard for several companies.
What HelloDM does to keep accounts safe
On every plan: up to 600 sends an hour per account (Meta's ceiling is 750), at most 10 a minute, a 30-minute cooldown when a post spikes, one DM per person per post, and checks that block a link in the first message.
How Chatfuel handles pacing is theirs to describe; check their documentation. For what actually gets accounts restricted, see Is Instagram DM automation safe?
Switching from Chatfuel to HelloDM
- Create a free HelloDM account and connect Instagram through Meta’s login screen. No password is shared.
- Rebuild one automation: the post, the keyword and the reply. Put any link on a button rather than in the first message.
- Switch that automation off in Chatfuel before switching it on in HelloDM. Meta allows one private reply per comment, so two tools on one post race each other.
- Comment the keyword from a second account to test, then move the rest across.
Questions
Is HelloDM a good Chatfuel alternative?
Chatfuel is an AI chatbot builder across Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and websites, sold as yearly plans with monthly AI credits. HelloDM is flat-priced Instagram automation (comment-to-DM, story and keyword replies) with a free plan of 1,500 DMs a month. Choose Chatfuel for AI conversations across channels; choose HelloDM when the job is Instagram replies at a predictable price.
How much does Chatfuel cost?
No free-forever plan; a free trial with a starting balance. Business S at $18/month billed yearly ($216/year), including $20 of AI credits a month and one bot. (Checked on Chatfuel's own pricing page; prices change, so confirm there before buying.)
How much does HelloDM cost?
1,500 DMs a month, unlimited automations, 1 Instagram account, every safety control, no HelloDM branding in your DMs. No card. Starter $8.99/month ($4.99/month billed annually), ₹399 in India. Pro $14.99/month ($9.99 annually), ₹499 in India. Paid plans have unlimited DMs and contacts.
Can I use Chatfuel and HelloDM at the same time?
Yes, on different posts. Don't run both on the same post: Meta allows only one private reply per comment, so the two tools race for it, one of them fails, and you can't predict which message the person gets. Switch one off before switching the other on.
Sources
- Chatfuel pricing — chatfuel.com/pricing
- HelloDM pricing — hellodm.io/pricing
Try HelloDM free
1,500 DMs a month, unlimited automations and every safety control, free. No card. Set up your first comment-to-DM in about five minutes.