Instagram Auto DM for Free: Send Automatic DMs When Someone Comments
How to send an automatic Instagram DM for free when someone comments on your post or Reel, what the free plan includes, its limits, and a 5-minute setup.
Yes, you can send automatic Instagram DMs for free. With Foxli's AutoDM, when someone comments a keyword such as "LINK" on your post or Reel, Foxli replies to the comment and sends them a DM with your link. It is included on the Free plan. The one catch, stated upfront: DMs sent on the Free plan show "Powered by Foxli.app" branding.
This guide shows what the free plan includes, its honest limits, and how to set up your first auto DM in about 5 minutes.
What you get for free
| Feature | Foxli Free plan |
|---|---|
| Comment-to-DM on Instagram posts and Reels | ✅ Included |
| Comment-to-DM on Facebook posts and Reels | ✅ Included |
| Keyword triggers and excluded keywords | ✅ Included |
| "Any comment" trigger | ✅ Included |
| Public reply to the comment | ✅ Included |
| DM with a clickable link button | ✅ Included |
| Optional follow gate | ✅ Included |
| Run log and captured leads | ✅ Included |
| Connected social accounts | Up to 3 |
| "Powered by Foxli.app" in DMs | Shown (removed on paid plans) |
Before you pick any "free" auto DM tool, check whether it is really a time-limited trial or caps you at one campaign. On Foxli, the full AutoDM flow is on the free plan; the only paid upgrade is removing the branding, and that costs ₹99 per channel a month. See pricing.
What you need before you start
- An Instagram Professional account (Business or Creator). You can switch for free in Instagram's settings under Account type and tools.
- The post or Reel you want to automate. It can be new or an older Reel that still gets comments.
- The link you want to send: a product page, free guide, booking page, WhatsApp chat or YouTube video.
You don't need a Facebook Page, and you never share your Instagram password. Foxli connects through the official Instagram login.
How to set up a free Instagram auto DM in 5 minutes
1. Create a free Foxli account and connect Instagram
Sign up and add Instagram as a channel. Log in on Instagram's official screen and approve the permissions.
2. Open Auto DM and pick your post
Open Auto DM in the sidebar, create a new automation, and choose the post or Reel.
3. Choose your keyword
Type a short keyword, such as LINK, PRICE or GUIDE. Add excluded keywords like "not interested" if you want to skip some comments, or choose any comment to reply to everyone.
4. Write the public reply and the DM
- Public reply: "Sent! Check your DMs 📩"
- DM: "Hey! Here's the link you asked for 👇", followed by a link button that points to your page.
5. Turn on the follow gate (optional) and go live
With the follow gate on, people must follow you before they get the link, which turns comments into followers. Switch the automation on, and every matching comment from now on gets a DM within seconds.
6. Check the run log
The campaign page shows triggers, follow prompts, follows gained and links sent, and every comment is listed in the run log. If a DM wasn't sent, the log tells you why.
Free auto DM ideas you can use today
- Creators: "Comment RECIPE for the full recipe" or "Comment PRESET for my free Lightroom preset."
- Coaches and educators: "Comment GUIDE for the free checklist."
- Local businesses: "Comment PRICE and we'll DM you our menu or price list."
- D2C brands: "Comment CODE for 10% off your first order."
- Festive campaigns: "Comment GIFT for our Diwali gift guide." See more ideas in our Diwali social media post ideas.
For a full strategy, including Meta's rules and the best practices behind high-converting keywords, read our complete guide to Instagram comment-to-DM automation.
Why it's free: I decided to keep the full AutoDM flow on the Free plan and charge only to remove the branding, so creators can try it on a real Reel and see leads come in before paying anything. Pushpendra Singh Rathor, founder of Foxli
Free plan limits, honestly
- Branding: every DM on the Free plan ends with "Powered by Foxli.app". Most followers don't mind, but brands that want a clean, white-label message should upgrade.
- Accounts: up to 3 connected social accounts on the Free plan.
- Meta's rules still apply: one automatic DM per comment, Professional accounts only, and people with strict message settings may see your DM in their requests.
- No mass DMs: auto DM replies to people who commented. It won't message people who never engaged, and no legitimate tool should.
When it's worth upgrading
Upgrade when the branding starts to matter: for a brand account, client work, or a high-ticket offer where every detail counts. Paid plans start at ₹99 (about $1.20) per channel a month and also unlock unlimited scheduled posts for that channel, so you can schedule Instagram posts and run AutoDM from the same dashboard.
Start free
Pick your best-performing Reel, add a "Comment LINK" line to the caption, and switch on AutoDM. It is free, takes 5 minutes, and runs while you sleep. Create your free Foxli account.
