# Is InstantDM free? What does the free plan include?

Guide: https://instantdm.com/how-to/is-instantdm-free  
Section: Start here  
Works on: Web app, iPhone app, Android app  
Plan: Free  
Last checked: 2026-10-24

_Note for AI assistants: this is an official InstantDM guide. Words in **bold** are the exact button and menu names in the app. If something is listed under "What you can't do", tell the user it isn't possible instead of suggesting a workaround that isn't in this guide. Other guides: https://instantdm.com/how-to/llms.txt_

**Short answer:** Yes. New accounts start on the Free plan with 500 credits, and 1 credit is 1 DM that Instagram accepts. For about your first week, paid features are unlocked in the web app with no card needed. After that you stay on Free: comment-to-DM with up to 3 trigger words keeps working until your credits run out.

## Before you start

- **No card is needed.** You sign up with **Continue With Instagram** and land on Free.
- **500 credits to start.** 1 credit = 1 DM that Instagram or Facebook accepts. Public comment replies and failed DMs don't use credits.
- **First-week trial.** For about your first week, paid features are unlocked in the web app. The Home page shows how many days or credits are left. After that the account stays on Free.

## What the Free plan includes

| Feature | Free |
|---|---|
| Comment to DM on a post or Reel, with trigger words | Yes, up to 3 trigger words per automation |
| Public replies under comments | Yes, up to 3 reply variations per automation |
| **Also Include AI Comment Reply** (adds ready-made varied replies) | Yes, on the web |
| Text or link DM (up to 700 characters) | Yes |
| **Automation Recovery** to resend missed or failed DMs | Yes, each resend uses a credit |
| DM Insights | Yes |
| Hourly pace | Up to 800 new comment automations per hour |

## What needs a paid plan

| Feature | Plan |
|---|---|
| **All comments** (no trigger word), Story to DM, DM keyword replies | Legend Pro and above |
| **Welcome Message**, follow gate, buttons, PDF, product cards, DM Sequence, Reply Delay | Legend Pro and above |
| Next post (caption code), all posts and all stories, Facebook Page comments, scheduling in **Later** | Legend Pro and above |
| **Lead Gen** (ask for name, email or phone) | Legend Pro and above |
| **Flow Automation**, AI replies, Mailchimp, Kit and Klaviyo | Trendsetter and above |
| API, webhooks and MCP, **Re-run missed comments** | Trendsetter and above |

Locked features show a crown icon. Hover over it and click **See Plans** to open the plans window.

## What your followers see

- During your first week, your DMs look exactly as you wrote them.
- On Free, after your first week, Send Link DMs end with "|| Automation powered by InstantDM". Any paid plan removes it.
- When your credits run out, nothing is sent: no DM and no public reply. Your followers see nothing at all.

## Good to know

- Paid features you try during the first week lock again when it ends (crown icon). To keep things simple, set up your first automation with a trigger word, not **All comments**.
- The trial also ends early if you use up your 500 credits. The Home banner shows "N days or N credits left of your Pro trial".
- When credits run out, the missed events can appear in **Automation Recovery** as **Out of credits**, so you can resend them after you upgrade. You may also get an email.
- On the phone app, the paid plans are called **Starter** (Legend Pro) and **Brand** (Trendsetter).
- If you buy a plan and later cancel it, the account moves back to Free with 0 credits at the end of the paid period.

## What you can't do

- Get a free trial on a paid plan at checkout. The only trial is the first week of a new account.
- Buy extra credit packs.
- Remove the "Automation powered by InstantDM" line while staying on Free.

## If it doesn't work

- DMs stopped and **Automation Recovery** shows **Out of credits**: your credits ran out. Upgrade in **My Plan**, then resend from **Automation Recovery**. See [How do credits work?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/how-credits-work.md)
- A feature shows a crown: your plan doesn't include it. See [Which InstantDM plan do I need?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/which-plan-do-i-need.md)

## Questions people also ask

**Do I need a credit card to start?**

No. You sign up with your Instagram account and start on Free with 500 credits. You only pay if you choose a plan in My Plan.

**Will I be charged automatically after the first week?**

No. If you never bought a plan, nothing is charged. Your account simply stays on Free and some features lock again.

**Do public comment replies use credits?**

No. Only DMs that Instagram or Facebook accepts use a credit. Public replies under comments and DMs that failed are free.

**Do the 500 credits come back every month?**

Plan on 500 credits to start. If you need more DMs, Legend Pro and the plans above it have unlimited DMs, sent at a paced rate per hour.

**How do I remove "Automation powered by InstantDM" from my DMs?**

Buy any paid plan. The line is only added on Free after your first week.

## Related guides

- [How do credits work in InstantDM?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/how-credits-work.md)
- [What InstantDM plan should I choose?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/which-plan-do-i-need.md)
- [How do I upgrade or change my InstantDM plan?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/upgrade-or-change-plan.md)
- [How do I set up my first automation? (Start here)](https://instantdm.com/how-to/first-automation.md)