Send Link, Lead Gen or Flow: which one should I pick?

When you click New Automation, step 3 asks “What should it send?” and offers up to three cards. Here is how to choose.

Compare the three

	Send Link & PDF	Lead Gen	Flow Automation
Wizard card text	”One reply for everyone. Address, prices, links or a PDF."	"Collect name, email or phone in the DM. Quick to set up and change."	"Build a funnel. Each button sends its own message.”
Badge	”Ready in a minute"	"No integrations"	"Syncs to your apps”
Best for	Same link, price list, address or PDF for everyone	A few contact details, asked one after another	Different messages per answer, reminders, AI
Asks questions	No	Yes, in a straight line	Yes, with branches
Different paths per answer	No	No	Yes
AI replies	No	No	Yes, with your own AI key
Sends to Mailchimp, Kit or Klaviyo	No	No	Yes
Where answers show	No answers to collect	The post’s Lead Gen Contacts tab (with Download CSV) and Contacts	Contacts and the flow’s contact list
Plan	All plans (buttons, PDF and product cards: Legend Pro and above)	Legend Pro and above	Trendsetter and above
Phone app	Yes (Send Link or Images)	Only for DM keywords (DM tab)	View only, can’t build
How you make it live	Publish	Save → Publish & Activate	Set Live

Which cards you’ll see

• Next post (a post you haven’t uploaded yet): only Send Link & PDF.
• DM Automation (someone messages you): only Lead Gen and Flow Automation. To reply with a link, choose Lead Gen and add a Text Message step.
• Instagram and Facebook together: Flow Automation is hidden. The wizard says “Flow Automation runs on one platform. Pick only Instagram or only Facebook to use it.”
• Cards your plan doesn’t include show Upgrade.

Pick Send Link & PDF if

• Everyone who comments should get the same thing: a link, a price list, your address or a PDF.
• You want something live in a minute, on any plan.
• You want to set it up from your phone.

Pick Lead Gen if

• You want to ask for a name, email or phone number before sending the link.
• You’re happy to download the answers as a CSV file, with no email-tool sync.

Pick Flow Automation if

• People should get different messages depending on what they tap or answer.
• You want a reminder when someone doesn’t reply.
• You want AI to answer, or emails to go straight into Mailchimp, Kit or Klaviyo.
• You’re on a computer. Flows can’t be built on a phone.

On the phone app

The app has Send Link or Images on each post, story and all-posts automation, plus Instagram DM keyword automations with questions. It can’t create Lead Gen per post or build flows. Use the web app at app.instantdm.com for those.

Good to know

• Send Link and Lead Gen on the same post show two switches, but only the one saved last runs. Use one per post.
• Editing a post’s automation in the phone app removes a Lead Gen set up on that post from the web. Edit Lead Gen posts on the web only.
• Phone numbers in Lead Gen and flows must be digits only, with an optional + (for example +919876543210). Numbers with spaces or dashes are rejected, so say so in your question.
• With 2 or more posts selected, the wizard asks for a Group name and shows Publish Setup. That button opens the editor. Nothing is live until you publish in the editor.

What you can’t do

• Send Lead Gen answers to Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo or a webhook. Only Flow Automation syncs.
• Use Flow Automation on Instagram and Facebook in one automation.
• Use Lead Gen or Flow on a Next post automation.

If it doesn’t work

• The Flow card is missing: you picked both platforms, or Next post. Go Back and change the selection.
• Lead Gen and Flow show Upgrade: your plan doesn’t include them. See Which InstantDM plan do I need?
• Answers rejected: see Which answers will the email, phone and name questions accept?