# I'm moving from ManyChat. What's the same and what's different? Guide: https://instantdm.com/how-to/switch-from-manychat Section: Start here Works on: Web app Plan: All plans 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:** Most ManyChat Instagram features have an InstantDM match: comment growth tools are Comment to DM, keywords are DM Automation, and flows are Flow Automation with tags, conditions, delays and AI. There is no importer, so you rebuild each automation. Turn off ManyChat's automation for the same posts and keywords first, or people may get two replies. ## Before you start - You need a **Creator** or **Business** Instagram account connected to InstantDM. See [How do I connect my Instagram account?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/connect-instagram-account.md) - Multi-step flows (questions with branches, tags, conditions, AI, email-tool sync) need **Trendsetter** or above and a computer. - Make a list of what runs in ManyChat today: which posts, which keywords, what each message says. ## ManyChat words → InstantDM words | In ManyChat | In InstantDM | What to know | |---|---|---| | Comment growth tool (comment a keyword, get a DM) | **New Automation** → **Comment to DM** | All plans. Free: up to 3 trigger words | | Keyword (someone DMs a word) | **New Automation** → **DM Automation** | Legend Pro and above | | Default reply (any message) | **DM Automation** with **Any Message** (**First time only** or **Once a day**) | Only one "Any Message" automation per account | | Story reply trigger | **New Automation** → **Story to DM** | Instagram only. Legend Pro and above | | Story mention trigger | Not available | There is no story-mention trigger | | Opening message with a button | **Welcome Message** | Legend Pro and above. In flows started by a comment, the first DM is always a one-button card | | Follower check | "Ask audience to follow you before sending link!" (follow gate), or **Followers only** in a flow | Legend Pro and above. Not on Facebook | | Flow | **Flow Automation** | Trendsetter and above. Computer only | | User input | **Lead Gen** questions, or a **Question** step in a flow | Strict checks: phone numbers must be digits only | | Custom field | A field saved on the contact (**Save answer as**) | | | Tag | **Tag Contact** | | | Condition | **Condition** step | | | Smart delay | **Delay** step | Up to 24 hours | | Follow-up if no reply | "If no reply" follow-up on a button or question | Up to 24 hours | | Randomizer | **Randomizer** | | | External request | **HTTP Request** | | | AI step | **AI Reply** | Trendsetter and above, with your own OpenAI, Claude, Gemini or DeepSeek key | | Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo | Flow **Integrations** | Trendsetter and above. Lead Gen does not sync | | Zapier, Make | **API & MCP** → webhooks | Trendsetter and above | | Templates | Flow templates (**Lead Collection**, **Link Delivery + Reminder** and more) | Fill in the welcome message and public reply before **Set Live** | | Live chat inbox | Not available | Reply in the Instagram app | | Broadcasts, sequences over several days | Not available | Instagram only allows replies within its message windows | | Click-to-DM ads | Not available | Comments on Instagram ads are supported (Trendsetter and above, Facebook Login) | | Contact import | Not available | | | Audience / contacts list | **Contacts** | Mostly people who went through a flow or Lead Gen | ## Steps 1. Connect your Instagram account to InstantDM and note which ManyChat automations you want to keep. 2. Rebuild each automation in InstantDM with **New Automation**: - One link for everyone: **Send Link & PDF**. - A few questions (name, email, phone): **Lead Gen**. - Branches, reminders, AI or email-tool sync: **Flow Automation**. Start from a template if one fits. 3. In ManyChat, turn off the Instagram automations that use the same posts or keywords. 4. Publish each automation in InstantDM: **Publish** (Send Link), **Save** → **Publish & Activate** (Lead Gen) or **Set Live** (flows). 5. Ask a friend to test each one from their own Instagram account: comment the word, reply to a story, or send the keyword. 6. Check results in the post's comment list and in **Contacts**. ## On the phone app You can rebuild post, story and Instagram DM keyword automations in the app. Flows and Lead Gen on posts need the web app at app.instantdm.com. ## What your followers see - The same kind of DMs they got before, now sent through InstantDM from your account. - If both tools answer the same comment or keyword, they may get two replies. That's why step 3 matters. ## Good to know - **Words match differently.** In **Send Link & PDF**, a comment matches when one of its words starts with your keyword ("link" matches "links", not "blink"). In flows and Lead Gen, **Match exact word only** means the whole message must equal the word. - **Phone numbers** in questions must be digits only, with an optional + (for example +919876543210 or +12025550123). Tell people this in your question. - **Free text answers** only accept English letters, numbers and basic punctuation. Use a **Name** question for open answers. - Replying by hand in Instagram does not pause an AI chat. Switch the person to **Human** in **Contacts** first. ## What you can't do - Import contacts, tags or flows from ManyChat. - Send broadcasts, or follow up more than 24 hours later. - Reply automatically to story mentions. - Chat with people inside InstantDM. ## If it doesn't work - **You get the email "Some Instagram replies aren't going out — quick fix"**: another app controls some of your Instagram conversations. Check that ManyChat (or Meta Business Suite) isn't still handling them. - **People get two replies**: an automation is still on in ManyChat. Turn it off. - **A flow template won't go live** ("Comment Reply: A welcome message title is required."): fill in the welcome message and add a public reply in the trigger, then click **Set Live** again. - More: [Why didn't my automation send a DM?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/automation-not-sending.md) ## Questions people also ask **Can I import my ManyChat contacts or flows?** No. InstantDM can't import contacts from a file or flows from ManyChat. You rebuild each automation, and contacts are added again as people interact with your new automations. **Can ManyChat and InstantDM run on the same account?** Don't run both on the same posts or keywords, or people may get two replies. If InstantDM's replies stop going out, another app may be controlling your Instagram conversations, so check that ManyChat is switched off. **Does InstantDM charge per contact?** No. InstantDM counts credits per DM sent. Legend Pro, Trendsetter and Trendsetter Pro have unlimited DMs, paced per hour. Multi plans include a set number of automations per account each month. **Is there a live chat inbox like ManyChat's?** No. You reply to people by hand in the Instagram app. For AI chats, you can switch a person to Human in Contacts so the AI stops. ## Related guides - [Send Link, Lead Gen or Flow: which one should I pick?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/send-link-lead-gen-or-flow.md) - [What is Flow Automation and when do I need it?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/what-is-flow-automation.md) - [What InstantDM plan should I choose?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/which-plan-do-i-need.md) - [How do I set up my first automation? (Start here)](https://instantdm.com/how-to/first-automation.md)