ManyChat vs Chatfuel for Instagram DM automation
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Chatfuel is the cheaper choice. Its comment-to-DM is free with no stated contact limit, and the full platform is a flat $20 a month. ManyChat costs $39 at 1,000 active contacts, but it documents more Instagram triggers and can take payments in the chat, which Chatfuel’s help center says it cannot.
Side by side
| Fact |  ManyChatRated 2.1 out of 5305 reviews on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) |
 ChatfuelRated 3.2 out of 514 reviews on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| 1K contacts | $39 | Free |
| 10K contacts | $162 | Free |
| Billing basis | Plan plus usage | Plan plus usage |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Send a DM when someone comments | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword triggers | Yes | Yes |
| Public reply under the comment | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-reply to incoming DMs | Yes | Yes |
| Trigger on replies to your stories | Yes | Yes |
| Trigger on story mentions | Yes | Yes |
| Trigger on live video comments | Yes | No |
| Message new followers | Yes | No |
| Multi-step flow builder | Yes | Yes |
| Broadcast messages | Yes | Yes |
| AI agent that replies on its own | Yes | Yes |
| Hand the chat to a person | Yes | Yes |
| Shared team inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Meta, CRM and payments | ||
| Meta status | Business Partner | Business Partner |
| Built-in CRM | No | Yes |
| Payment inside the chat | Yes | No |
| Payment providers | Stripe, PayPal | None |
| Other | ||
| Channels | Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok, SMS, Email | Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, TikTok, Website chat |
Price
Chatfuel charges a flat price. Business is $20 a month with unlimited contacts and teammates, so 1,000 and 10,000 contacts cost the same.
ManyChat bills by active contacts. At 1,000 you are on Pro at $39, and at 10,000 the bill reaches $162 with Business and overage.
AI changes the picture slightly. ManyChat includes its AI from Pro. Chatfuel’s AI replies spend a credit wallet that comes with the plan, and the bot pauses when the credit runs out.
Instagram triggers
Both send a DM on comment, reply in public, react to story replies and story mentions, and run flows with AI. Both also have a team inbox with hand-over to a person.
ManyChat goes further. It documents live comment triggers and a follow-to-DM beta that Meta enables per account. Chatfuel’s help center says a follow-to-DM trigger is not possible, and it does not mention live comments.
Selling inside the DM
ManyChat takes payments with a Buy Button connected to Stripe or PayPal. Chatfuel’s help center states that payment processors cannot be connected, although one line in its pricing FAQ suggests otherwise.
Free plans
Chatfuel’s free plan replies to comments with no stated limit on contacts or messages. ManyChat’s free plan covers 25 active contacts and four live automations.
Which to pick
Pick Chatfuel if you want comment-to-DM for free, or a full platform at a price that never grows.
Pick ManyChat if you sell in the chat, or if your content depends on live video and new followers.
Questions people ask
Is Chatfuel cheaper than ManyChat?
Yes. Chatfuel’s comment-to-DM is free, and its full platform is $20 a month at any contact count. ManyChat costs $39 at 1,000 active contacts and $162 at 10,000.
Which is better for Instagram, ManyChat or Chatfuel?
ManyChat covers more Instagram triggers and can take payments. Chatfuel does the core job of comment-to-DM for less, and for free on its basic plan.
Can Chatfuel take payments in Instagram DMs?
Chatfuel’s help center says no. ManyChat can, through Stripe or PayPal. So can SendPulse.