ManyChat is the best-known Instagram DM tool, but its free plan covers only 25 active contacts a month and paid plans are billed in US dollars per contact, from $17/month ($14/month billed yearly). For creators and businesses in India, the main alternatives are likecmtshare (₹0 free, ₹449/month), ReplyKaro (₹99/month), Repli (₹249/month), SlideDM (₹999/month, or ₹799/month billed yearly), SuperProfile (₹499/month), InstantDM (₹999/month, or ₹833/month billed yearly), and the dollar-priced LinkDM ($19/month). If you want rupee billing by UPI and a free plan you can actually run campaigns on, start with the India-built tools.
Why people leave ManyChat
ManyChat changed its free plan to 25 active contacts a month, with up to 4 active automations and 2 channels. An "active contact" is any person you exchange messages with in a month, so one reel that does well can use the whole allowance in a day.
Billed monthly, paid plans are $17 (Essential, 250 contacts), $39 (Pro), $99 (Business) and $199 (Advanced); billed yearly they work out to $14, $29, $69 and $139 a month. Each adds a per-contact fee beyond its limit. Billing is in US dollars, which also means card payments rather than UPI for Indian users.
None of that makes ManyChat a bad product — it is the most established tool here and an Official Meta Business Partner. It is simply priced for businesses that grow contacts steadily, not for creators whose reels spike.
All 8 tools at a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Entry paid plan | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|
| likecmtshare | Free · 1,000 DMs | ₹449/month | India |
| ManyChat | Free · 25 active contacts/month | $17/month (Essential), or $14 billed yearly | USA |
| ReplyKaro | Free Forever · 1,000 DMs/month | ₹99/month (Starter) | India |
| Repli | Free · daily credits, Repli branding | ₹249/month (Creator) | India |
| SlideDM | Free · 1,000 DMs | ₹999/month (Pro) or ₹799/month billed yearly | India |
| InstantDM | Free · 500 DMs/month, 1 account | ₹999/month (Legend Pro) or ₹833/month billed yearly | India |
| LinkDM | Free · 1,000 DMs, 1 account | $19/month (Pro) | USA |
| SuperProfile | Free · unlimited AutoDM on post replies | ₹499/month (Creator; ₹99 first month) | India |
Prices and limits taken from each tool's own pricing pages (ManyChat's from its Help Center plan articles), checked 22 October 2026. Prices change often — check the links before deciding.
The alternatives, one by one
1. likecmtshare India
Comment-to-DM with lead capture, a leads dashboard with tags and CSV export, and the follow gate on every plan including free. Instagram only.
Best if: You want leads organised and followed up, and rupee billing.
Free: Free · 1,000 DMs · Paid from: ₹449/month
2. ManyChat USA
The largest platform, an Official Meta Business Partner, covering Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, SMS and email. Priced per active contact, with overage fees beyond each plan's limit.
Best if: You need many channels and a mature ecosystem, and dollar billing is fine.
Free: Free · 25 active contacts/month · Paid from: $17/month (Essential), or $14 billed yearly
3. ReplyKaro India
India-first and the cheapest entry price here, with UPI, cards and net banking through Razorpay, a Follow-Gate and subscriber tags on the free plan, and unlimited DMs on its ₹299 Pro plan.
Best if: You want the lowest price for delivering links at volume.
Free: Free Forever · 1,000 DMs/month · Paid from: ₹99/month (Starter)
4. Repli India
Multi-channel AI: Instagram, plus WhatsApp from its ₹999 Growth plan (email is in restricted beta), AI replies in your brand voice, lead collection from ₹499 Pro, and Razorpay checkout inside the chat.
Best if: You want AI conversations and payments across more than Instagram.
Free: Free · 15 credits + 5/day, Repli branding · Paid from: ₹249/month (Creator)
5. SlideDM India
India-built, with follow-to-unlock and email or phone capture on the free plan.
Best if: You want a free plan with a larger DM allowance.
Free: Free · 1,000 DMs · Paid from: ₹999/month (Pro) or ₹799/month billed yearly
6. InstantDM India
Flat-rate unlimited automations rather than per-contact pricing, with follow-for-link gating and email or phone capture. Viral Mode and API access from Trendsetter (₹1,999/month).
Best if: You send very high volumes and want one predictable flat fee.
Free: Free · 500 DMs/month · Paid from: ₹999/month (Legend Pro) or ₹833/month billed yearly
7. LinkDM USA
Popular with creators for pushing product and affiliate links from comments. Comment auto-reply is not included on the free plan.
Best if: You are a creator outside India focused on link delivery.
Free: Free · 1,000 DMs, 1 account · Paid from: $19/month (Pro)
8. SuperProfile India
A creator platform with a storefront, courses and link-in-bio, with AutoDM included. AutoDM on stories and lives, follow-ups and more than 10 leads are listed on its Creator plan (₹99 for the first month, then ₹499/month).
Best if: You also want to sell products through a storefront.
Free: Free · unlimited AutoDM on post replies · Paid from: ₹499/month (Creator; ₹99 first month)
How to choose
- Check how the free plan is limited. By messages, by contacts or by features — contact limits run out fastest.
- Check the currency. Dollar pricing means card payments and no GST invoice.
- Check the official API. Any tool that asks for your Instagram password puts your account at risk.
- Check what happens after the DM. Delivering a link is easy; keeping the lead organised is the part most tools skip.
- Check the follow gate. Several tools put it behind a paid plan.
Best Instagram DM automation tools in India
If you want rupee pricing, the shortlist is shorter: likecmtshare (₹0 free, ₹449/month), ReplyKaro (₹99/month), Repli (₹249/month), SlideDM (₹999/month, or ₹799/month billed yearly), InstantDM (₹999/month, or ₹833/month billed yearly) and SuperProfile if you also want a storefront. All of them say they use Meta's official API.
We build likecmtshare, so treat our opinion accordingly — the prices above come from each company's own pricing or help pages so you can check them yourself. Detailed head-to-heads: vs ManyChat, vs ReplyKaro, vs Repli, vs InstantDM, vs SuperProfile, vs LinkDM, vs SlideDM.
FAQ
What is the best ManyChat alternative in India?
For rupee billing and a usable free plan, likecmtshare, ReplyKaro and Repli are the India-built options. likecmtshare starts free with 1,000 DMs and ₹449/month paid; ReplyKaro starts at ₹99/month; Repli at ₹249/month.
Why do people look for ManyChat alternatives?
Mainly the free plan limit of 25 active contacts a month, dollar pricing with per-contact overage fees, and the setup being heavier than most creators need.
Is there a free Instagram DM automation tool?
Yes. likecmtshare (1,000 DMs), ReplyKaro (1,000 DMs/month), SlideDM (1,000 DMs), InstantDM (500 DMs/month) and SuperProfile (unlimited post and reel DMs) all have free plans.
Are these tools safe for my Instagram account?
The ones listed here state that they use Meta's official Instagram API, which only allows replies to people who contacted you first. Avoid any tool that asks for your Instagram password.
Which alternative includes the follow gate for free?
likecmtshare, SlideDM and ReplyKaro list a follow gate on their free plans, and SuperProfile's pricing page lists ask-to-follow on its free plan. ManyChat (from Essential), InstantDM (from Legend Pro) and LinkDM (Follower Growth Tool, from Pro) list it on paid plans.
Can I pay by UPI?
likecmtshare and ReplyKaro bill in rupees and say they accept UPI. SlideDM's homepage mentions UPI, though its pricing page mentions only cards, and Repli bills in rupees through Razorpay. InstantDM shows prices in rupees or dollars without mentioning UPI; ManyChat and LinkDM bill in US dollars.
Try likecmtshare free
1,000 DMs at ₹0, the follow gate included, UPI billing on paid plans from ₹449.
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