WaveloopvsChatfuelCH- Instagram comment to DMYes, on every plan
- Story replies to DMYes, on every plan
- DM keyword repliesYes, on every plan
- Follow to unlockYes, Creator plan and up
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A Chatfuel alternative built for Instagram.
Chatfuel is an AI chatbot platform for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and website chat, built for businesses that sell and support customers through chat.
Free plan · No card needed
WaveloopvsChatfuelCHSide by side
How Waveloop and Chatfuel compare.
| Feature | Waveloop | Chatfuel |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram comment to DM | Yes, on every plan | Yes. A public reply, a DM or both, on posts, reels and ads |
| Story replies to DM | Yes, on every plan | Yes, stories and mentions |
| DM keyword replies | Yes, on every plan | Yes, keyword replies to DMs |
| Follow to unlock | Yes, Creator plan and up | Not listed |
| Email collection in DMs | Yes, Creator plan and up | Yes, with lead capture flows |
| AI replies to DMs | AI drafts replies for you to review (Business plan) | Yes, with $20 of AI credits a month on Business |
| Free plan | Yes. 3 automations, 50 new contacts a month, no card | No. A free trial with no card |
| Starting paid price | $15/month (Creator), unlimited contacts | $20/month, or $18/month billed yearly (Business) |
| Works with Claude and ChatGPT | Yes, on every plan | Not listed |
Choose Waveloop if
- You only need Instagram and want to start on a free plan with no card.
- You want follow to unlock and email collection for $15 a month.
- You want to create automations by chatting with Claude or ChatGPT.
Choose Chatfuel if
- You also sell on WhatsApp or Facebook and want one inbox for every channel.
- You want AI replies, lead scoring and integrations like Google Sheets, Zapier and Stripe on the entry plan.
Pricing
Chatfuel pricing, in plain words.
Chatfuel
No free plan, but every plan starts with a free trial with no card. Business is $20 a month, or $18 a month billed yearly ($216 a year), and includes $20 of AI credits a month. Their limits page says plans cover unlimited active contacts and messages, with a fair-use allowance for the AI. Agency plans for several client businesses start at $90 a month billed yearly.
Waveloop
Flat prices. No charge per contact. Hobby is free with no card. Creator is $15 a month, or ₹1,499 plus GST in India, with unlimited contacts.
What each tool is for.
Chatfuel is an AI chatbot platform for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and website chat. Its plans are built around selling in chat: lead scoring, ad tracking with the Meta Pixel, bulk WhatsApp campaigns and meeting booking. It has a visual flow builder, a team inbox, a CRM and integrations with tools like Google Sheets and Zapier. It calls itself an official Meta partner.
Waveloop does one job: Instagram DM automation for creators and businesses. You pick a post, a story or a keyword, write the DM and switch it on.
What they share on Instagram.
Both tools can answer a comment with a public reply and a DM. Chatfuel covers posts, reels and ads, and can answer every comment or only the ones that match a keyword. It also handles story replies, mentions and DMs.
Waveloop's comment to DM, story replies and DM keywords work on every plan, including free Hobby. Each DM can carry a link button. Creator adds follow to unlock, so people follow you before the link arrives, plus email collection and card replies. Everyone who triggers a comment automation is saved as a contact you can search and export.
Where Chatfuel is stronger.
If customers reach you on WhatsApp and Facebook as well, Chatfuel puts every chat in one place. Its AI answers customers using the AI credits in each plan, and your team can step in when a chat needs a person. It also connects to more outside tools.
Waveloop's AI agent works differently. It is on the Business plan, and it drafts replies from your own knowledge for you to review in the dashboard. It does not answer DMs on its own.
Prices and which one fits.
Chatfuel has no free plan. It starts with a free trial with no card, then Business costs $20 a month, or $18 a month billed yearly, with $20 of AI credits a month.
Waveloop Hobby is free with no card: 3 automations, 50 new contacts a month and unlimited DMs. Creator is $15 a month or $150 a year, with unlimited contacts. Each Instagram account you connect has its own plan. You can also connect Waveloop to Claude or ChatGPT and build automations by chatting. See every plan on the pricing page.
Pick Chatfuel if you sell across WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram and want AI in every chat. Pick Waveloop if Instagram is where your audience lives and you want to start free.
Switching
Moving from Chatfuel to Waveloop.
- 1
Sign up free with no card, then log in with your Instagram professional account.
- 2
For each Chatfuel comment rule you want to keep, pick the post or reel, set the keyword and write the DM.
- 3
Turn off Chatfuel's comment replies on that post, including any rule that answers every comment, so nobody gets two DMs.
- 4
Comment the keyword from another account to check the DM arrives.
FAQ
Waveloop and Chatfuel, answered.
Is Waveloop a good Chatfuel alternative?
Yes, if Instagram is your main channel. Comment to DM, story replies and DM keywords work on every Waveloop plan, including free Hobby. If you also need WhatsApp or Facebook, Chatfuel covers those and Waveloop does not.
Is Waveloop cheaper than Chatfuel?
Waveloop has a free plan and Chatfuel does not. Waveloop Creator is $15 a month, and Chatfuel Business is $20 a month, or $18 a month billed yearly. Chatfuel's price includes AI credits, while Waveloop's AI agent is on the Business plan.
Can I move my Chatfuel automations to Waveloop?
Not automatically. You recreate each comment to DM automation by picking a post, a keyword and your DM, or you import several at once from a CSV file, within your plan's automation limit. Contacts and flows do not carry over.
Can I use Chatfuel and Waveloop at the same time?
Yes, but not on the same post. If both tools answer the same comment, people can get two DMs, so turn off Chatfuel's comment replies on any post where Waveloop runs.
Does Waveloop answer DMs with AI like Chatfuel?
Not on its own. The Business plan adds an AI agent that drafts replies from your own knowledge for you to review in the dashboard. Keyword automations send the message you wrote.
Do I need a card to try Waveloop?
No. Hobby is a free plan with no card. Paid plans start with a 7-day free trial that takes a card, and the first payment is taken on day 7.
Last updated , the day we checked Chatfuel’s public website. Plans and features change, so check their site for the latest.
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