WaveloopvsStanST- 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 Stan alternative built for Instagram.
Stan is a creator store for selling courses, digital products, coaching calls and memberships from your link in bio, with Instagram AutoDM on its Creator plan.
Free plan · No card needed
WaveloopvsStanSTSide by side
How Waveloop and Stan compare.
| Feature | Waveloop | Stan |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram comment to DM | Yes, on every plan | Yes, Stan AutoDM on the Creator plan |
| Story replies to DM | Yes, on every plan | Yes, when a story reply includes your keyword |
| DM keyword replies | Yes, on every plan | Yes |
| Follow to unlock | Yes, Creator plan and up | Not listed |
| Email collection in DMs | Yes, Creator plan and up | Not in the DM. The DM can link to a free download page that collects emails |
| Sell products and courses | No. Your DM links to wherever you sell | Yes, a full store with courses, bookings and memberships |
| Link in bio page | Yes, on every plan | Yes, your store is the link in bio |
| Free plan | Yes. 3 automations, 50 new contacts a month, no card | No. 14-day free trial |
| Starting paid price | $15/month (Creator) | $29/month (Creator) |
Choose Waveloop if
- You already sell somewhere and only need the DM automation.
- You want people to follow you or share their email before the link arrives.
- You can start free with no card, and Creator costs $15 a month.
Choose Stan if
- You sell courses, digital products, coaching or memberships and want the store and AutoDM in one place.
- You want a store where Stan takes no transaction fee on your sales.
Pricing
Stan pricing, in plain words.
Stan
No free plan, and there is a 14-day free trial. Creator costs $29 a month or $300 a year and includes Stan AutoDM. Creator Pro costs $99 a month or $948 a year and adds email flows, payment plans and pixel tracking. Stan takes no transaction fee, though Stripe or PayPal fees still apply.
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.
A store with AutoDM built in.
Stan is a creator store that lives in your link in bio. You sell digital products, courses, coaching calls, memberships and communities, and you collect emails with lead magnets. Stan takes no transaction fee on sales, though Stripe or PayPal fees still apply.
Stan AutoDM comes with the Creator plan. Anyone who comments your keyword, DMs it or replies to your story with it gets your message. You can run it on all posts or pick specific ones, and you can turn on public comment replies too.
Waveloop does the DM part only.
Waveloop does not sell products or host a store. It sends the DM, with a link button, to wherever you sell, and that can be your Stan store. Comments, story replies and keywords people DM you can each start an automation, on every plan.
On Creator, you can ask people to follow you or share their email before the link arrives, and send card replies with an image and a button. Everyone who comments your keyword is saved as a contact you can search and export. You also get a simple link in bio page, link click tracking, and you can build automations by chatting with Claude or ChatGPT.
Where Stan is stronger.
If you sell your own products, Stan gives you the checkout, the course host, the booking calendar and the email list in one place. Creator Pro adds email flows, payment plans and pixel tracking. Waveloop has none of those.
To collect emails from Instagram on Stan, you link the AutoDM to a free download page, and people sign up there. Waveloop collects the email inside the DM itself, on Creator and up.
How the prices compare.
Stan has no free plan. Creator costs $29 a month or $300 a year after a 14-day free trial, and Creator Pro costs $99 a month or $948 a year.
Waveloop Hobby is free with no card: 3 automations, 50 new contacts a month and unlimited DMs. Creator costs $15 a month or $150 a year, with unlimited contacts. Each Instagram account you connect has its own plan. See pricing for the details.
If you only need DM automation, Waveloop costs less. If you need a store as well, Stan's price covers both, and Waveloop can still send the DMs that point to it.
Switching
Moving from Stan to Waveloop.
- 1
Sign up free with no card and log in with your Instagram Business or Creator account.
- 2
Pick the post or reel, set the keyword and put your Stan product link in the DM.
- 3
Switch off Stan AutoDM on that post so nobody gets two DMs.
- 4
Comment the keyword from another account to test it.
FAQ
Waveloop and Stan, answered.
Is Waveloop a good Stan alternative?
For the DM part, yes. Waveloop does not sell products or host a store, so if you keep your store on Stan, Waveloop sends the DM with the link to it.
Is Waveloop cheaper than Stan?
For DM automation alone, yes. Waveloop Hobby is free and Creator is $15 a month, while Stan starts at $29 a month. Stan's price also covers your store, courses and bookings.
Can I keep my Stan store and use Waveloop for DMs?
Yes. Put your Stan product or store link in the Waveloop DM. Stan's help center says AutoDM works properly only when other DM tools are disconnected, so use one tool for your DMs.
Can I move my Stan AutoDM automations to Waveloop?
There is no direct import from Stan. Recreate each one by picking the post, the keyword and the DM, or import several comment to DM automations from a CSV file within your plan's automation limit.
Does Waveloop collect emails like Stan?
On Creator and up, Waveloop can ask for an email inside the DM before the link arrives. Stan collects emails on a free download page in your store.
Do I need a card to try Waveloop?
No. Hobby is free with no card. Paid plans start with a 7-day free trial that takes a card, and nothing is charged until day 7.
Last updated , the day we checked Stan’s public website. Plans and features change, so check their site for the latest.
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