Usually right away. When someone comments your keyword, Instagram tells Waveloop through its official API, and Waveloop sends the DM then. DM keywords and story replies work the same way.
What can add time
- A new connection. Right after you connect Instagram, it can take a few hours before Instagram starts passing comments to Waveloop.
- Instagram is busy. If Instagram turns a DM away with a temporary error or a rate limit, Waveloop tries again later, spread over the following hours.
- Your connection dropped. If Instagram ends Waveloop's access, for example after a password change, DMs wait until you reconnect. They're sent once you do, as long as the comment is still inside Instagram's 7-day reply window.
- Follow to unlock. With the follow gate on, the link arrives after the person taps the button and Waveloop confirms they follow you.
- The Hobby contact limit. When a Hobby account reaches 50 new contacts in a month, automations pause until the count resets.
No limit on DMs
DMs are unlimited on every plan. Waveloop doesn't hold your messages back to fit a daily quota.
Repeat messages
A DM keyword automation answers the same person once every 5 minutes at most. Someone who sends your keyword five times in a row gets one reply. On comments, every new comment gets its own DM.
Testing your automation? Comment from a second Instagram account. Instagram doesn't let an account send a DM to itself, so a comment from your own account won't get one.