What is comment-to-DM automation?

A rule on an Instagram post: when someone comments a keyword (say GUIDE), they automatically receive a direct message with your link. It is how creators hand out lead magnets, webinar links and discount codes without replying by hand.

How is this different from ManyChat?

ManyChat prices by the number of contacts in your list and is set up in a visual flow builder. Scorper's automations are included in every plan with no per-contact pricing, and you set them up in one sentence from your AI or in the dashboard. Scorper is not a full chatbot builder; it does the comment-to-DM job and posting.

Is this allowed by Instagram?

Yes. It uses Meta's official private-reply capability, which lets a professional account send one DM to a person who has just commented on its post. Scorper does not use unofficial automation.

Do I need a Business or Creator account?

Yes. Both publishing and messaging through Meta's API require an Instagram professional account.

Can it catch comments made before the automation was armed?

If you arm an automation on a post that already has comments, early commenters are caught too.

Can I run it on my next post before it exists?

Yes. "Add a DM automation to my next post" arms the rule now; it fires the moment the next post goes live.

Does it work from the dashboard too?

Yes. The dashboard's Auto-DM page shows the same automations as your AI. It is one system with two views.

Comment-to-DM automations are included on Pro ($15 a month, Instagram, dashboard only), Max ($25, with the AI-agent connection) and Studio ($55, three brands). 7-day free trial on every plan.

Instagram Comment-to-DM Automation From Your AI, No Contact Caps

One sentence, from your AI

add a DM automation to my next post, keyword GUIDE, send my webinar link

What your AI says back

⏺ Armed. The moment your next post goes live, commenters who say GUIDE get the link.
   Early comments are caught too.

That is the whole setup. The automation is attached to the post, watches its comments through Meta's webhooks, and sends the DM through Meta's private-reply capability. You can manage it in the same chat:

list my DM automations

pause the GUIDE one

delete it

A real one, running on Scorper's own Instagram

This is the live automation list for @scorperai, read from the terminal on 5 November 2026 with “list my DM automations”. The keyword is “scorper”, the DM is a tap-button then the link.

scorper_list_dm_automations · @scorperai · 5 Nov 2026

Instagram @scorperai, DM automations:
- Next post: nothing armed
- ACTIVE on 2026-10-28 · "I cancelled ManyChat. Now when someone comments on my post, " · instagram.com/reel/DfB4Uc5OD1G/
    keyword "scorper" -> DM "Hey! Here's Scorper, so you can post straight from Claude Code 👇" + https://scorper.ai, button "Send it 👇" then the link · 20 DMs sent
- ACTIVE on 2026-10-26 · "You edit your videos in Claude Code now. So why are you stil" · instagram.com/reel/De8wh3yCYrT/
    keyword "scorper" -> DM "Hey! Here's Scorper, so you can post straight from Claude Code 👇" + https://scorper.ai, button "Send it 👇" then the link · 3 DMs sent

Twenty people commented “scorper” on one reel and each got the link by DM, with no contact-based bill attached.

How to set it up

1
Connect your AI to Scorper
Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or a terminal
```
npx scorper@latest init
```
Or, in the Claude app, add the connector URL from the MCP page. Email code sign in, then pick a plan: 7 days free, card needed to start.
2
Connect Instagram, plus the messaging permission
connect my instagram
Approve in your browser. Then grant the one extra permission Instagram needs for DMs:
Once per account
```
scorper connect --dm
```
3
Arm a post
add a DM automation to my latest post, keyword PDF, send https://yourbrand.com/pdf
Or post and arm in one go: “post this and DM my PDF to everyone who comments GUIDE”.

What it can do

Capability	Detail
Trigger	A keyword in a comment on a specific post, your latest post, or your next post.
Action	A DM with your message and link, sent to the commenter.
Two-step flows	Button first, then the link, when you want the person to tap before receiving it.
Early comments	Comments made before you armed the rule are caught.
Management	List, pause, resume and delete from your AI or the dashboard's Auto-DM page.
Posting + automation	One prompt can publish the post and arm the automation together.
Platforms	Instagram. Meta is the only platform family that offers private replies to comments through an official API.

Why developers choose this over a chatbot builder

No per-contact pricing. A viral post that brings 5,000 commenters costs the same as one that brings five.
It lives where you already work. The same AI that writes and posts the content arms the automation. No second tool, no flow builder.
It is scriptable. Because Scorper is a CLI and skill set, a cron job can post and arm a keyword automation on a schedule.
Official APIs only. Meta's private-reply capability and webhooks, nothing that risks the account.

What it does not do

Scorper is not a full chatbot builder. It does not run multi-branch conversations, collect emails inside DMs, or handle Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. If you need those, a dedicated chatbot platform is the right tool. If you need the comment-to-DM job done well, from your AI, with posting in the same place, this is it.

Meta's rules, which Scorper works within

Private replies go to people who commented on your post. Instagram does not allow unsolicited DMs to people who did not interact.
The account must be a professional (Business or Creator) account with messaging enabled.
Standard messaging windows apply once a conversation starts; follow-ups beyond them need the person to message again.

Give your automation a specific keyword (GUIDE, PDF, LINK) rather than a common word, so the DM only goes to people who meant to ask.

Frequently asked questions

What is comment-to-DM automation?: A rule on an Instagram post: when someone comments a keyword (say GUIDE), they automatically receive a direct message with your link. It is how creators hand out lead magnets, webinar links and discount codes without replying by hand.
How is this different from ManyChat?: ManyChat prices by the number of contacts in your list and is set up in a visual flow builder. Scorper's automations are included in every plan with no per-contact pricing, and you set them up in one sentence from your AI or in the dashboard. Scorper is not a full chatbot builder; it does the comment-to-DM job and posting.
Is this allowed by Instagram?: Yes. It uses Meta's official private-reply capability, which lets a professional account send one DM to a person who has just commented on its post. Scorper does not use unofficial automation.
Do I need a Business or Creator account?: Yes. Both publishing and messaging through Meta's API require an Instagram professional account.
Can it catch comments made before the automation was armed?: If you arm an automation on a post that already has comments, early commenters are caught too.
Can I run it on my next post before it exists?: Yes. "Add a DM automation to my next post" arms the rule now; it fires the moment the next post goes live.
Does it work from the dashboard too?: Yes. The dashboard's Auto-DM page shows the same automations as your AI. It is one system with two views.
What does it cost?: Comment-to-DM automations are included on Pro ($15 a month, Instagram, dashboard only), Max ($25, with the AI-agent connection) and Studio ($55, three brands). 7-day free trial on every plan.

Turn your next post's comments into leads

Connect Instagram, arm a keyword, done.

npx scorper@latest initStart free for 7 days

7 days free on every plan. The AI-agent connection is on Max ($25/month) and Studio.

Instagram comment-to-DM automation, set up from your AI