Metricool Flows is the DM automation tool built into Metricool. It answers Instagram comments, DMs and story replies for you on a simple rule: something happens on your post, and Flows sends a reply. Someone comments a keyword, and they receive a private message with the thing they asked for. NHN Consulting now runs its Instagram comment to DM automation on Metricool Flows, inside the same tool we already use to plan, schedule and report on social media.
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Every feature detail below comes from Metricool’s own help centre, checked on 13 October 2026. Platform rules change, so check the linked pages before you build.
What is Metricool Flows?
Metricool Flows is a set of trigger-based automations that reply to interactions on your social media posts. You find it under Planning, then Flows, inside Metricool. Each Flow belongs to one network and one post, and a post can only have one active automation at a time. You can clone a Flow and point it at a new post to reuse the setup.
Flows currently covers three networks (What are Flows):
- Instagram: turn comments into DMs, reply to DMs with keywords, and turn story replies into DMs.
- TikTok: reply to comments instantly and moderate video comments.
- X: Auto DM, Auto Repost with Unpost, and Comment to DM, with the X/Twitter add-on.
Why did NHN choose Metricool Flows for DM automation?
We chose it because it removes a tool, not because it adds one. Our view, based on how we work:
- Content and conversation sit in one place. A Flow can attach to a post that is still in the Metricool planner. The automation is built at the same moment as the post, so a “comment GUIDE” call to action never goes live without the reply behind it.
- One login, one report. Scheduling, analytics and DM automation live in the same account we already use for Metricool scheduling and reporting. Fewer disconnected tools means fewer places for a lead to fall through.
- The two-step DM asks before it sells. Flows sends a short first message without a link and waits for the person to react. The link arrives only after they say yes. That suits the way we want our clients to be seen in the inbox: welcome, not pushy.
- The scope is honest. Flows handles Instagram, TikTok and X. It does not run Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. For a “comment the word, get the link” journey on Instagram, that scope is enough.
How does Instagram comment to DM automation work in Metricool Flows?
The “Turn comments into DMs” template runs in five steps (Flows on Instagram):
- Choose the post. Any post, an already published post, or a post sitting in your planner.
- Set the trigger. Any comment, or only comments that contain your keywords. Keywords are not case-sensitive and are separated by commas.
- Add a public reply (optional). Up to three variations of 300 characters each. Flows picks one at random, so your replies do not all read the same.
- Write the first DM. Text only, no links, up to 1,000 characters, with one reaction button that asks the person to react.
- Write the follow-up DM. This sends when the person replies or taps the reaction. It can carry a button and your link, up to 1,000 characters.
Only feed posts and Reels trigger the Flow. Comments on stories and on boosted posts never do.
Why does the first DM have no link?
Metricool’s help centre explains that asking the person to react or respond works as a double opt-in. Their response opens Meta’s 24-hour window for sending further content and links. Since 9 September 2026, a reaction to the DM counts as a valid response. Flows that were switched on before that date need to be reactivated or recreated to use it.
From a buyer psychology view, the reaction is a small, low-effort yes before the offer. The person chooses to receive the link, which keeps the message wanted rather than intrusive.
What else can Metricool Flows automate on Instagram?
Two more Instagram templates sit alongside comment to DM:
- Reply to DMs with keywords. When a DM arrives, Flows sends an automatic reply. You can trigger it on any DM or only on DMs that contain a keyword, and the reply can include a link.
- Turn story replies into DMs. Flows replies when someone answers a story, on any story or only on a scheduled story. Text and emoji replies trigger it. Close Friends replies and story likes do not.
What do you need before you set up Metricool Flows?
Check these five things first (What are Flows, Flows limits):
- A professional Instagram account connected to Metricool.
- A Facebook Page linked to that Instagram account. Comment to DM will not run without it.
- A paid Metricool plan. Flows is not available on the Free plan.
- The Edit Flows permission if you work inside a team account.
- A desktop browser. Flows cannot be used in the Metricool mobile app.
What are the limits of Metricool Flows?
| Limit | What it means |
|---|---|
| Comment to DM window | The DM has to go out within 7 days of the comment, or it is not sent |
| Follow-up DM window | Follow-ups send within 24 hours of the person interacting |
| Delay per step | Up to 24 hours |
| DMs per person | One DM per comment, per user, per post |
| Automations per post | One active automation per post |
| Comment reply length | 300 characters |
| DM length | 1,000 characters |
| Lost connection | The Flow moves to Draft and stops until you reconnect the account |
Source: Flows limits, restrictions and permissions, checked 13 October 2026.
Does Metricool Flows work on TikTok, X, Messenger or WhatsApp?
TikTok: yes, for comments. With a TikTok Business account you can hide comments that contain banned words and post an instant public reply when a comment contains a keyword. Both comment Flows are available globally. Automatic DM replies are listed as coming soon, for the United States only, not the UK or EU (Flows on TikTok).
X: yes, with the X/Twitter add-on on a Starter or higher paid plan. Each add-on covers one X account per brand.
Messenger and WhatsApp: no. Neither appears in Metricool’s list of supported Flows networks. If WhatsApp broadcasts or Messenger bots sit at the centre of your sales process, Flows is not the tool for that job.
How much does Metricool Flows cost?
Metricool’s help centre states that Flows is free on all paid plans for a limited time (checked 13 October 2026). It is not included on the Free plan. Paid plan price: [CONFIRM PRICE]. “Limited time” means this can change, so check Metricool’s own pricing before you build a funnel that depends on it.
Where DM automation fits in your digital footprint
DM automation is an Expand tool in our Digital Footprint Framework: Audit, Correct, Expand, Grow. It sends more people, faster, to whatever sits behind your link. If that landing page, offer or checkout is leaking, automation sends more people into the leak.
So fix the destination first. Then build the Flow. If you are not sure which comes first for your business, our free Diagnosis shows you where the leak is. If you want the Instagram side handled for you, see our social media service.
Frequently asked questions
Is Metricool Flows free?
Metricool’s help centre says Flows is free on all paid Metricool plans for a limited time, checked 13 October 2026. It is not available on the Free plan. Confirm current pricing with Metricool before you plan around it, because the free period can end.
Can I send a link in the first Instagram DM with Metricool Flows?
No. In a comment to DM Flow, the first DM is text only and carries a reaction button. The link goes in the follow-up DM, which sends after the person replies or reacts. This opens Meta’s 24-hour window for sending links.
Do I need a Facebook Page to use Metricool Flows on Instagram?
Yes, for comment to DM. You need a professional Instagram account connected to Metricool and a Facebook Page linked to that Instagram account. Without the linked Page, the comment to DM template will not run.
Can Metricool Flows reply to Instagram story replies?
Yes. The “Turn story replies into DMs” template replies when someone answers any story, or only a scheduled story. Text and emoji replies trigger it. Close Friends replies and story likes do not.
Can Metricool Flows send TikTok DMs in the UK?
Not yet. TikTok comment Flows, which hide comments and post instant replies, work globally. Automatic TikTok DM replies are listed as coming soon and only for the United States, not the UK or EU.
Set up your first Flow
Start with one post and one keyword. Pick the post that already gets the most comments, write a first DM that asks for a reaction, and put the link in the follow-up. Set up Metricool Flows on a paid Metricool plan, then watch how many people react before you build the next one.
Fix the ecosystem first. Scale second.
Written by
Liyana
Founder of NHN Consulting and a digital footprint specialist for women in business. She helps founders fix what is leaking before they scale - ecosystem first, growth second.
