Rate Limits: 200 DMs Per Hour
Instagram allows 200 DMs per hour per Instagram account. This applies across all tools using the API, not just CreatorFlow.
If you hit the limit:
DMs pause automatically. After 1 hour, sending resumes. Queued DMs are delivered after the pause. No permanent penalty.
95%+ of creators never reach this limit. You'd need 200 people commenting your keyword within the same 60-minute window.
Plan DM Limits
Your CreatorFlow plan also has monthly limits:
500 DMs per month.
5,000 DMs per workspace per month.
10,000 DMs per workspace per month.
When you reach your plan limit, automations pause until next month or until you upgrade. Check usage in Settings > Billing.
Messaging Windows
Each trigger type has a time window during which Instagram allows the DM to be sent:
7 days from the comment.
24 hours from the interaction.
24 hours from the user's last message.
If a window expires before the DM is sent (e.g., your token was expired during that time), the DM will not be delivered.
One Reply Per Comment
Instagram allows one private reply per comment. If someone comments your keyword and receives a DM, commenting again on the same post will not trigger a second DM.
Each person gets one DM per automation per post.
Spam Prevention
Sending identical messages to many users quickly can trigger Instagram's spam detection. Here's how to reduce spam risk:
Add message variations to your public reply. CreatorFlow rotates them automatically.
Keep messages personal with context before the link. Avoid link-only messages.
Avoid sending the same text to hundreds of people in a short window.
CreatorFlow uses Meta's official API. This carries low risk compared to unofficial browser tools or bots. Using the official API does not put your account at risk of bans from rate limiting.
Still need help? Contact us at hello@creatorflow.so or use the chat widget inside the app (bottom-right corner).