Official Meta API vs cold outreach — there's a difference.
Wave sends cold DMs to strangers for $69/month using device emulation. CreatorFlow automates responses to your engaged followers for $15/month using Meta's official API. Both are very different tools.
Updated January 2026 with current pricing and features from both platforms.
| Factor | CreatorFlow | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $15/month (5 accounts) | $69/month per account |
| Free Plan | 500 DMs/month (permanent) | 7-day trial only |
| Use Case | Respond to engaged followers | Cold outreach to strangers |
| API Method | Official Meta Graph API | Device emulation + proxies |
| Meta Approved | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Comment-to-DM | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Story Reply Automation | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Cold DM Outreach | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| DM Limit | Based on Meta API limits | ~50/day recommended |
| Account Warm-up Required | No — instant connection | Yes (2+ days) |
| Pre-built Templates | ✅ 9+ templates for creators | ❌ Custom sequences only |
Wave uses device emulation and mobile proxies — not Meta's official API
Wave recommends staying under 50 DMs/day per account for safety
Wave requires account warm-up before sending messages
✅ CreatorFlow uses Meta's official Instagram Graph API
✅ CreatorFlow is a Meta-approved Tech Provider
✅ CreatorFlow requires no warm-up — connect and automate instantly
| Feature | CreatorFlow | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Comment-to-DM | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Story Reply DM | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| DM Keyword Triggers | ✅ Yes | Manual sequences |
| Cold Outreach | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Follow-up Sequences | ❌ Single message | ✅ Up to 3 follow-ups |
| Prospect Scraping | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Official Meta API | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Meta Approved Provider | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Email Collection (Lead Gate) | ✅ GDPR-compliant | ❌ No |
| Pre-built Templates | ✅ 9+ templates | ❌ No |
| Account Warm-up Required | ❌ None | ✅ 2+ days |
| Free Plan | ✅ 500 DMs/month | ❌ 7-day trial only |
See CreatorFlow's full pricing details for all plans and features.
| Scenario | Wave | CreatorFlow | Savings/Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Instagram account | $69/month | $15/month | Save $54/month with CreatorFlow |
| 3 Instagram accounts | $207/month | $15/month | Save $192/month with CreatorFlow |
| 5 Instagram accounts | $345/month | $15/month | Save $330/month with CreatorFlow |
| Annual cost (1 account) | $588/year | $143.88/year | Save $444/year with CreatorFlow |
Yes, significantly. Wave costs $69/month per Instagram account ($49/month if paid yearly). CreatorFlow costs $15/month and includes up to 5 Instagram accounts. For a single account, CreatorFlow is nearly 5x cheaper. For 5 accounts, CreatorFlow is over 20x cheaper.
Wave offers a 7-day free trial. CreatorFlow offers a permanent free plan with 500 DMs per month — no time limit, no credit card required.
They solve different problems. Wave is a cold outreach tool — it helps you send unsolicited DMs to strangers by scraping followers from other accounts. CreatorFlow is a response automation tool — it helps you reply to people who already engage with YOUR content (comments, story replies, DM keywords). Different use cases entirely.
CreatorFlow uses Meta's official Instagram Graph API and is a Meta-approved provider. Wave uses device emulation and mobile proxies, which is why they recommend staying under 50 DMs/day and require account warm-up. Official API is inherently safer.
No. Wave focuses on cold outreach to prospects — messaging people who don't follow you. CreatorFlow specializes in comment-to-DM automation — automatically replying when your followers comment keywords on your posts.
No. Wave uses cloud-based device emulation with mobile proxies. This means they simulate a phone to send messages on your behalf. CreatorFlow uses Meta's official Instagram Graph API as a Meta-approved provider.
CreatorFlow is built specifically for content creators who want to automate responses to engaged followers — sending affiliate links, lead magnets, and booking links. Wave is built for sales prospecting and cold outreach, which most creators don't need.
Wave recommends staying under 50 DMs per day per account to avoid Instagram restrictions. CreatorFlow's limits follow Meta's official API guidelines, which vary based on your account health and history.
Yes. Wave requires letting their device emulation run for "a couple of days" to warm up your account before sending messages. CreatorFlow connects instantly via Meta's API — no warm-up period needed.
Yes, if your use case matches. If you're currently using Wave for cold outreach, CreatorFlow won't replace that. But if you want to automate responses to your own followers (comment-to-DM, story replies), you can switch to CreatorFlow in minutes.
Join creators who use Meta's official API for DM automation.
Get Started FreeNo credit card required • 500 free DMs/month