falatu follows Instagram's rules for you. Some come from Instagram itself, others we added after seeing what goes wrong. They apply to everyone, on every plan, and can't be turned off: you'll find the list in Settings → Automation defaults → Always on.
The 24-hour window
Once someone sends you a message (or taps a button), you have 24 hours to message them. After that, Instagram won't allow it until they write again.
Comments have a rule of their own: you can send one private reply (the first DM) up to 7 days after the comment. Past that, falatu replies publicly with the link right there.
One DM per person per post
Instagram allows one private reply per comment. And falatu sends one delivery per person in each automation: if someone comments ten times, they get one DM and an "already sent" public reply. Sending the same thing again looks like spam, to the person and to Instagram.
There's also one message per person per minute, across all automations. Someone who comments on two of your posts doesn't get everything twice.
Hourly limits
Instagram limits how many messages an account can send per hour. falatu stays below that limit (600 sends per hour per account, max). If a post goes viral, anything above that waits a little and goes out right after.
If Instagram asks us to slow down, falatu stops for 15 minutes and keeps doubling the wait (up to 4 hours) for as long as it complains. No message is ever sent twice: each send is recorded before the next one, and a send we're unsure about goes to review instead of being repeated.
Why we don't use CAPS
falatu's replies are short and lowercase, like a friend texting. Text in ALL CAPS reads as shouting and looks like spam, both to the person reading and to Instagram's filters.
Capitals only show up where they help: in your caption, to make the word stand out (Comment GUIDE), which is how falatu finds the keyword; and when a reply shows the right word ("the word was GUIDE"). People commenting can write however they like.
What Instagram won't let anyone do
No official app can do these, falatu included:
- Edit the caption of a published post. If you change the word in the caption, change it in the automation too.
- Comment or reply from another account. Replies always come from the connected account.
- Send the first DM to someone who hasn't talked to you. The conversation starts with their comment or message.
- See the photo and followers of people who only commented. Only of people who came into your DMs.
- Send a DM outside the 24h window (with the exceptions above).
And there are things falatu chooses not to do: answer questions, complaints or long messages on its own (they go to Needs you), send more than one follow reminder, or send a link only inside a button.