Build the conversation, not just the reply
A drag-and-drop canvas for DM automations that branch, wait, tag and follow up. Start from a template or a blank page — no code either way.
Nine blocks. Endless conversations.
Every flow is made of the same few pieces. Here’s exactly what each one can do.
Trigger
Where it starts: a comment keyword, a story reply, a DM keyword, any unmatched DM — or someone arriving from your ref link, QR code or link-in-bio page.
Message
Up to 640 characters with up to 3 buttons — links (tracked) or buttons that continue the flow — or up to 11 quick replies.
Condition
Split the path on whether they follow you, have a tag, are subscribed, or wrote a certain word. Match all rules or any.
Delay
Wait a set time — a second to 30 days — or until a time of day in your time zone, only on the days you choose.
Action
Tag, set contact or bot fields, subscribe, start or stop a sequence — or hand the conversation to a teammate.
Randomizer
Split people across 2 to 5 paths by weight — test two openers or two offers against each other.
Start automation
Hand the conversation to another automation, so shared steps live in one place.
Record a conversion
Count a purchase, booking or sign-up the moment someone reaches this step — with the event’s value or one you set.
Note
Sticky notes on the canvas for your future self or your team. They never send anything.
Several ways in, one flow
Give one automation as many triggers as you need — a comment keyword, a DM keyword, a story reply — and switch each one on or off without touching the flow. Every trigger that’s on can start it.
- Comments: on all posts and reels, specific ones, or your next post
- DM keywords that contain the word, or match it exactly
- Growth tools: someone arriving from a ref link, a QR code or your link-in-bio page — one tool or any
- Rotate public replies so comment threads never look copy-pasted
Every switched-on trigger can start this flow.
- CommentAll posts & reels · “price”, “info”
- DM keywordMessage is exactly “PRICE”
- Story replyAny reply
- Arrived from a growth toolQR code · “shop-window”
Write once. Sound personal every time.
Drop the person’s first name, @username, your account name or any custom field into a message or button label from the Personalize menu. The editor shows what it’ll look like, and a fallback covers anyone whose details you don’t have.
- First name, full name, @username and your account name
- Any contact field — or an account-wide bot field
- Fallbacks like {{first_name|there}} so nobody gets a blank
No name on file? {{first_name|there}} falls back to “there”.
Let people choose their own path
Give people options and send each answer down its own branch. “Shop the drop” goes one way, “Free guide” another — and each branch can tag them so you know who wanted what.
Treat followers and first-timers differently
Check whether someone follows you before handing over the freebie, answer pricing questions one way and shipping questions another, and route everything else to a person.
Send at the right time, not at 3am
A delay can wait a set time, or until a time of day in your account’s time zone — only on the weekdays you pick. Someone who messages you at 11pm gets your follow-up at 9 the next morning, not in the middle of the night. Delays run on our side, even when nobody is logged in.
- Wait for minutes, hours or days — up to 30
- Or wait until 9:00 (or any time) on the days you choose
- Correct through daylight-saving changes, in both directions
- Waits can outlast Instagram’s 24-hour window: the message is held and goes out once they write again — nothing is sent outside the window, and nothing is thrown away
Europe/London
- Reaches the step Tue 07:40Sends Tue 09:00
- Reaches the step Wed 23:10Sends Thu 09:00
- Reaches the step Thu 18:30Sends Fri 09:00
Illustrative
Know when to bring in a person
When a flow reaches the point where a human should take over — a wholesale question, a “talk to someone” button — an action step assigns the conversation, opens it, pauses automations for that person and notifies the team. The inbox thread shows exactly what the flow did.
- Assign to
- Maya
- Mark conversation
- Open
- Automations for this person
- Pause
- Notify
- The assignee
Edit a live flow without breaking it
Changes are saved as a draft while your live flow keeps running. Publish when you’re ready — and if something goes wrong, open the version history and restore an earlier version.
- Live conversations run the published version, never your half-finished edits
- Every publish is kept in version history
- Restoring copies a version into your draft, so you can check it before it goes live
- v4Current live versionToday, 10:12Live
- v3New shipping answerYesterday, 18:40Restore
- v2Added follow checkMon, 09:05Restore
Restoring copies a version into your draft. Publish it to send it live.
See exactly where people drop off
Open key metrics for runs, sends, clicks, click-through rate and unique contacts, and see sends and clicks on every step right on the canvas. Find the message that loses people and fix it.
- Runs, sends, clicks, CTR and unique contacts per automation
- Sends, clicks and CTR on each step
- Instagram doesn’t report deliveries or reads, so we don’t pretend to
- Private replySent 1,284Clicks —no tracked links
- Send the linkSent 1,102Clicks 418CTR 38%
- Ask to followSent 182Clicks 61CTR 34%
A canvas that keeps out of your way
Auto-arrange
One click tidies a sprawling flow into a clean layout.
Zoom & fit
Zoom in on a branch or fit the whole flow on screen.
Live preview
See the conversation as the contact will, while you build.
Checks before going live
A list of anything that needs fixing — a missing path, a delay leading nowhere.
13 flows, ready to edit
Follow first, then freebie
Branch on whether they follow you before handing over the download.
Auto-send links in DM
Let people pick what they want and send the matching link.
Run a giveaway
Collect entries from comments and tag everyone who qualifies.
Grow your email list
Trade a free resource for an email, then follow up a day later.
Away message outside business hours
Let people know when you'll be back, only when you're actually away.
Ask for their email in the DM
Collect an email right in the conversation and save it to the contact.
Recognise questions in DM
Answer pricing and shipping questions, hand the rest to a human.
Turn story replies into VIPs
Tag everyone who replies to your story and send them the early link.
Get a callback number
Ask for a phone number in the DM and hand the lead to your team.
Show products in a carousel
Answer “shop” with swipeable product cards and a “help me choose” path.
In-store QR code offer
Greet everyone who scans your QR code with a discount and tag them.
Qualify leads from Instagram ads
Answer everyone who taps your click-to-DM ad and route buyers to a person.
Book a call, with a morning reminder
Send your booking link, then nudge anyone who hasn't booked at 10am.
Flow Builder questions
Do I need the Flow Builder?
Not to start. Basic automations set up a keyword reply, comment-to-DM, a welcome reply or a story reply in a one-minute form. Reach for the Flow Builder when you want branches, delays, hand-offs or tagging.
Can I turn a basic automation into a flow?
Yes, but it’s one-way. Opening a basic automation in the Flow Builder starts an empty canvas — its message isn’t copied across — and the first edit you save converts it to a flow for good. MuChat tells you before you click.
How do I know a flow will work before it’s live?
The live preview shows the conversation as you build, and MuChat lists anything that needs fixing before you go live — a condition missing its “no” path, a delay with nothing after it. Nothing sends until you publish.
Can I change a flow that’s already live?
Yes. Your edits are saved as a draft while the published version keeps running. Publish when you’re happy, and use version history to restore an earlier version if you need to.
Can one automation have more than one trigger?
Yes — add as many as you need (comments, DM keywords, story replies, default reply, growth tools) and switch each on or off on its own.
Can a flow wait until business hours?
Yes. Set a delay to wait until a time of day — say 9:00 — in your account’s time zone, and pick the weekdays it may end on. Change the time zone under Settings → General. If the wait runs past Instagram’s 24-hour window — over a weekend, say — the message is held and sent once they write again.
Can a flow hand a conversation to my team?
Yes. An action step can assign it to a teammate, mark it open or closed, pause automations for that person and notify the team in MuChat’s notification bell.
Can a delay be longer than 24 hours?
Yes, up to 30 days. Instagram only lets businesses message someone within 24 hours of their last message, so if the window has closed when the delay ends, MuChat holds the message instead of sending it into a closed window, checks every hour, and sends it once they write again. After a week without a reply it gives up and stops that run. Tags, assignments and field updates after a delay don’t need the window and run on time.
Is the Flow Builder on the Free plan?
Yes. The Free plan includes up to 4 live automations of any kind; every paid plan is unlimited.
Every block, on every plan
Free runs up to 4 live automations at once; every paid plan runs as many as you like. Plans differ in active contacts, channels and seats.
Free
$0/mo
Free forever
- 100 active contacts
- No overage charges
- 2 seats · 2 channels
- No card needed
Essential
$7/mo
billed yearly · $9 monthly
- 250 active contacts
- then $0.10 each
- 2 seats · 2 channels
- 14-day free trial
Pro
$19/mo
billed yearly · $25 monthly
- 2,500 active contacts
- then $0.05 each
- 3 seats · 3 channels
- 14-day free trial
Business
$45/mo
billed yearly · $65 monthly
- 7,500 active contacts
- then $0.025 each
- 5 seats · unlimited channels
- Billed from day one
Advanced
$89/mo
billed yearly · $129 monthly
- 25,000 active contacts
- then $0.004 each
- 10 seats · unlimited channels
- Billed from day one
Your first flow is one template away
Set up your first automation in the time it takes to write one reply by hand.