People leave ManyChat for two usual reasons: the bill grew with their active contacts, or they only ever used comment-to-DM and the rest felt like extra weight. Whatever the reason, the switch is easy if you do it in the right order. Done badly, you lose your contact list or leave customers with no reply for a day.
The safe order
- List what you have running
- Export your data
- Build the new automations, but leave them off
- Switch post by post
- Cancel or downgrade ManyChat
- Remove ManyChat's access to Instagram
Step 1: List what you have running
Open ManyChat's Automations and write down, for each live one: the post or reel, the keywords, the public replies, the DM text and the link. For most Instagram sellers this is a short list: a few reels with PRICE or LINK keywords and maybe an any-post automation.
Note anything that is not comment-to-DM too, such as story reply flows or DM keyword replies. Check your new tool supports them before you switch.
Step 2: Export your data
ManyChat does not have one button that exports everything to a CSV. According to SchedulingKit's ManyChat cancellation guide (October 2026):
- Contacts: send them to Google Sheets with an action, or to your own server, in batches.
- Form responses (data collection): export from the response table as a CSV.
- Automations: save as a ManyChat template. This only works for importing into another ManyChat account, not into other tools.
Do this before you cancel. A smaller plan may limit what you can still reach.
Step 3: Build the new automations (switched off)
Recreate each comment-to-DM automation in the new tool, but leave it off. In DM Flow this is one form per automation: post, keywords (up to 20), public replies, DM text and link, optional follow-gate. There is no import, but each one takes a few minutes. Walkthrough: set up your first comment-to-DM automation.
Step 4: Switch post by post
For each post: turn off the ManyChat automation, then turn on the new one, then test from a second account. Never leave both on for the same post, or people get two DMs. Never leave both off for long on a post that is getting comments.
Start with your busiest reel, so you know quickly if anything is wrong.
Step 5: Cancel or downgrade ManyChat
For a plan bought on ManyChat's website, the steps reported by SchedulingKit:
- Sign in to the right workspace. You need Owner or Admin access to see billing.
- Go to Settings, Billing.
- Click Cancel Subscription, pick a reason and confirm.
- Check the status shows the cancellation is pending, and note the date your paid period ends.
Things to know:
- Cancelling moves you to the free plan at the end of the paid period. It does not delete your account.
- Cancel before your next billing date. An invoice already raised for the next cycle may still be charged, and active contact overages already used can still be billed.
- If you paid through the Apple App Store or Google Play, cancel there instead.
- Refunds are at ManyChat's discretion; the reported rule is within 30 days of your first purchase, or if a technical problem on their side stopped you using it.
Always confirm the current steps in ManyChat's own help centre, since menus change.
Step 6: Remove ManyChat's access to Instagram
When everything works in the new tool, remove ManyChat from your Instagram account's connected apps (Instagram settings, Apps and websites). Leaving an unused tool connected can interfere with the one you use. See cause 10 in ManyChat not working on Instagram.
What changes after you switch to DM Flow
- Pricing: flat monthly plans in rupees, contacts included. Growth is ₹999 a month for 15,000 DMs, plus GST. Pay by UPI, card or net banking, with a GST invoice. See pricing.
- Setup: one form per automation instead of a flow builder.
- Support: email and WhatsApp in Indian hours, in English, Hindi or Gujarati.
- What you give up: multi-branch flows, other channels, AI replies and integrations. If you rely on those, staying on ManyChat may be the right call. Honest comparison: DM Flow vs ManyChat.
Frequently asked questions
Will cancelling ManyChat delete my automations?
Cancelling moves you to the free plan; your account stays. The free plan only allows a few live automations and 25 active contacts a month, so most automations will stop working for new people.
Can I import my ManyChat automations into DM Flow?
No tool can import ManyChat flows. Comment-to-DM automations take a few minutes each to recreate.
Will my followers notice the switch?
Not if you switch post by post and test each one. They see the same comment reply and DM, sent by a different tool.
Do I lose my ManyChat contacts?
Not if you export them first. Do it before you cancel.
Can I go back to ManyChat later?
Yes. Your ManyChat account stays on the free plan, and you can upgrade again.