InstaOutreach vs Wave.
Both send cold Instagram DMs. Wave runs your account from its cloud through its city-level proxies, even with your computer off, for $99 a month per account. InstaOutreach runs in your own browser on your own IP with no proxies, from $29 a month, only while the browser is open.
Facts checked from each vendor's own pages. Sources are listed at the bottom.
InstaOutreach vs Wave at a glance
| InstaOutreach | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is for | Cold DMs and follow-ups to people who never contacted you | Cold DMs and follow-ups to people who never contacted you[1] |
| How it runs | Chrome extension or Mac app, in your own browser session | 100% cloud, nothing to install[1] |
| IP address and proxies | None. It runs on your own internet connection | City-level proxies included[1] |
| Runs with your computer off | No. It runs only while the browser or Mac app is open | Yes[1] |
| Instagram login | Not needed. The extension never sees it; the Mac app does not store it | "Connect your Instagram account"; the login method is not described on its public pages[1] |
| Price | $29/month first account, $14.50/month each extra | $99/month per Instagram account, or $79/month billed yearly ($948)[1] |
| Free trial | 14 days, one account | 7 days, full access[1] |
| Warm-up and pace | Optional; 7 or 14 days recommended | 24-hour warm-up, then sending starts at 10 DMs a day and adds 5 every two days[1][2] |
| Lead sources | Hashtags, competitor followers, post likers, post commenters, CSV or pasted handles | Competitor followers, likers and commenters, lookalikes, hashtags, mentions, CSV[1] |
| Developer access | MCP server and HTTP API | API and MCP server[1] |
Who should pick which
Pick Wave if
- Outreach has to keep running at night with every computer off.
- You want proxies handled for you and do not mind your account running from a cloud server.
- You want lookalike audiences as a lead source.
Pick InstaOutreach if
- You want the account to stay in your own browser, on your own IP, the way you use it every day.
- Price matters: $29 a month for the first account and $14.50 for each extra, against $99 per account.
- You want a longer trial: 14 days instead of 7.
Running both on one account is not a good idea: two tools sending from one account doubles the daily volume Instagram sees. Pick one per account.
The real limits on both sides
Wave
- Your account runs from Wave's cloud and its proxies, not from the network you normally use.
- No public, fixed daily cap: limits are user-set, with a ramp from 10 DMs a day.
- One plan at $99 a month per account; 5 or more accounts means contacting sales for a discount.
- Wave says itself that no tool can promise zero risk on Instagram.
InstaOutreach
- Automating Instagram outside the official API can conflict with Instagram's Terms of Use. Your own browser, your own IP and human pace lower the risk of restrictions; nothing removes it.
- It only works while your browser or the Mac app is open. Close it and the account pauses.
- Instagram only. No WhatsApp, Messenger or TikTok.
- No comment-to-DM auto-replies on your own posts. That is an inbound job for official-API tools.
- Each browser profile drives one Instagram account at a time; several accounts need several Chrome profiles or the Mac app.
- It cannot pull the list of accounts someone follows as a lead source.
How to switch from Wave to InstaOutreach
- Pause the Wave campaign for the account before you start, so only one tool sends from it.
- Export your lead lists from Wave if your plan allows it, or rebuild them from the same sources.
- Start the InstaOutreach trial and install the Chrome extension or the Mac app in the browser where that Instagram account is logged in.
- Import the leads (CSV or pasted handles) and recreate the opener and follow-ups.
- Start at the default 40 DMs a day or lower; an account that was already sending needs no new warm-up.
- Cancel Wave once the first week runs clean.
Setup details: the Chrome extension, the Mac app, pricing.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Wave and InstaOutreach?
Both are cold Instagram DM tools. Wave runs your account from its cloud with its own city-level proxies, so it works with your computer off. InstaOutreach runs inside your own browser or the Mac app, on your own internet connection, so it needs no proxies but only works while that browser is open.
How much does Wave cost compared to InstaOutreach?
Wave is $99 a month per Instagram account, or $79 a month billed yearly. InstaOutreach is $29 a month for the first account and $14.50 for each extra; ten accounts cost less on InstaOutreach than two on Wave's monthly plan.
Does Wave need proxies?
Wave includes city-level proxies in its plan, because your account runs from its cloud. InstaOutreach needs none: it uses your own connection.
Can I move my campaigns from Wave to InstaOutreach?
Yes. Pause Wave on the account, bring your leads over as a CSV or pasted handles, recreate the messages, and start. Never let both tools send from the same account at once.
Sources
- Wave home page, pricing and FAQ: https://usewave.co, read October 17, 2026.
- Wave blog: why cold DMs go to hidden requests: https://usewave.co/blog/instagram-dms-hidden-requests/, read October 17, 2026.
- Instagram Terms of Use: https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870, read October 17, 2026.
Prices are in the vendor's currency, before tax, as shown on its public pages on the date above. Vendors change prices; check their page before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.