Heyo

Heyo is a social automation product for creators who want Instagram and TikTok comments to start direct-message conversations. It is a focused option for that workflow, while its legacy plans address a different job: building and managing contest campaigns.

Overview

The newer Heyo connects comments on Instagram and TikTok with direct messages. That is a clear fit when a creator wants to carry public engagement into a private conversation; it is less suited to buyers looking for a general-purpose social messaging suite.

Heyo also describes giveaways, instant wins, coupons, and rewards as ways to encourage participation. These mechanics complement the comment-to-message focus, but the product’s current free beta is marked “Coming soon,” and its final plan features, limits, and pricing are not settled.

Key features

Automation builder and templates

Heyo says its AI builder can turn a written automation idea into a flow users can shape and launch. This offers a starting point for creators with a specific interaction in mind, though the flow still needs their review and adjustment. Ready-to-customize templates cover sending a link, running a giveaway, and sharing a reward, making the product’s intended use cases concrete.

Contest campaigns

The legacy product supports sweepstakes, photo and video contests, Instagram and Twitter sweeps, quizzes, hashtag and viral campaigns, refer-a-friend promotions, and other multi-format contests. Entry methods include email opt-ins, social actions, media submissions, quizzes, and referral clicks. Voting, moderation, winner selection, and analytics help cover campaign administration as well as promotion design.

Legacy plans also include drag-and-drop design, turnkey contest apps, mobile support, and integrations with Mailchimp, GetResponse, Infusionsoft, and Mad Mimi. This is a broader campaign toolkit than the newer comment-triggered messaging offer, but the two should not be treated as the same product.

Pricing

The newer free beta is priced at $0 and is described as focused on Instagram and TikTok with templates. It is marked “Coming soon”; its final features, limits, and pricing will be confirmed at launch, so it is not yet a dependable basis for choosing Heyo. The paid pricing note starts at $25/mo (annual), with a 7-day trial.

The legacy annual plans publish campaign and audience allowances. Basic costs $25 a month, billed annually, and permits 3 campaigns, unlimited leads per month, 20,000 page views, up to 50,000 Facebook fans, and 3 Facebook brand pages. It suits a small contest program, but the campaign, traffic, audience, and page caps may constrain growth.

Standard costs $84 a month, billed annually, and raises the limits to 15 campaigns, 100,000 page views, up to 250,000 Facebook fans, and 15 Facebook brand pages, while keeping unlimited monthly leads. It is a better fit for organizations running several simultaneous or recurring promotions. Premium costs $199 a month, billed annually, and allows unlimited campaigns and Facebook fans, 500,000 page views, unlimited monthly leads, and 50 Facebook brand pages. That is the broadest published allowance, though page views remain capped.

The legacy plans include a 7-day trial without requiring a credit card, and support can be reached by email. The free beta and the paid contest plans describe distinct offerings; buyers should confirm which product a plan applies to before committing.

Platforms

Heyo is offered on Android, iOS, and the web. The legacy contest plans also describe mobile support, alongside Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram campaign types.

Who it's for

Choose the new Heyo if you create on Instagram or TikTok and want comments to trigger direct messages, with an AI-assisted flow and templates for links, giveaways, and rewards. Choose the legacy product if your priority is contest campaigns with defined campaign, page-view, Facebook audience, and brand-page allowances. Readers who need a settled free-beta offer should wait for its launch terms rather than assume the coming-soon plan will meet their needs.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Comment-triggered messaging is a targeted workflow for Instagram and TikTok creators.
• Pros: The AI builder and templates give creators a way to start shaping common engagement flows.
• Pros: Legacy plans cover multiple contest formats, entry methods, moderation, voting, winner selection, and reporting.
• Cons: The new free beta is not yet available, and its final terms remain unconfirmed.
• Cons: Legacy Basic and Standard impose campaign, page-view, Facebook audience, and brand-page caps; even Premium has a 500,000-page-view and 50-page limit.
• Cons: The new messaging product and legacy contest plans serve different needs, making plan selection important.

Alternatives

For contest software comparisons, see Social Media Contest Software.

SweepWidget is worth considering if a free plan with unlimited campaigns matters more than unlimited entries, which its free plan does not provide. Socialman is another free-plan option, with winner selection, data access, and CSV exports among its stated features. Comment Picker suits readers seeking a collection of giveaway tools, including free tools with limits that vary by tool.

Contestit offers a free plan capped at one giveaway and 500 participants per month, so it may suit a small, occasional promotion. Gleam Competitions may appeal to buyers who value unlimited free campaigns and entries, with limits of 10 winners per campaign, one repeat action, and one team member. KickoffLabs has a free mini-campaign capped at 100 uniques per month, a useful distinction for very small campaigns.

KingSumo is an alternative for readers interested in unlimited giveaways on a free plan. Lukky is a mobile-focused option with a free plan for one social account and one user, unlimited entries, and one winner per draw.

Verdict

Heyo is best for Instagram and TikTok creators who want comment-triggered direct messages and a guided way to build engagement flows. Its focused automation and templates are the main reasons to consider it; look elsewhere if you need a ready-to-use free plan or a single product whose pricing and capabilities clearly cover both creator messaging and contest campaigns.