theZio vs Beacons: Instagram Auto DM Compared

Side by side

theZio vs Beacons, checked 10 Oct 2026
	Beacons	theZio
Main job	All-in-one creator platform: link in bio, store, media kit, email marketing and Instagram auto-DM	Link in bio store, paid products and courses, run from the same tool as Instagram comment-to-DM
Link-in-bio page	Yes, on every plan, including Free	Yes, at thezio.co/yourname: themes and custom design, up to 50 blocks, a store block, product pages with FAQ and testimonials, tracked links and visit, tap and email analytics
Paid plans	Reported at $10 (Creator), $30 (Creator Plus) and $90 (Creator Max) a month in US dollars, or $100, $300 and $900 a year	Comment automation on Pro at ₹499 a month; Link in bio, selling and courses on Max Pro, ₹899 a month, in rupees through Razorpay
Instagram auto-DM	Smart Reply, reported on Free and Creator plans: a keyword comment on a post sends a DM with a link	Comment-to-DM on one post or all posts; up to 1,000 auto DMs a month on Free, no monthly cap on Pro
Story replies and incoming DMs	Reported: Smart Reply has story and DM triggers	Story replies: keyword replies on every plan, any reply and Story mentions on Pro
What the DM can do	Reported: a message with a link (your Beacons page, any URL or none), and an optional nudge for fans who did not click	Message plus link or file, optional email capture, an optional follow invite, and a different delivery per keyword
Email capture in the DM	Not covered in the Smart Reply pages we checked	Every plan, including Free
Comments posted before setup	Not covered in the pages we checked	Last 24 hours on every plan; all old comments on Pro, with a public reply where a DM is no longer allowed
Public reply under the comment	Not covered in Beacons' pages we checked; a competitor reports it is missing	Optional public reply, paced per post and per account
Selling products	Yes: store for digital products, courses and more; reported 9% seller fee on Free and Creator, 0% on Creator Plus and Creator Max, plus payment processing	Yes, on Max Pro: 0% theZio fee until theZio gives notice (30 days' notice in the seller terms), and theZio pays Razorpay's charge meanwhile; after that, 5% all-in, with the gateway charge and GST on the fee inside it
How fans pay and payouts	Not compared in depth here	Fans pay through Razorpay's hosted checkout; theZio collects and pays you out. Every Monday by bank transfer, after a 7-day hold for refunds, once your balance is ₹500 or more (else it rolls over); one-time PAN and bank check
Courses	Sold from the Beacons store	Course builder with modules, video, audio, text, file and live lessons, attachments, a sales page at thezio.co/yourname/c/course and a students view. Video hosted on Bunny Stream with signed playback links; students log in with an email code on up to 2 devices at once. No DRM
Media kit	Yes, reported on every plan, including Free	No media kit
Email marketing	Yes; reported at 50 sends a month on Free, 500 on Creator, unlimited on Creator Plus	No email sending; export captured emails as CSV to your own email tool
Free file delivery	Through the store as a free product	Private download link in the DM (3 products on Free, unlimited on Pro)

When Beacons is the better pick

A free page and store. Beacons gives you a bio page, a store and a media kit on its Free plan. theZio's Link in bio page and selling need Max Pro at ₹899 a month.
0% seller fee on higher plans, as a standing rule. Beacons' fee is reported at 0% on Creator Plus and Creator Max. theZio's 0% fee lasts until theZio gives notice, then becomes 5% all-in.
Email marketing built in. Beacons can send emails to your list, reported at 50 sends a month on Free and unlimited on Creator Plus. theZio captures emails in the DM, but you send newsletters from your own email tool.
A media kit for brand deals. Beacons builds a media kit from your stats, which helps when pitching brands. theZio's brand deal inbox (Pro) finds collab enquiries in your comments and DMs, but does not make a media kit.
A longer track record selling. Beacons was selling for creators well before theZio launched selling. theZio's store and courses went live for everyone on 19 October 2026, with no public reviews yet.

When theZio fits better

Built for the DM. theZio matches keywords case-insensitively, can send a different file or link per keyword, catches typos and Hinglish with smart match on Pro, and can answer "any comment on this post" on Pro.
Email capture and a follow invite on Free. The DM can ask for the fan's email and invite them to tap Follow, on every plan. The freebie is delivered either way.
Old comments. When you switch on an automation, theZio can answer the last 24 hours of comments on every plan, and all old comments on Pro, with a public reply where Instagram no longer allows a DM.
Private file delivery. Each fan gets their own download link in the DM, not a public link that gets forwarded around.
Rupee billing and a lower fee for now. theZio bills in rupees through Razorpay and takes 0% of sales until it gives notice. Beacons is priced in US dollars and is reported to take 9% of sales on its Free and Creator plans.
Launch checkout and Indian invoices. Pay what you want, coupons, one bump offer, stock caps and a sale end date, with a sale invoice in your name and bank payouts every Monday.
Paced for a viral Reel. Every DM is queued under Instagram's hourly limits, with an optional public reply capped per post and per account, so a busy thread never looks like spam.

How to switch without double DMs

Keep your Beacons page and store. You do not need to move them. Your theZio DM can link straight to a Beacons product.
List your Smart Reply automations. Note each post, keyword, DM text and link.
Create a free theZio account and connect Instagram through Instagram Login. You need a professional (Business or Creator) account; no Facebook Page is needed.
Turn off Smart Reply on one post. Meta allows one private reply per comment, so two tools on one post means a double DM or a failed send.
Recreate it in theZio with the same keyword and link. Add email capture, a follow invite or a private file if you want them.
Test with a second Instagram account. Comment the keyword and check that exactly one DM arrives, then move the next post.

Frequently asked questions

Is theZio a Beacons alternative?

For Instagram creators who sell digital products or courses, yes: theZio has a Link in bio store, paid products and courses on Max Pro at ₹899 a month, next to its comment-to-DM. It has no media kit or email campaigns, so creators who rely on those may keep Beacons.

Does Beacons have Instagram auto DM?

Yes. Beacons calls it Smart Reply. Its help centre describes a DM sent when someone comments a trigger word on a post, with story and DM triggers too. Beacons' pricing page lists Smart Reply on its Free and Creator plans, as seen in search results on 10 Oct 2026.

How much does Beacons cost in India?

Beacons lists prices in US dollars: reported at $10, $30 and $90 a month for Creator, Creator Plus and Creator Max, with a Free plan. Free and Creator are reported to take a 9% fee on sales. Check beacons.ai from your own account for the price you will pay.

How much is theZio?

theZio Free covers up to 1,000 auto DMs a month with email capture, the follow invite and 3 digital products. Pro is ₹499 a month, or ₹399 a month billed yearly.

Can I use Beacons and theZio together?

Yes. Keep your Beacons page in your bio and let theZio send a Beacons product link in the DM. Just do not run Smart Reply and theZio on the same post, because Meta allows one private reply per comment.

Does theZio take a cut of my sales?

0% until theZio gives notice, with 30 days' notice promised in the seller terms, and theZio pays Razorpay's charge meanwhile. After that the fee is 5% all-in. TDS and, for creators with a GSTIN, GST TCS still apply as tax.

theZio vs Beacons