Hooka vs ColdDMs: same playbook, different network

What is ColdDMs?

ColdDMs (colddms.com) is a cold-DM outreach tool for Instagram, shipped as a Chrome extension. According to its site as of June 2026, it covers the full outbound loop: scraping followers, likers and commenters into lead lists, sequences of up to 10 follow-up steps, up to 15 A/B message variants, a unified inbox and a built-in CRM.

Pricing, as listed on colddms.com in June 2026: Pro at $99/month for one Instagram account, capped at 100 messages per day. Scale starts from $174/month and Enterprise runs $999/month.

What ColdDMs does not do is TikTok. As of June 2026 there is no TikTok support anywhere on its site — it is an Instagram tool, full stop. That's the whole reason this page exists: if you're searching for a "ColdDMs alternative" because your leads live on TikTok, you don't need a better Instagram extension. You need the same machine pointed at a different network.

What is Hooka?

Hooka runs the same outbound playbook on TikTok: scrape the followers or following of any public profile (up to 5,000 handles per job) with the TikTok follower scraper, send sequenced DMs with up to 20 message variants per step and up to 10 follow-up steps, and work every reply from one unified inbox. A reply stops that lead's sequence automatically.

The architecture is different: instead of a browser extension, Hooka uses cloud workers — real Chrome sessions that run 24/7 on Hooka's servers. You connect accounts by scanning a QR code (we never see or store your password; session cookies only, deleted when you disconnect), and one campaign can rotate across up to 10 connected accounts with message spacing enforced server-side.

Pricing is per connected TikTok account: $89/month base, with volume discounts down to $79 per account. Month-to-month, cancel anytime. There's also a public REST API with signed webhooks — connect senders, launch campaigns and receive replies programmatically.

How do Hooka and ColdDMs compare feature by feature?

Both tools chase the same loop — scrape, sequence, A/B test, reply — so the line-by-line comparison is unusually clean. ColdDMs figures below come from colddms.com as of June 2026; Hooka figures are current product limits.

Chrome extension or cloud workers — does it matter?

It changes where the work happens, not what gets done. ColdDMs runs inside your own Chrome via an extension: the automation executes in your browser. Hooka runs the automation on its own servers: each connected account gets a persistent Chrome session that keeps sending and syncing the inbox around the clock, with spacing between DMs (default 7 seconds, configurable 3–300 seconds) enforced server-side across every campaign that account serves.

Neither model is "right" — they're different operating trade-offs. An extension keeps everything on your machine and in your sight. Cloud workers detach outreach from your laptop: campaigns keep running while you sleep, and replies are picked up by a 3-second fast-pass loop whether your computer is on or not.

Which one should you pick?

The honest verdict: doing Instagram outreach? ColdDMs is the established player. It has the scraping, the sequences and the inbox, and Hooka can't help you there — Hooka doesn't touch Instagram. Doing TikTok? ColdDMs doesn't run there — Hooka is the TikTok equivalent, with the same playbook plus a few extras like 20 variants per step, server-side pacing and a public API.

And if you work both networks, this isn't really a versus: run ColdDMs on Instagram and Hooka on TikTok. Start with TikTok cold DM templates that already get replies and adapt your Instagram scripts from there.

Frequently asked questions

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