RandomTools.io is a general-purpose web utilities site offering dozens of tools across categories including social media, random generators, text manipulation, developer tools, and image processing. Its Instagram comment picker is one tool among many rather than a dedicated giveaway platform. The picker requires a Facebook login to access Instagram posts via the official Facebook API, since Instagram Business accounts must be connected to a Facebook page to be accessible through the API.
The tool is free, requires no registration beyond the Facebook OAuth connection, and supports basic filters: must-include text, block specific users, remove duplicate users, and exclude previous winners. Results can be saved via a unique URL. The site also offers a YouTube random comment picker and Facebook comment picker, giving it three social platform tools within a larger utility collection.
Key Features
Facebook API Login for Instagram Access
Because Instagram requires Business API access and all Business API connections run through Meta’s ecosystem, the RandomTools Instagram picker requires a Facebook login. The tool requests only the permissions needed to access the specified post’s comments. The site states it does not store or share user data. This is the standard approach for any tool using the official Instagram Business API and ensures comment retrieval is complete and accurate.
Must-Include and Block Filters
The must-include filter restricts entries to comments containing a specific word, phrase, or hashtag. The block user field allows specific usernames to be excluded from the draw. Combined with duplicate user removal and previous winner exclusion, these filters cover the standard giveaway rule set without requiring manual comment review.
Shareable Results via Unique Link
After a draw, RandomTools generates a unique URL for the results page. Sharing this link publicly lets participants verify the draw happened and see the winner. This is a basic form of transparency that substitutes for a formal certificate.
YouTube and Facebook Pickers Included
The site also includes a YouTube random comment picker and a Facebook comment picker. The Facebook picker also uses the official Facebook API via login. Together the three tools cover the main social platforms for comment-based giveaways without requiring separate site visits.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What You Get |
| Free | Free | All social comment pickers free; no registration required beyond platform OAuth |
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| + Free with no account registration required | – Instagram requires Facebook login: extra step that may deter casual users |
| + Uses official Facebook/Instagram API: complete comment retrieval | – Limited to Instagram Business accounts connected to a Facebook page: personal accounts not supported |
| + Must-include filter, block user, duplicate removal, and previous winner exclusion all included | – No draw certificate or formal documentation |
| + Shareable results link for basic transparency | – Interface is utilitarian and embedded within a general tools site rather than a dedicated giveaway platform |
| + YouTube and Facebook pickers also included on the same site | – No history of past draws beyond the manually saved link |
| – No mobile-optimized workflow |
Score Breakdown
| Scoring Criteria | Score |
| Ease of Use | 6.0 / 10 |
| Feature Depth | 6.5 / 10 |
| Fairness and Transparency | 6.0 / 10 |
| Pricing Value | 9.0 / 10 |
| Support and Reliability | 5.0 / 10 |
Alternatives
| # | Tool | Score | Why It Stands Out |
| 1 | Pickerway | 9.6/10 / 10 | Official API, certificate, draw history, multi-platform without OAuth friction |
| 2 | CommentPicker | 8.5/10 / 10 | Multi-platform picker with certificate, advanced filters, and streamlined login |
| 3 | PromoHive | 8.3/10 / 10 | Official API, certificate, multi-platform giveaway tool |
| 4 | Contestit | 7.5/10 / 10 | Free manual comment picker with duplicate filter, no login required |
| 5 | Randampick | 8.0/10 / 10 | Free, certificate-issuing multi-platform social giveaway picker |
Verdict
RandomTools.io handles the Instagram comment picker use case adequately and for free, but it is not designed for this purpose: the giveaway tools are a subset of a much larger utility collection rather than the product’s focus. The Facebook login requirement for Instagram adds a step that dedicated tools have optimized away with simpler OAuth flows. The absence of a certificate and limited draw history make it unsuitable for high-visibility giveaways where participants expect documented proof of fairness. It is a workable free option for Instagram Business account holders who want an API-connected draw without paying, but Pickerway and CommentPicker offer a significantly smoother experience for the same use case.
