StillTabs vs Brick
Brick locks whole apps until you tap a $59 device (or the $129 Brick Night); StillTabs removes just Reels and Shorts, for free, with nothing to carry or lose. Locked Instagram means locked DMs; with StillTabs your messages stay.
Side by side
| StillTabs | Brick | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $59 device; Brick Night $129 |
| Instagram DMs while focused | Yes | Only by unbricking, Reels included |
| If you lose it | Nothing to lose | 5 Emergency Unbricks, then a form and up to 2 business days |
| Needs | iOS 16 | iOS 18 |
What to check before you buy
- Losing the device: "You get 5 [Emergency Unbricks] … If you've used all your Emergency Unbricks and need them reset, please fill out this form and we will reset within 2 business days."
- Terms: it can "change Fees at any time", and disputes go to arbitration in Madison, Wisconsin.
- Marketing data: its privacy policy says it uses "consumer profiles that contain data from other sites or from other third parties for advertising purposes", and retargets through Meta, Google and TikTok ads.
StillTabs is free on the App Store, for iPhone. No subscription, no in-app purchases, no account. iOS 16 or later.
Sources
- StillTabs on the App Store (price, privacy label): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stilltabs-block-reels-shorts/id6761367777
- Brick: https://getbrick.com/
- Brick on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6448794069
- Brick: Emergency Unbricks: https://getbrick.com/pages/emergency-unbricks
- Brick terms of service: https://getbrick.com/policies/terms-of-service
- Brick privacy policy: https://getbrick.com/pages/privacy-policy