Is there a free app to block Reels and Shorts?
Yes. StillTabs is completely free: no subscription, no trial, no in-app purchases, and it removes Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts while keeping your messages. Most apps that show "Get" on the App Store are free to download only. Of the 14 Reels and screen-time apps we checked, 11 sell the real product as a subscription.
"Free" on the App Store, and what it means
| App | What "free" means | Most expensive plan listed |
|---|---|---|
| StillTabs | Free. Nothing to buy | None |
| SocialLite | Free download, Pro subscription | $17.99 a month |
| Dull | Free download; its terms open with "dull is a paid app" | $79.99 lifetime |
| Opal | Free download, weekly to yearly plans | $99.99 a year |
| Stillfeed | Free download, weekly plan | $2.99 a week (about $155 a year) |
| minulo | Freemium: free download, Pro subscription | $9.99 a month |
| iPhone Screen Time | Built in | Free, but limits whole apps, not Reels |
Why StillTabs can be free
StillTabs runs entirely on your phone, so there is no server bill per user to pass on. The filters are rules that hide parts of each platform's page as it loads; pages come straight from Instagram, YouTube and the rest. Nothing about it needs a subscription to keep running, and there are no ads either.
Free also means nothing to cancel: no renewal date, no refund request, no trial that turns into a charge.
What you get for free
- Instagram without Reels, Explore and suggested posts, opening on the Following feed
- YouTube without Shorts, autoplaying previews and the endless homepage
- Facebook without the Reels tab and X without the "For you" tab (both beta)
- Four modes (Off, Standard, Strict, Blackout) per platform, up to five accounts per platform, and a Home Screen widget
None of it is a "Pro" feature. Get StillTabs on the App Store.
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
- SocialLite on the App Store (in-app purchases, privacy label): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6757661674
- Dull terms: https://getdull.app/terms
- Opal on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1497465230
- Stillfeed on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6792934511
- minulo on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6809352229
- Apple: Screen Time schedules on iPhone (iOS 26): https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-schedules-with-screen-time-iphb0c7313c9/26/ios/26