If you want a SocialLite alternative on iPhone that hides Reels and keeps your DMs without paying, minulo is the closest match: like SocialLite it opens Instagram with Reels, Explore and suggested posts hidden while DMs keep working, and in minulo the hiding is free, with no subscription and no time limit.
I'm Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo, which competes with SocialLite, so weigh what I say accordingly. Facts about SocialLite and Nope come only from their US App Store pages, checked on 2026-10-26 (SocialLite's prices), 2026-11-04 (SocialLite's rating count) and 2026-10-23 (Nope). Prices and features can change. This post is about SocialLite-Block Reels&Shorts, the iPhone app, not the older social media reader with a similar name.
What SocialLite costs
SocialLite is a free download with in-app purchases. On the US App Store, Pro is listed at $6.99 to $17.99 a month or $19.99 to $47.90 a year, depending on which offer you're shown, and there's a Family plan at $12.99 a month. Its description lists what the app does: it hides short video feeds, recommendations, Explore, Live and Shopping tabs and ads, keeps DMs, and can block the official apps. It doesn't say which of those are free. The only way to find out for your account is to install it and see what it asks you to pay for.
If you'd rather know up front what you get for nothing, here's how the options compare.
Free and paid, side by side
| SocialLite | Nope | minulo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Its own view of social networks, can block the official apps | Safari extension for instagram.com and youtube.com | Opens each network's official site inside the app, can lock the official apps with Screen Time |
| What's free | Free download. The description doesn't say which features are free | Everything, no subscriptions or in-app purchases | Hiding Reels, Shorts, Explore and suggested posts on 10 networks, Every tab but DMs, locking official apps up to 2 hours per block |
| Paid | Pro $6.99 to $17.99 a month or $19.99 to $47.90 a year; Family $12.99 a month | Nothing | Pro (optional) $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial on the yearly plan for first-time subscribers |
| Works in the Instagram app? | Can block it and send you to SocialLite | No, Safari only | Can lock it and send you to minulo |
Where each one fits
Nope is the cheapest answer if you already use Instagram and YouTube in Safari. It has nothing to buy. But it only works in Safari, so tapping the Instagram icon by habit still gets you Reels.
SocialLite is far more established, with 16,883 US ratings, and its listing says it can send push notifications for Instagram and Snapchat. If those matter to you, it may be worth paying for.
minulo is newer and has very few ratings. What it does differently is spell out what's free. Without paying anything you can:
- hide Reels, Explore and suggested posts in Instagram with the Reels and Explore tabs switch
- keep only messages with Every tab but DMs, on Instagram and TikTok
- hide Shorts on YouTube and the same parts on 10 networks in total
- lock the official apps with Screen Time for up to 2 hours per block, with an Open in minulo button on the block screen
Pro is optional. It adds Sleep mode (social apps blocked at the same bedtime and wake time every day), Hard Mode, Daily limit and blocks longer than 2 hours.
Setting up minulo
- Install minulo from the App Store. There's no account or sign up.
- Open Instagram inside minulo and log in on Instagram's own page. minulo doesn't receive or store your password.
- Tap the gear next to Instagram and turn on Reels and Explore tabs, or Every tab but DMs to keep only messages.
- Add YouTube and TikTok with Add a service to hide Shorts and For You too.
- Optional: lock the official apps from the Block tab.
Limits worth knowing
- You can't post stories, send voice messages or make calls inside minulo.
- While an official app is locked, its notifications don't arrive. Check minulo if you're expecting a message.
- minulo runs on iPhone and Mac. There's no Android version.
More on SocialLite's pricing and the free options: is SocialLite free?
FAQ
Is there a free alternative to SocialLite on iPhone?
minulo is the closest one where hiding is free: Reels, Explore and suggested posts are hidden while DMs keep working, with no subscription. Nope is completely free but only works in Safari.
Is SocialLite free?
It's a free download with in-app purchases. Its App Store description doesn't say which features are free.
Can I keep only DMs for free?
In minulo, yes: Every tab but DMs is free on Instagram and TikTok.
Does minulo work on Android?
No. It's for iPhone and Mac.
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