minulo vs Reelmute: two apps that hide Reels and Shorts and keep DMs (2026)
Reelmute and minulo work the same way: you sign in to your networks inside the app, Reels and Shorts are gone there, and your DMs keep working.
The differences are which extras are free, how many networks each covers, and what comes with the paid plan.
This page is written by the developer of minulo, so keep that in mind. Reelmute facts come from its US App Store page (version 1.7.0, released 2026-11-01) and its website (reelmute.app), checked 2026-11-02. Features and prices can change.
| Reelmute | minulo | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Opens each network inside the app, each in its own private container on your phone, and hides Reels, Shorts and For You before the page draws | Opens each network's official website inside the app and hides the parts you choose |
| Networks | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, X (6 on its App Store page). Its website says seven and adds Snapchat | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Threads, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, Snapchat (10) |
| Free | Hiding Reels on Instagram and Facebook, Shorts on YouTube, For You on TikTok and X, Popular on Reddit, and Facebook's endless video | Hiding Reels, Shorts, Explore and suggested posts on all 10 networks; locking the official apps (up to 2 hours per block) |
| Paid features | Hiding ads, suggested posts, Stories, Explore, YouTube's home recommendations and X's trends; search only on YouTube; locking the original apps; sleep mode; widgets; grayscale; a designated adult who holds your unlock (Premium). Reelmute Family is a separate plan for setting your kids' feeds | Schedules, blocks longer than 2 hours, Hard Mode and multiple block lists (Pro) |
| Messages only | DMs only on Instagram (Premium) | Every tab but DMs for Instagram and TikTok (free) |
| The official apps | Locking them is Premium. Post mode opens one for five minutes, then locks it again | Can lock them with Screen Time; the block screen has an Open in minulo button. While an app is locked, its notifications don't arrive |
| Platforms | iPhone (iOS 17 or later) and Android, per its website | iPhone (plus a Mac app for Safari and Chrome). No Android version |
| App languages | 33, including Japanese and Korean | 13, including Japanese and Korean |
| US App Store ratings | 0 (2026-11-02; on the App Store since September 2026) | 1, average 4.0 (2026-11-02; launched September 2026) |
| App Store privacy label | Data Linked to You: Contact Info, User Content; Data Not Linked to You: Purchases, User Content, Identifiers, Usage Data, Diagnostics | Data Not Linked to You: Purchases, Identifiers, Usage Data, Diagnostics, Other Data |
| Price (US) | Free; Premium is $2.99/month, $19.99/year or $44.99 once (lifetime), with a 3-day free trial on monthly and yearly. Family is $5.99/month or $49.99/year | Hiding is free; Pro is $9.99/month or $39.99/year |
Ratings, prices and privacy labels are from the US App Store, checked 2026-11-02.
Pick Reelmute if
- you use Android, or someone you want to set it up for does;
- you want to set your kids' feeds from your own phone (Reelmute Family);
- you want a cheaper yearly plan ($19.99) or a one-time lifetime purchase;
- you like having a designated adult hold your unlock, or a Post mode that opens the original app for five minutes;
- you want ads hidden too (Premium).
Pick minulo if
- you want Explore and suggested posts gone without paying;
- you want Instagram or TikTok to show nothing but DMs, for free;
- you want to lock the official apps for free (up to 2 hours per block);
- you also use Threads, Pinterest or LinkedIn;
- you also want the same on a Mac.
minulo shows each network's website rather than the official app, so screens look a little different from the app. While minulo locks an official app, that app's notifications don't arrive.
Is Reelmute free?
Hiding Reels, Shorts and For You is free. Explore, Stories, suggested posts, DMs only and locking the original apps are part of Premium ($2.99/month, $19.99/year or $44.99 lifetime in the US, checked 2026-11-02). In minulo, hiding Explore and suggested posts, the DMs-only setting and locking the official apps for up to 2 hours are free.
Which one should a student who needs Instagram for group chats use?
Both keep DMs with Reels hidden, for free. If you want Instagram to show messages only, that is Premium in Reelmute and free in minulo. If you or your friends are on Android, Reelmute works there and minulo does not.
Is Reelmute safe to use?
Reelmute says there is no Reelmute account, each network runs in its own private container on your phone, and it never sees or stores your password. Its App Store privacy label lists contact info and user content as Data Linked to You, and purchases, user content, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics as Data Not Linked to You. minulo's label lists only Data Not Linked to You. Privacy labels are written by each developer.
Which one is more established?
Both are new. Reelmute has been on the App Store since September 2026, and so has minulo. On 2026-11-02, Reelmute had no US ratings and minulo had 1.
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