minulo vs ShortformBlock: a free Safari Shorts blocker or an app that also hides Reels (2026)
If you want Reels and Shorts hidden but your DMs left alone, minulo is the closer fit: it hides Reels, Shorts and suggested posts on 10 networks inside its own app, DMs keep working, and hiding is free. ShortformBlock is a free Safari extension that hides YouTube Shorts on youtube.com only, so it can't help with Instagram or TikTok, but if Shorts in Safari are your only problem, it is a simple free option.
ShortformBlock is made by an independent developer, Riku Kuisma. After you turn it on in Safari's extension settings and allow it on YouTube, it hides Shorts from the YouTube homepage, search results and the navigation, and since version 2.2 it hides community posts too. Its description says plainly that it works only in Safari and not in the YouTube app. It is free, with no subscriptions, and says it collects no data.
This page is written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo, so keep that in mind. ShortformBlock facts come from its US App Store page and the iTunes lookup API (version 2.2, released 2026-10-12), checked 2026-11-04. We haven't tested ShortformBlock. Features and prices can change.
| ShortformBlock | minulo | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Safari extension (its description calls it ShortRemover) that you turn on in Safari's extension settings | An iPhone app that opens each network's official website inside the app and hides the parts you choose |
| Where it works | youtube.com in Safari only. Its description says it does not work in the YouTube app | Inside minulo on iPhone, plus a Mac app for Safari and Chrome |
| Networks | YouTube only | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Threads, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, Snapchat (10) |
| What it hides | Shorts on the YouTube homepage, Shorts in search results, the Shorts tab, and YouTube community posts (added in version 2.2) | Reels, Shorts, Explore and suggested posts. On YouTube: the Shorts shelf, the Shorts tab and Home recommendations, and Shorts links can open in the normal player |
| DMs | Doesn't apply: it only touches YouTube | Kept. Every tab but DMs for Instagram and TikTok (free) |
| The official apps | Not changed | 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 |
| Devices | iPhone and iPad (iOS 15.0 or later), Mac and Apple Vision Pro | iPhone (iOS 16.4 or later), plus a Mac app for Safari and Chrome. No Android version |
| App languages | English | 13, including English, Japanese and Korean |
| Account and data | No account. Its privacy label says Data Not Collected | No account or sign-up. Your social media password goes to the network, never to minulo |
| US App Store ratings | 14, average 4.4 (released 2026-03-31; version 2.2 on 2026-10-12) | 1, average 4.0 (launched September 2026) |
| Price (US) | Free. No subscriptions; an optional $0.99 Support Development tip | Hiding is free; Pro is $9.99/month or $39.99/year |
Ratings were checked on the US App Store on 2026-11-04.
Pick ShortformBlock if
- YouTube Shorts are the only thing you want gone;
- you watch YouTube in Safari on iPhone, iPad or Mac anyway;
- you want something free and tiny (1.3 MB), with no account or subscription;
- you also want YouTube community posts hidden.
Pick minulo if
- you also want Instagram Reels, TikTok's For You feed or suggested posts gone, with DMs still working;
- you want Shorts links to open in the normal player instead of the Shorts feed;
- you want the official apps locked with Screen Time, with a button that opens the network in minulo instead;
- you use networks other than YouTube, such as X, Threads, Reddit or LinkedIn.
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 minulo a good ShortformBlock alternative?
If you also want Instagram Reels, TikTok's For You feed or suggested posts gone while your DMs keep working, yes: minulo covers 10 networks and hiding is free. If YouTube Shorts in Safari is the only thing that bothers you, ShortformBlock is smaller, free and already does that, so you may not need anything else.
Is ShortformBlock free?
Yes. The download is free and its App Store description says there are no paywalls or subscriptions. The only in-app purchase listed is Support Development at $0.99, which is a tip. It also says the app collects no data, and its privacy label reads Data Not Collected (checked 2026-11-04).
Does ShortformBlock remove Shorts in the YouTube app?
No. Its description says it only works in the Safari browser and not in the YouTube app. minulo doesn't change the official YouTube app either: it opens YouTube inside minulo with the Shorts shelf and Shorts tab hidden, and it can lock the official app with Screen Time.
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