Instagram without Reels, YouTube without Shorts — the anti-doomscroll app for mindful social media use.
| Name | .com | .io | App Store Clear? | Trademark Risk | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FocusFeed | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Clear | Low | 7/10 |
| DullBrowse | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Clear | Low | 6/10 |
| FeedCalm | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ⚠️ Calm confusion | Medium | 6/10 |
| ScrollFree | ⚠️ Likely taken | ✅ Free | ⚠️ No Scroll exists | Medium | 5/10 |
| MindFeed | ❌ Taken | ❌ Taken | ❌ Direct conflict | High | 3/10 |
Users want friction without guilt. The digital wellness market is booming at 17.7% CAGR, driven by Gen Z embracing digital detox as self-care. Successful apps (Opal $99/yr, Freedom $159 lifetime) position as 'coach not cop' and command premium pricing. Dull's 152+ Hacker News upvotes (April 2026) prove real demand for 'cleaner' social feeds without addictive short-form video. The one-time $4.99 price point is underexploited — most competitors use subscription to lock in users.
Monetization model, marketing strategy, and the #1 complaint from users for each.
$1.2M+/mo
$19.99/mo, $99.99/yr, $399 lifetime
Product Hunt, podcasts, influencer positioning as '#1 screen time app'
Price ($100/yr); feature bloat; iOS/macOS only; feels like surveillance
$1.2M/mo
$8.99/mo → $3.99/mo annual → $159 lifetime
Multi-platform narrative; SEO-heavy; B2B corporate wellness
Android parity lacking; complex for casual users; corporate feel
$300K/mo
$2.99/mo, $19.99/yr, $50 lifetime
Max Planck partnership (57% usage reduction); indie positioning; TikTok/Gen Z
Perceived overpriced; buggy; spammy subscription push
$1M/mo
$3.99 one-time purchase; gamification tree-building
Gamification (tree-building); sustainability angle; brand partnerships
Less effective than competitors; gamification appeal wears off; tree metaphor limits functionality
$200K/mo
Free base + premium tiers
App Store feature picks; community-driven; cheaper than Opal
Limited feature set; lacks deep integration; no Safari Content Blocker
Opal and Freedom are broad screen-time tools ($100/yr). Forest gamifies but doesn't filter content. OneSec adds friction but doesn't change the feed itself. Dull proved the demand for 'Instagram without Reels' but is web-only. An iOS-native app that literally strips Reels/Shorts/TikTok from feeds at $4.99 is a unique, unexplored niche.
| Element | Recommended Copy | Char Count |
|---|---|---|
| App Store Title | FocusFeed: Clean Feeds | 24/30 |
| Subtitle | No Reels. No Shorts. Peace. | 26/30 |
| Primary Category | Productivity | — |
Compelling demand signal (Dull HN success, 152+ upvotes), strong TAM ($4.4B, 17.7% CAGR), and clear user pain (Gen Z digital fatigue). However, thin monetization at $4.99 (~$1.50 net per user), Opal/Freedom dominance in premium tier, and ongoing maintenance burden (social platform DOM changes) warrant a PAUSE. Validate with a Safari Content Blocker prototype first: 500+ installs in 30 days = green light for full build.
| Biggest Risk | Biggest Opportunity |
|---|---|
| Instagram/TikTok DOM obfuscation creates cat-and-mouse maintenance burden; Opal/Freedom can easily add feed-filtering features with their existing user base | Dull's 152+ HN upvotes prove demand — own 'Instagram without Reels' keyword before competitors; organic HN/Reddit/TikTok launch can drive first 10K users for free |
Bundle ID and IAP product IDs must be created in App Store Connect first. Mismatches are the #1 cause of upload failures.
com.focusfeed.iosRegister in Apple Developer Portal → Certificates, IDs & Profiles → Identifiers
Free: 1 site filter. Pro $4.99: all sites. Premium $9.99/mo: AI detection + weekly reports.
High phone usage (6h 45min/day) users who want to stay connected on social media without the addictive short-form video algorithms.
| # | Feature | Why It Matters | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safari Content Blocker | Core — hides short-form video feeds on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube | S2 |
| 2 | Feed Minimizer (CSS Injection) | Strips likes/comments/stories for distraction-free browsing | S4 |
| 3 | Scheduled Blocking | Time-based restrictions (9am-5pm no Instagram) for work/school focus | S5 |
| 4 | Usage Stats Dashboard | Time saved + Reels skipped counter gamifies the detox experience | S6 |
| 5 | Quick Settings Sheet | Enable/disable per-site; toggle minimizer on/off for flexibility | S3 |