A site blocker shuts a whole website. A feed blocker shuts only the infinite scroll (home feeds, Reels, Shorts, For You) and leaves the rest of the site working. Site blockers often fail because people need parts of those sites for messages, work, school or a link a friend sent, so they switch the blocker off. Feed blockers remove the part that eats time while keeping the parts you need.
What a site blocker does
A site blocker refuses to load a domain such as instagram.com or youtube.com, either all the time, on a schedule or after a time limit. It is simple and predictable. For sites you never need, it works well.
What a feed blocker does
A feed blocker looks at the address and the page type. A feed page (the home feed, Reels, Shorts, a subreddit listing, the X home timeline) is shut. A specific page (one post, one video, one profile, a search result, your messages) still opens.
The difference is what you lose. With a site blocker you lose the whole site. With a feed blocker you lose the part with no end.
Why blocking whole sites fails for most people
- The useful parts live on the same domain. Your DMs are on Instagram. The tutorial you need is on YouTube. Your recruiter writes on LinkedIn. Blocking the domain blocks those too.
- Links from other people break. A friend sends a video, a colleague shares a post, a Google result points to a Reddit thread. A blocked site turns each of those into friction you did not choose.
- Every exception is a reason to switch it off. The first time you need something and the blocker is in the way, you pause it. Then you forget to turn it back on. After a few rounds, the blocker is off for good.
- It treats all use as bad use. Checking one message and scrolling for an hour look the same to a site blocker. That feels unfair, and rules that feel unfair tend to get broken.
- It moves the problem. Block one site and the urge often shifts to another feed that is not blocked. Shutting feeds across the main sites at once closes that gap.
Feed blocker vs site blocker at a glance
| Site blocker | Feed blocker | |
|---|---|---|
| What it shuts | The whole domain | Only feed pages |
| Messages | Blocked | Usually still open |
| A link a friend sends | Blocked | Opens |
| Search, profiles, single posts | Blocked | Open |
| Works on any site | Yes | Only sites it knows |
| Best for | Sites you never need | Sites you need a little of |
When a site blocker is the better choice
A site blocker is the right tool when:
- You never need anything on that site, for example a news site or a game.
- You want the whole internet off for a focused block of work.
- You want to block native apps on your phone, which a browser extension cannot do.
Many people use both: a site blocker for sites they do not need at all, and a feed blocker for the ones they need a little of.
When a feed blocker is the better choice
A feed blocker fits when the site is useful and the feed is the problem. That describes most people's relationship with Instagram, YouTube, X, Reddit, Facebook and LinkedIn.
I built I've had it as a feed blocker for exactly those sites, plus TikTok. It decides per page what counts as a feed. Reddit is a good example: a subreddit listing scrolls forever, so it counts as a feed, but a single thread does not. On YouTube it also hides the home grid, Shorts and the recommendations next to a video, even on pages it lets through. The full list of what counts as a feed per site is in supported sites.
Two details make a feed blocker easier to live with:
- A link from elsewhere opens. A link from Google, email or a chat gets a quick pass for that page, without the feed.
- Messages stay open. With Messages always open, DMs work even while the feed is shut.
How to switch from a site blocker to a feed blocker
- List the sites you currently block and, for each, what you still need from it.
- Keep the site blocker for sites where the answer is "nothing".
- Move the rest to a feed blocker, and choose how strict each site should be. See site modes.
- After a week, check whether you still need the old blocker at all.
Questions
What is the difference between a feed blocker and a site blocker?
A site blocker blocks the whole website. A feed blocker blocks only the endless scroll pages and leaves posts, videos, search and messages usable.
Why do I keep turning off my website blocker?
Usually because you needed something on the blocked site, such as a message or a link someone sent. Blocking only the feed removes most of those reasons.
Can a feed blocker block Instagram Reels but keep DMs?
Yes. That is the typical case. See how to block Instagram Reels for the details.
Is a feed blocker enough on its own?
For the social sites you need a little of, often yes. For sites you never need, or for apps on your phone, a site or app blocker is still useful.