OxbowOxbow vs ScrollGuard vs WallHabit
Oxbow is a fork of Feurstagram and inherits its blocking features. On top of them it adds downloads, ghost mode and clean share links.
Side-by-side comparison
| Oxbow | ScrollGuard | WallHabit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Patched Instagram app | Blocker app | Blocker app / “commitment device” |
| How it works | Removes surfaces inside the app; blocked content is never downloaded | Android: accessibility service over native apps. iPhone: through web versions of apps | Puts distracting content behind a wall unlocked with a challenge |
| Instagram Reels | Tab removed, feed blocked | Reels feeds blocked | Behind the wall |
| Home feed | Blocked, or limited to accounts you follow | Not stated as blocked | Not stated |
| Explore | Blocked | Blocked | Behind the wall |
| Ads & telemetry | Blocked | Not stated | Not stated |
| DMs and stories | Kept | Kept | Kept |
| Other apps (YouTube, TikTok…) | Instagram only | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Android | Android, iOS | Android, iOS, Chrome extension |
| Price | Free | Free core features, optional premium | Free |
| Open source | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Install | APK from GitHub | App stores | App stores, Chrome Web Store |
When ScrollGuard or WallHabit is the better choice
- You use an iPhone. Oxbow is Android-only.
- You want one tool for every app: YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram together.
- You only install apps from an app store and don't want to sideload an APK.
- You want friction rather than removal: WallHabit's challenge lets you still get in when you decide to.
When Oxbow is the better choice
- You're on Android and the problem is Instagram. The Reels tab, the feed and Explore are gone, not covered.
- You don't want an accessibility service watching your screen to decide what to hide.
- You want it free and auditable: no premium tier, and every patch is public.
- You also want ads and telemetry gone, and the option of a Following-only feed.
- You want to lock it in: the permanent lock stops blocks being turned off in a weak moment.
downloads on GitHub
ScrollGuard and WallHabit are trademarks of their respective owners. Oxbow is not affiliated with them; if something here is out of date, open an issue and it will be corrected.