
Instagram Reels alternative
The Instagram Reels alternative that keeps the social part
spirkz has the parts of Reels you actually use: vertical video, a swipe to the next one, likes, comments, shares, follows and direct messages. One thing changes. Every video is a lesson of around 30 seconds, so the time you spend here leaves you knowing something.
Free on the App Store and Google Play.

The same buttons
- Like
- Comment
- Save
- Share
- Follow
- Message
Only the video changes.
Everything social about Reels, on a feed of lessons
A short-video app is not just the videos. It is the friend who sends you one, the comment you reply to, the person you follow after their third good clip. spirkz keeps all of that, so you do not have to choose between learning something and being around people.
Likes, comments and replies
Like a video, comment on it, reply to a comment, @mention someone and like the best answer. You are notified when someone replies to you or mentions you.
Send it to a friend
Pick up to ten friends and the video lands in your chats with them. Or send a link through any other app, for the friends who are not on spirkz yet.
Repost and save
Repost a video to the Shared tab on your profile. Save one to a private list only you can see, for when you want to find it again.
Follows and friends
Follow anyone whose lessons you like. When you follow each other, you are friends. Turn on follow approval if you would rather choose who follows you.
Direct messages
One-to-one chat with read receipts, typing indicators and emoji reactions, plus the videos you send each other. You can limit messages to friends at any time.
A profile of your own
Your videos, your reposts, your followers and the badges you earn. Upload lessons of your own too: anyone can submit a video, and it goes live once it passes review.
And one thing the Reels tab does not have
spirkz Threads is a titled discussion on a subject, with up to five photos or videos and a page of its own, so a good conversation does not disappear with the next swipe.
spirkz next to Instagram Reels
The format and the social features line up almost one for one. The rows that differ are about what the feed is for.
| spirkz next to Instagram Reels | Instagram Reels | spirkz |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Instagram ReelsVertical video, swipe for the next one | spirkzThe same |
| Likes, comments and shares | Instagram ReelsYes | spirkzYes, including replies, @mentions and reposts |
| Follows and messages | Instagram ReelsYes | spirkzYes, with one-to-one chat |
| Length of a video | Instagram ReelsSeconds to several minutes | spirkzAround 30 seconds, always under a minute |
| What the feed is for | Instagram ReelsEntertainment, with everything else allowed in alongside it | spirkzEducation. It is the whole catalogue, not a category inside it |
| The bar for publishing | Instagram ReelsMeets the community guidelines | spirkzReviewed first, and it has to teach something |
| You browse by | Instagram ReelsAccounts, audio and trends | spirkz12 subjects, plus courses |
| Room for a longer conversation | Instagram ReelsComments under the video | spirkzComments, plus Threads: discussions with their own page |
| Price | Instagram ReelsFree | spirkzFree |
Instagram and Reels are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. spirkz is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Instagram or Meta. This comparison describes how the products differ in purpose.
What is on the other end of the swipe
Pick your subjects and a language when you join, and those come first in your feed. There are twelve subjects so far, taught by teachers, professionals and creators who know their field.
- Science
- Languages
- History
- Coding
- Math
- Business
- Art & Design
- Health
- Finance
- Geography
- Music
- Psychology
A few lessons, as they appear
How vaccines train your body
Science32sWhat actually caused 1929
History28sBig-O, without the math
Coding35s
What you will not find here
An alternative should be straight about this. spirkz does one job, so some of Instagram is not in it. If these are why you open Instagram, keep it, and use spirkz for the scrolling.
- Stories
- Live video
- Group chats
- A photo feed
- Filters and trending audio
- Videos that are only there to entertain
Move your scrolling over in one session
You do not have to delete anything or convince anyone first.
- 1
Install spirkz
It is free on the App Store and Google Play. Choose a username, your subjects and a language.
- 2
Find your people
Search by name or username and follow them. Follow each other and you are friends, and you can send videos straight into your chat.
- 3
Send one lesson
The next time a video makes you think of someone, send it to them. That is how the social part starts.
Questions about leaving Reels for spirkz
- What is the best alternative to Instagram Reels?
- It depends on what you want from it. For the same kind of entertainment somewhere else, TikTok and YouTube Shorts are the obvious ones. For the same format and the same social features with something to learn in every video, there is spirkz: vertical videos of around 30 seconds, always under a minute, with likes, comments, shares, follows and direct messages. It is free on iOS and Android.
- Is there an app like Instagram Reels for learning?
- Yes. spirkz is a short-video app made for education only. It works like Reels, with vertical videos and a swipe to the next one, but a video has to teach something to be published. Subjects include Science, History, Languages, Coding, Finance and Psychology.
- Does spirkz have likes, comments and DMs like Instagram?
- Yes. You can like and comment on any video, reply to comments, @mention people, repost a video to your profile, save it to a private list, and send it to friends. Direct messages are one-to-one, with read receipts, typing indicators and emoji reactions.
- Can I follow people and talk to friends on spirkz?
- Yes. You can follow anyone, and when two people follow each other they become friends. You can turn on follow approval, keep your follower lists private, and limit direct messages to friends. You can also block anyone.
- Can I post my own videos on spirkz?
- Yes. Anyone with an account can upload a video and submit it for review. If it teaches something and follows the rules, it goes into the feed under your name. If it is declined you see the reason, can fix it and can submit it again.
- Does spirkz have Stories or Live?
- No. spirkz has no Stories, Live video, group chats, photo feed, filters or trending audio. It is built around short lessons and the conversations that come out of them, so if you use those, keep Instagram for them and use spirkz for the scrolling.
- Can I bring my Instagram followers to spirkz?
- Not automatically. There is no import from Instagram, so you start with an empty following list. Search for friends by name or username, or send them a link to a video through any app.
- Do I have to delete Instagram to use spirkz?
- No. Nothing about spirkz needs you to leave Instagram. You can keep it for photos and friends, and move the part of the day you spend scrolling Reels to a feed that teaches you something.
- Is spirkz free?
- Yes. spirkz is free to download and free to learn from, on both the App Store and Google Play.
Keep the comments. Change the feed.
The same swipe, the same likes, shares and messages, on videos that teach you something. Free on the App Store and Google Play.