Reels:
Instagram Reels. For many, it’s the roadblock before their math homework. The “five minutes” before sleeping. Most importantly, the source of brainrot for Forms I and II. But no matter how many scrolls, likes, and shares one puts in every day, one thing is clear: it is superior to TikTok. Reels surpasses its competitors in three categories: versatility, uniqueness, and community engagement.
Instagram Reels provides a unique structure, in which not only Reels, or short videos, appear on one’s feed, but also the slideshows that made Instagram famous in the first place. TikTok also has slideshows, but they conform to corny memes. On the other hand, on Instagram Reels, your favorite sports player’s latest gameday slideshow can pop up in your feed. From funny videos to sports statistics updates to news, Instagram Reels has it all.
On Instagram Reels, trends seem to take a secondary role to creativity. The vast majority of videos seen on TikTok follow the same trends, making TikTok scrolling feel like watching parodies of the same movie on an endless loop. By contrast, niche content dominates Reels, offering a diverse range of entertainment. Stumbling upon a small creator with fewer than one hundred followers feels like an hourly experience, not like a diamond in the rough. Because it encourages finding new, niche creators, Instagram Reel’s diverse feed makes each doomscroll session feel like an adventure. It is impossible not to find one’s niche, with the algorithm morphing to cater to highly specific interests, from local sports fanatics like @drakemayelover to stellar singers such as @heyitsnogood. The last and most prominent feature of Instagram Reels is the community. Aside from the hilarious videos on Instagram Reels, one can open the comment section to unleash another tsunami of rebounded jokes. Instagram users amplify the humor in the comment sections by using GIFs that perfectly reflect their emotions, making references, and adding new layers to the joke, turning one video into a collaborative burst of laughter. Seeing Instagram’s success, TikTok scrambled to add the feature of commenting on photos. Even then, these lackluster, single-frame, off-brand GIFs fall flat in comparison to Reels, solidifying its dominance over TikTok. Keep the trendy dances over on TikTok; Reels is where the real doomscrollers break the chains of life to scroll.
TikTok:
TikTok is where the best scrolling happens. It might fall under the same trap of reels where hours disappear at your fingertips, but the time in that doomscroll becomes an effortless bliss. The content itself is more funny, niche, and unique. Instagram Reels has good content, but it’s almost always a copy of a better version on a better platform. That is to say, TikTok is better in three categories: discovery, creativity, and depth.
First, TikTok excels at finding content you did not know you wanted. Reels usually play it safe, leaning into familiar creators or echo chambers of videos all with the same theme. TikTok’s feed feels more precise and more daring. It does not just show you popular stuff; it finds small, undiscovered videos that it knows you will find engaging. One minute you are watching a Drake Maye edit, the next you are watching Bird Game 3 updates. TikTok does not just match your interests; it expands them, and that immerses you in a World of rot.
Second, TikTok has more original creativity, whereas reels rely on copying or reuploads. On reels, trends get repeated tirelessly until the format loses any humor it had. TikTok trends do spread, but the platform rewards people for twisting them. This enables TikTok to have better content, remixes, stitches, duets, and edits that give each scroll a refreshing spin. Even when two videos start from the same idea, they often end in totally different places because each creator is rewarded for adding a unique touch to their video.
Third, TikTok content tends to have more substance. Reels are great for mindless clips or edits, but these videos are constantly repeated and saturated. TikTok has that too, but it also has creators who explain, teach, and engagingly tell stories. There is a reason people go to TikTok to understand new trends and get information faster. It is short-form, but it is not empty. It can be funny and still have a point, which is a rare combination online.
Reels are fine when you want a quick break between homework. But when it comes to the actual feed, the one that consistently delivers interesting content and makes every scroll feel like it could turn up something new, TikTok is ahead. Reels can be used to fill up small gaps in time, but if you want to really doomscroll, you need to be using TikTok.
