Alternatives · reviewed September 2026
Are.na alternatives for private visual research
Are.na is loved for its calm, ad-free approach and its community. If you want the calm without the public part — and a more visual board for client work — embeddd is worth a look.
No credit card · Free to start · Private by default
Packaging
Casting
Product
Colour
Locations
TravelWhat Are.na is
A platform for collecting and connecting ideas: blocks (images, text, links, files) gathered into channels, where one block can live in many channels, alongside a community of public channels.
It’s a good fit for:
- Research that benefits from connections between collections
- Collecting in public and following others’ channels
- Text, links and files as much as images
Why people look for an alternative
- You want everything private by default
- Your research is mostly images and short video
- You organize by client or project
How embeddd differs
Private, with no directory
There’s no public side to embeddd. Share a board as a link when you decide to.
A visual grid
Pictures keep their proportions; Reels and TikToks play on the board.
Projects and notes
Boards group into projects, with rich notes beside the references.
Feature comparison
| Feature | embeddd | Are.na |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Collecting and organizing your own references | Collecting and connecting ideas into channels |
| Layout | Masonry grid of cards; boards inside projects | Grid of equal blocks per channel |
| Reels and TikToks | Instagram, TikTok and YouTube posts saved as their own photos and videos | Links and uploads; not built to keep its own copy of a Reel or TikTok |
| Where it runs | Web app for desktop and mobile browsers; iPhone share-sheet Shortcut | Web, mobile apps, browser extension |
| Privacy | Private by default; no public feed, no ads | Channels can be open, closed or private; private channels are limited on the free plan (see are.na) |
| Notes | Rich-text note cards on the board; titles and descriptions on every card | Text blocks and descriptions |
| Search | Across all boards by text, tag and colour | Search across your channels and public Are.na |
| Sharing | View-only links for boards and projects; editors and viewers by invite | Public channels and collaborators |
| Price | Free plan with unlimited boards and 5 GB; Pro $7/month for 50 GB | Free plan and Premium (see are.na) |
Details about Are.na are based on its public website, reviewed September 2026. Plans and features change — check are.na for current details.
embeddd makes sense if…
- Client work that must stay private
- Visual-first research
- You want colour search
Staying with Are.na makes sense if…
- You value connecting blocks across channels
- You enjoy the community and public channels
Other Are.na alternatives
Different tools for different jobs — each worth a look.
- Raindrop.io
For link-heavy research with highlights and full-text search.
Compare with embeddd → - Milanote
For planning on a freeform canvas.
Compare with embeddd → - Eagle
For a large local library on your computer.
Compare with embeddd →
Questions
Is embeddd ad-free like Are.na?
Yes. No ads, no feed.
Keep reading
Related
Start your first board.
Save a Reel, drop a picture, paste a link. It takes a minute.
No credit card · Free to start · Private by default