Comparison · reviewed September 2026

embeddd vs Are.na

Are.na and embeddd both avoid the ad-driven feed. Are.na is built around connecting ideas — often in public, alongside a community. embeddd is built around a private, visual working library for projects.

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No credit card · Free to start · Private by default

embeddd

Private boards and projects for visual references, with saved video, notes, and colour search.

Are.na

Channels of connected blocks, where one block can live in many channels, with a community of public channels.

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.

embeddd and Are.na, side by side

Feature comparison: embeddd and Are.na
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.

The same job, two ways

How common tasks look in each.

Collecting for research

embeddd: Save into a board per theme inside a project; tags become tabs.
Are.na: Save blocks into channels and connect the same block to several channels.

Finding others’ collections

embeddd: Not built for it: there’s no public directory or following.
Are.na: Browse and follow public channels from other people.

Public by culture vs. private by default

Are.na channels can be open, closed or private, and much of its value comes from public channels. embeddd has no public directory: boards are private until you share a link.

Visual first

embeddd’s masonry grid keeps each picture’s shape and plays saved Reels and TikToks. Are.na shows channels as grids of blocks and treats text, links and files as equals to images.

Who each is for

embeddd makes sense if…

You want a private working library per client or project
Your references are mostly visual, including short video
You want notes and to-dos beside references

Are.na makes sense if…

You value connecting blocks across channels
You want to collect in public and follow others
You collect as much text and files as images

Where Are.na shines

Research that benefits from connections between collections
Collecting in public and following others’ channels
Text, links and files as much as images

Questions

Can a card be on two boards at once in embeddd?

No. A card lives on one board; save the reference again on another board if you need it in two places.

Does embeddd have a community?

No public community or feed — by design.

Keep reading

Try embeddd alongside what you use now.

Save a few references this week and see where they end up.

Start collecting for free

No credit card · Free to start · Private by default