The Are.na Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Are.na in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Are.na
The Insider’s Guide
Save and connect images, links and notes in shared channels
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among read-later and bookmark apps, read from Are.na’s own pages.
Made by Are.na · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Are.na’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Are.na’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 1 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade
Are.na is a platform for saving photos, notes, files and web pages as blocks inside channels that can be private, closed or open to anyone. It carries no ads or personalized recommendations and says it is sustained by its members' paid subscriptions.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Are.na, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Channels and connections take learning before they feel natural.
- 1
Best for saving images, links and notes in shared collections
Are.na saves images, links and notes into channels that you can keep private or share, with a browser extension and apps.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5.83 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $7 per month, or $70 per year.
- 3
There is a free plan
Guest plan: up to 200 blocks, open, closed or private channels, and collaborators on channels.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Blocks and channels
Anything saved is a block, and blocks live in channels you can edit, rearrange and search. One block can be reused in many channels.
- 6
Browser extensions
Chrome, Firefox and Safari extensions save pages, selected text and images to a channel; screenshots work on Chrome and Firefox.
- 7
Channel privacy and collaboration
Channels can be open to anyone, closed to collaborators only, or private. Inviting collaborators is included on every plan.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 1 of 52
That is against the other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Are.na you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Are.na at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $7 per month, or $70 per year
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Are.na
- Category
- Read Later & Bookmarks
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for saving images, links and notes in shared collections
Are.na saves images, links and notes into channels that you can keep private or share, with a browser extension and apps. The free Guest plan stops at 200 blocks, and table view, presentation mode and full-text extraction need Premium at $7 a month.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Premium is $7 a month or $70 a year, around $5.83 a month, between the middle of $3.99 and the dearer quarter at $7. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Guest plan allows up to 200 blocks, and saving a block to several channels counts once per channel. |
| Features | C | Blocks, channels, browser extensions, collaboration, an open API and no ads. Table view, presentation mode and full-text extraction are Premium. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Channels and connections take learning before they feel natural. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, a browser extension, iOS and Android, with an open API. No desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Are.na is for
- Fits if you collect images and links for research or design
- Works for a small group that shares channels
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay free: 200 blocks, and one block in several channels counts for each
- Pricey if you want table view or presentation mode, which are Premium at $7 a month
- Watch out: import from other services and bulk operations are Supporter only, at $120 a year
- Skip it if you want priority support, as that is a Premium feature
Good to know
Good for
- Designers and researchers collecting references over a long time
- Groups building a shared collection in a channel
- People who want to build their own tools on an open API
Worth knowing
- The free Guest plan stops at 200 blocks, and saving one block to several channels counts once per channel.
- Table view, presentation mode and full-text extraction of saved articles need Premium.
- Import from other services and bulk operations are Supporter-only.
- Priority support is a Premium feature; the free plan has no priority line.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5.83
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Are.na has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7 per month, or $70 per year.
Guest
$0
Up to 200 blocks, with channels that are open, closed or private and collaborators invited to channels.
Premium
$7
per month, billed monthly ($70 billed yearly)
Unlimited blocks, table view, presentation mode, advanced search filters, full-text extraction and priority support.
Supporter
$120
per year
Everything in Premium plus higher API rate limits, bulk operations, import from other services and a custom profile URL.
The free plan
Guest plan: up to 200 blocks, open, closed or private channels, and collaborators on channels.
Read from are.na on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
50% off Premium for students
The about page says students get 50% off any Premium plan for two years; teachers can ask for custom discounts for a class.
Stated on are.naAnnual discount
Save 17% on Premium with yearly billing
The pricing section shows Premium at $7 a month or $70 a year and labels the yearly option a 17% saving.
Stated on are.na
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Save and connect images, links and notes in shared channels. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, real-time collaboration, web clipper, research, bookmarks.
Blocks, channels, browser extensions, collaboration, an open API and no ads.
- Blocks and channels
- Anything saved is a block, and blocks live in channels you can edit, rearrange and search. One block can be reused in many channels.
- Browser extensions
- Chrome, Firefox and Safari extensions save pages, selected text and images to a channel; screenshots work on Chrome and Firefox.
- Channel privacy and collaboration
- Channels can be open to anyone, closed to collaborators only, or private. Inviting collaborators is included on every plan.
- Open API
- A public API and developer library are available on all plans; Supporter raises the rate limits.
- Table view and presentation mode
- Premium adds a table view of a channel and a presentation mode, along with advanced search filters.
- No ads
- The site says there are no ads and no personalized recommendations; what you see comes from the network you follow.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Are.na is made by Are.na.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/52
Other read-later and bookmark apps it is graded above
Are.na's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 1 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 17 of 52) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5.83 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $3.33 for the category: 24 of the 32 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 20 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 53 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Are.na’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 52
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 52
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 52
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 52
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 17 of 52
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 read-later and bookmark apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Are.na is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Are.na you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 46 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps grade higher. It costs $70 a year.
What you could make
- Bookmarks and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. Are.na’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Raindrop.io, Pearltrees, Wakelet, Pinboard and Glasp
The 5 tools Are.na is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Raindrop.io
Free plan · from $28/yr
Bookmark manager with collections, tags and highlights.
- Only Raindrop.io lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Are.na also covers web clipper and research.
- Raindrop.io also covers read later and highlights.
- 2.4GPA
Pearltrees
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Visual collections for organizing links, files and notes.
- Are.na also covers research.
- 2.2GPA
Wakelet
Free plan · from $11.99/mo
Visual collections for saving, sharing and presenting links.
- Only Are.na lists iOS and Android apps.
- Are.na also covers research.
- 2.2GPA
Pinboard
From $22/yr
Paid bookmarking site with tags, privacy and page archiving.
- Are.na has a free plan. Pinboard does not.
- Only Are.na lists iOS and Android apps.
- Are.na also covers web clipper and research.
- 2.4GPA
Glasp
Free plan · from $12.50/mo
Social web highlighter with AI summaries of videos and articles.
- Are.na also covers web clipper, research and bookmarks.
- Glasp also covers transcription, read later and highlights.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Are.na free?
Are.na has a free plan. Guest plan: up to 200 blocks, open, closed or private channels, and collaborators on channels.
How much does Are.na cost?
Are.na lists 3 plans. Guest: $0.
What platforms does Are.na work on?
Are.na is available on Web, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Are.na offer any discounts?
Are.na publicly lists the following: 50% off Premium for students; Save 17% on Premium with yearly billing.
Does Are.na have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Are.na is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Are.na have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Are.na is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Are.na open source?
Are.na is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Are.na have an API?
Yes. Are.na offers a public API, according to its own site.
Does Are.na have a student discount?
50% off Premium for students. The about page says students get 50% off any Premium plan for two years; teachers can ask for custom discounts for a class.
Who makes Are.na?
Are.na is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Are.na?
The closest alternatives to Are.na in our directory are Raindrop.io, Pearltrees, Wakelet, Pinboard and Glasp.
How does Are.na compare with other read-later and bookmark apps?
Are.na's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 1 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is Are.na good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Are.na C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5.83 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $3.33 for the category: 24 of the 32 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Are.na?
To replace Are.na you would be making a library of papers and sources to search.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Are.na’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Are.na's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Are.na. Prices change, so check are.na before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Are.na, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/arena
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Are.na: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/arena
Know someone choosing between read-later and bookmark apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/arena/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded read-later and bookmark apps after Are.na, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Read Later & Bookmarks Insider's GuideEvery one of the 53 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, compared
- FeedFlow Insider's GuideFree, open-source RSS reader for mobile and desktop3.2 GPA
- Flipboard Insider's GuideFree news aggregator built around topics and shared Magazines3.2 GPA
- Miniflux Insider's GuideMinimalist open-source feed reader, self-hosted or hosted3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Are.na’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Are.na is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Are.na. Prices and plans change: check are.na before you buy.