Are.na vs guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Are.na
This platform allows creatives and researchers to save and organize any type of content into collections. It provides a distraction-free space to connect and build ideas, fostering collaboration and community. It is independent, ad-free, and algorithm-free.
- Save any content type
- Organize into collections
- Distraction-free space
- Collaborate on projects
- Share ideas privately or publicly
- Thoughtful community
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Since 2011, Are.na has been the platform of choice for creative researchers, designers, artists, academics, and rabbit-hole enthusiasts. Completely independent, free from ads, algorithms, and unhealthy business practices, Are.na is a calm, thoughtful space for you to connect your ideas and build new ones. - Save any kind of content into collections. - Organize links, videos, images, and texts in a clean, distraction-free space. - Share ideas and collaborate on projects with anyone, anywhere. - Invite friends to work together privately or in public. - Tap into a thoughtful community where curiosity is valued. - Break out of your filter bubble. Are.na is powered by people, not ads.
guide
A social platform designed for individuals to share their interests and thoughts without the negativity of traditional social media. It aims to foster a positive environment where people can express themselves authentically.
- Share interests and ideas
- Human-centric social space
- Free from trolling
- Ad-free experience
- Positive community
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There’s so much that’s good about the internet. But it’s harder and harder to simply show up as a human with interests and ideas. At guide:human, we’re creating a space where individuals share the things they’re into and the thoughts they’re having, free from the trolling and clickbait behavior of traditional social media. We believe that humans are good—we’re building a space where we can act that way.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Are.na at 315 against guide's 4. guide's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Are.na against 5.0 for guide. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Are.na has 315 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Are.na ships an update every 4 weeks, guide every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Are.na | guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (315 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 52.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 315 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 570 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | When It Changed Inc. | Guide Human Inc. |
Customer experience
Are.na
guide
Bugs and requests
Are.na
Reported bugs
5 issues- Inability to login or sign up
- Blocks not loading or duplicating
- App crashing when viewing GIFs/animations
- Inconsistent behavior across iOS versions
- Navigation issues due to 'Dynamic Island'
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to sort channels by connections
- Landscape mode support on iPad
- Password reset functionality
- Multiple image/video uploads
- Improved channel management
guide
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Are.na
No in-app purchases
guide
No in-app purchases
