kitio.aiOpen Notebook vs SurfSense
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Open Notebook is completely free, while SurfSense is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Multi-format source import
- AI summaries and insights
- Podcast generator
- Choice of AI models
- Privacy controls
- Runs fully offline
- Local models or your own keys
- Windows, macOS and Linux app
- Scraper plugins
- Web crawler
- No account needed
| Feature | Open Notebook | SurfSense |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source, self-hosted research notebook with AI podcasts | Private, open-source research notebook that runs on your own machine |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium |
| Starting price | Free | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes |
| Made by | Open Notebook contributors | SurfSense |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Open Notebook is completely free, while SurfSense is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Free
Free
- Full app on Windows, macOS, Linux
- Runs offline
- 14-day plugin licence
Individual
$60 first year, then $120/yr
- All scraper plugins
- Web crawler
- Priority support
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Open Notebook
- Free and MIT licensed
- Keeps data under your control
- Works with the models you pick
- You must install and host it yourself
- Model API costs are on you
- Smaller feature set than hosted rivals
SurfSense
- Data never leaves your machine
- Free app with no usage cap
- Source code is public
- Plugins and support need a licence
- You supply the model or keys
- Moving to a local app changes older setups
Which one should you choose?
Choose Open Notebook if you want:
- Free and MIT licensed
- Keeps data under your control
- Works with the models you pick
Watch out: you must install and host it yourself.
Choose SurfSense if you want:
- Data never leaves your machine
- Free app with no usage cap
- Source code is public
Watch out: plugins and support need a licence.
Open Notebook vs SurfSense FAQ
What is the difference between Open Notebook and SurfSense?
Open Notebook: Open-source, self-hosted research notebook with AI podcasts. SurfSense: Private, open-source research notebook that runs on your own machine. Both are research & search tools.
Is Open Notebook or SurfSense cheaper?
Open Notebook is completely free, while SurfSense is freemium.
Do Open Notebook and SurfSense have free plans?
Open Notebook: Yes, fully free. SurfSense: Yes.
Who makes Open Notebook?
Open Notebook is made by Open Notebook contributors.
Who makes SurfSense?
SurfSense is made by SurfSense.
Which should I choose, Open Notebook or SurfSense?
Choose Open Notebook if you value free and mit licensed and keeps data under your control. Choose SurfSense if you value data never leaves your machine and free app with no usage cap.