kitio.aiSurfSense vs Profundo
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. SurfSense starts at See pricing page and Profundo starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Runs fully offline
- Local models or your own keys
- Windows, macOS and Linux app
- Scraper plugins
- Web crawler
- No account needed
- Automated data collection
- Report generation
- Editable outlines
- News, scholar and web search
- Enterprise data integrations
| Feature | SurfSense | Profundo |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Private, open-source research notebook that runs on your own machine | AI research assistant that gathers data and writes reports |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Made by | SurfSense | Profundo Inc. |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
SurfSense starts at See pricing page and Profundo starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
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
2 plans
Individual
Pay as you go
- News, scholar and web search
- Edit outline and summary
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Custom data sources integration
- All individual plan features
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
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
Profundo
- Pay as you go for individuals
- Searches scholarly and web sources
- Editable outline before the final report
- Pay-as-you-go rates aren't shown
- Little detail on how sources are verified
Which one should you choose?
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.
Choose Profundo if you want:
- Pay as you go for individuals
- Searches scholarly and web sources
- Editable outline before the final report
Watch out: pay-as-you-go rates aren't shown.
SurfSense vs Profundo FAQ
What is the difference between SurfSense and Profundo?
SurfSense: Private, open-source research notebook that runs on your own machine. Profundo: AI research assistant that gathers data and writes reports. Both are research & search tools.
Is SurfSense or Profundo cheaper?
SurfSense starts at See pricing page and Profundo starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do SurfSense and Profundo have free plans?
SurfSense: Yes. Profundo: No.
Who makes SurfSense?
SurfSense is made by SurfSense.
Who makes Profundo?
Profundo is made by Profundo Inc..
Which should I choose, SurfSense or Profundo?
Choose SurfSense if you value data never leaves your machine and free app with no usage cap. Choose Profundo if you value pay as you go for individuals and searches scholarly and web sources.