SurfSense or WeKnora?

SurfSense if you want the published NotebookLM path (skip BUSL proprietary). WeKnora if you want that knowledge/RAG box — /compare/surfsense-vs-weknora.

No. A team wiki is /replace/notion (Docmost). This page is a research notebook over sources.

SurfSense core is Apache-2.0 if you skip BUSL proprietary. You pay hosting and model tokens.

Stacks / AI chat

Medium

SurfSense

A research notebook you host. SurfSense core is Apache-2.0 — NotebookLM without the hosted notebook seat.

The problem

NotebookLM is Google's hosted research notebook over sources you upload. You wanted cited answers and connectors on a box you run. SurfSense is Apache-2.0 in the core (MODSetter/SurfSense) — skip the BUSL-1.1 proprietary directory. WeKnora is a knowledge/RAG platform (catalog license Other; GitHub license field unset). Onyx is MIT community chat/search — skip ee/. Docmost is the team wiki, not a notebook. This is not NotebookLM's every Gemini SKU or a hosted audio-overview product. Chat stays on /replace/chatgpt. A wiki stays on /replace/notion.

Replaces

NotebookLM

Replace NotebookLM See all best open-source research notebooks

Estimated SaaS saved

$1,200

per year, small team, before lock-in

Start on Railway

Docmost if this is a team wiki, not a research notebook

Sponsor this stack Tip jar

Placeholder: SurfSense (core; skip BUSL proprietary) plus a store for sources. You still pay model tokens. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. A team wiki stays on /stacks/docmost-wiki.

The stack

SurfSense
Apache-2.0 core research notebook (skip BUSL proprietary)
Catalog entry →
WeKnora
LLM knowledge/RAG platform if that is the shape
Catalog entry →
Onyx
MIT community chat and search — skip ee/
Catalog entry →

Cost table

You stop paying	Typical / year	Self-host instead
NotebookLM / hosted research notebook (small team)	$1,200	SurfSense core + tokens you already pay

Agent setup prompt

Replace NotebookLM with SurfSense (https://github.com/MODSetter/SurfSense).

- Official docs. Persist the store. Add one source and ask one cited question. Skip BUSL proprietary directories and do not call those OSS.
- WeKnora or Onyx if that shape is the job — /compare/surfsense-vs-weknora. A wiki stays on /stacks/docmost-wiki.
- Write AGENT_PROMPT.md.

Also as markdown: /stacks/surfsense-research.md

FAQ

SurfSense or WeKnora?: SurfSense if you want the published NotebookLM path (skip BUSL proprietary). WeKnora if you want that knowledge/RAG box — /compare/surfsense-vs-weknora.
Is this Notion?: No. A team wiki is /replace/notion (Docmost). This page is a research notebook over sources.
Are these free?: SurfSense core is Apache-2.0 if you skip BUSL proprietary. You pay hosting and model tokens.