# SurfSense

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

**Replaces:** NotebookLM

**Tier:** Medium

## 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.

## Stack

- [SurfSense](https://github.com/MODSetter/SurfSense) — Apache-2.0 core research notebook (skip BUSL proprietary)
- [WeKnora](https://github.com/Tencent/WeKnora) — LLM knowledge/RAG platform if that is the shape
- [Onyx](https://github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx) — MIT community chat and search — skip ee/

## Estimated SaaS cost saved

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

**About $1,200 / year** on a small team, before you count lock-in.

## Deploy on Railway

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.

[Start on Railway](https://c17.io/go/railway/surfsense-research?from=%2Fstacks%2Fsurfsense-research.md)

[Docmost if this is a team wiki, not a research notebook](https://c17.io/stacks/docmost-wiki)

## AGENT_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.
```

## 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.

Source: https://c17.io/stacks/surfsense-research