Writing & notes
surf
An AI notebook that holds your files, the web and your notes together
★ 3.6k
August 2026
Apache-2.0
Writing & notes
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 9 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 2 Sept 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 52 tools we list in Writing & notes
- Works without using a terminal38 of 52
- No API key required27 of 52
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed39 of 52
- Sends your input to the provider11 that do not →
Only 13 of the 52 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Keeps PDFs, web pages and your own writing in one place so you can move between them while thinking, rather than juggling tabs and pasting fragments into a document. Data is stored locally in open formats, which means you can still get at it if you stop using the app. Desktop builds for Mac, Windows and Linux, no command line. Check which AI features send content to an external service before putting sensitive material in, and expect the design to keep shifting - it is young and actively developed.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineNot required
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineYes
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
surf FAQ
- Is surf free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use surf?
- You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.
- Does surf work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use surf commercially?
- The licence is Apache-2.0, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| surf (this page) | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | No | Yes |
| llm-wiki-compiler | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| prompts.chat | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | No | With conditions |
| AppFlowy | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.