AI agents
SurfSense
Live-web research with connectors, citations and scheduled runs
★ 16k
August 2026
Not stated
AI agents
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 23 Aug 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE) and found conditions attached to how it may be used.
- 31 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 114 tools we list in AI agents
- Requires terminal commands21 that do not →
- Requires an API key29 that do not →
- Sends your input to the provider11 that do not →
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Pulls structured data from Reddit, YouTube, Amazon, Google Maps, Search, Indeed and arbitrary pages through one API or MCP server, then turns findings into briefs and alerts on a schedule or a trigger, with everything kept searchable and cited. Two things to settle first: the licence is BSL, so production use is restricted for a period, and automated collection has to respect each source's terms. Docs in five languages.
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 lineRequired
- API keyRequired
- Sends data onlineYes
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
SurfSense FAQ
- Is SurfSense free?
- SurfSense itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use SurfSense?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does SurfSense work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use SurfSense commercially?
- Only under conditions. The page shows 記載なし, but the actual terms — the AI model this page runs, or the provider's own terms — attach restrictions. Check the provider's terms before using it at work.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurfSense (this page) | Required | Required | Yes | No | With conditions |
| openclaw | Required | Required | Yes | No | Not verified |
| AutoGPT | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| langflow | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.