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SurfSense vs Petal: catalog facts
SurfSense	Petal
Free Free and open source to self-host.	Freemium Free to start, with paid options for more use.
Web, Self-hosted	Web
Can run air-gapped with your data kept private Answers questions over your own documents and connected sources	Answers cite the source documents Document storage with automatic metadata extraction
Requires setting up and maintaining your own server Fast pace of change can mean frequent updates	Documents are stored in Petal's cloud Requires an account
Self-hosted	Web application
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Account needed
Works offline	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 26, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 26, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.