Best Open Source Alternatives to NotebookLM

Compare the best free and open-source alternatives to NotebookLM — self-hosted and desktop replacements you fully control, ranked by GitHub stars, license and platform support.

Curated by open-source.store · Updated November 2026 · 3 alternatives

NotebookLM

Proprietary SaaS

NotebookLM alternatives compared

Open-source alternatives to NotebookLM, compared by stars, license and platform
Tool		License	Platforms	Self-hosted
Open-Notebook	41,480	MIT	Web	No	Nov 2026	Visit
SurfSense	16,753	Apache-2.0	DockerLinux	Yes	Nov 2026	Visit
Deta Surf	3,617	Apache-2.0	LinuxmacOSWindows	No	Aug 2026	Visit

Top open-source NotebookLM alternatives

Open-Notebook41,480MIT

Open-Notebook is a self-hosted alternative to NotebookLM for document research, offering multi-model support, private data storage, and custom podcasts.

Web

vs NotebookLM: a free, open-source option you fully control, licensed MIT.

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EasyP

Promoted

The modern standard for Protobuf workflows

Lint, codegen, breaking-change checks and dependency management in one Git-native CLI. Open source, no registry lock-in.

lintgeneratebreakingeasyp.lock

go · ts · java generated

$ easyp breaking

backward compatible

SurfSense16,753Apache-2.0

SurfSense is an open-source NotebookLM alternative with live web connectors and local LLM support for self-hosted AI research.

DockerLinux

vs NotebookLM: a free, open-source option you fully control, licensed Apache-2.0.

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Deta Surf3,617Apache-2.0

Deta Surf replaces Google NotebookLM with an open-source, local-first AI notebook that organizes web research, PDFs, and notes without cloud lock-in.

LinuxmacOSWindows

vs NotebookLM: a free, open-source option you fully control, licensed Apache-2.0.

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