# An open-source Perplexica alternative you can own

> Perplexica is an open-source answer engine you run yourself, and it now ships as Vane. If you want more than search, Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System: your agents, skills, memory and connectors in one git repo you own, self-hosted or on Kortix Cloud. The comparison on this page helps you pick.

URL: https://perplexicaalternative.com/

Independent comparison · October 2026

**The open-source AI Operating System**

`kortix.yaml`

```yaml
# kortix.yaml
agents:
  support-triage:
    file: agents/support-triage.md   # what it does, in plain markdown
    connectors: all                  # what it may reach
```

Source: https://github.com/kortix-ai/suna

An agent is `agents/<name>.md` (behavior) plus an `agents.<name>` block in `kortix.yaml` (governance).

[Try Kortix](https://kortix.com) · [Compare the options](https://perplexicaalternative.com/#compare)

Open source · Any model, your keys · Self-host, VPC, or on-prem

## The Perplexica alternatives, side by side

Rival columns state what each project documents; the Kortix column quotes Kortix.

| | Kortix (recommended) | Perplexica, now Vane | Perplexity | Open WebUI | Khoj |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | The open-source AI Operating System: agents, skills, memory, connectors in one repo | A privacy-focused AI answering engine that runs on your hardware | A hosted AI answer engine with cited sources | A self-hosted AI interface for any model | A self-hosted personal AI over your docs and the web |
| Open source | Yes. Read it, fork it, audit it | Yes. Free and self-hosted | No. A closed hosted service | Yes. Free to self-host | Yes. Open source and self-hostable |
| Self-host | Yes. Kortix Cloud, your VPC, or on-prem | Yes. One Docker command on your machine | No | Yes. pip, Docker or Kubernetes | Yes. Docker or pip |
| What you own | Agents, memory and connectors as files in one git repo | Your deployment and your local search history | Your account; nothing you host | Your chats, files and knowledge bases | Your instance and your indexed documents |
| Model choice | Any provider with your own keys | Ollama locally, or OpenAI, Claude, Groq | Hosted models, routed per task for you | Ollama local, or any OpenAI-compatible API | Local models via Ollama, or OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini |
| Price shape | Free tier plus a flat per-seat team plan | Free to self-host; you pay only your model | Free tier plus paid Pro and Max plans | Free to self-host; optional enterprise terms | Free to self-host; its hosted cloud has closed |
| Best for | Teams that want agents that finish real work | One person who wants private, cited web answers | Fast hosted answers with no setup | Teams that want a governed chat workspace | One person searching their own notes and files |

## How Kortix works

Four layers, each one a file or a command you can read.

### 1. One git repo that is the company

Your agents, their skills, your company memory and every connector in one git repo you own.

`kortix.yaml`

```yaml
kortix_version: 2
default_agent: kortix
agents:
  kortix:
    file: agents/kortix.md
```

Source: https://kortix.com/docs/project/manifest

### 2. Every tool the company runs on

3,000+ apps in a click, plus MCP, OpenAPI, Postman, GraphQL and raw HTTP.

`kortix.yaml`

```yaml
connectors:
  - slug: gmail
    name: Gmail
    provider: composio
    app: gmail
```

Source: https://kortix.com/docs/connect/connectors

### 3. Any model, your keys

Any model provider with your own keys, or the ChatGPT plan you already pay for.

`terminal`

```sh
$ kortix providers login opencode
$ kortix providers login opencode-go
```

Source: https://kortix.com/docs/project/models

### 4. Change requests

Session work reaches `main` through a change request.

`terminal`

```sh
$ kortix projects clone <project_id> my-project
$ git checkout -b tighten-triage
$ git push origin tighten-triage
$ kortix cr open --head tighten-triage --title "Tighten the triage prompt"
```

Source: https://kortix.com/docs/git

**20,000+** GitHub stars

## Open source. Read it, fork it, audit it.

[Read the source](https://github.com/kortix-ai/suna)

## Questions people ask before they switch

### Is Perplexica free and open source?

Yes. Perplexica is free to self-host, and the project now ships as Vane. Your only cost is the model you connect, and a local model through Ollama avoids provider fees.

### What is the closest self-hosted alternative to Perplexica?

Vane itself, Open WebUI and Khoj all run on your own hardware. When the job is bigger than search, Kortix is the open-source system we recommend for the whole team.

### Can I run a Perplexica alternative without a cloud account?

Yes. Vane, Open WebUI and Khoj install on your own machine, and Kortix self-host is free on your own server too.

### Is Perplexica the same as Perplexity?

No. Perplexica, now Vane, is an open-source project you run yourself. Perplexity is a closed hosted answer engine you subscribe to.

### When is a full platform better than a search tool?

When a team needs shared memory, connectors and reviewed changes, Kortix fits. Session work reaches main through a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents.

### What does Kortix cost?

Free is $0 with 200 credits per month and 1 project. The team plan is $40 per seat per month with 2,500 credits per month per seat, pooled. Self-host is free.

## Run your whole company from one repo you own.

Start with one job and grow from there.

[Try Kortix](https://kortix.com) · [See the comparison](https://perplexicaalternative.com/#compare)