Surya vs 
Crawl4AI
Surya vs Crawl4AI compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Modern OCR with layout detection vs Open-source LLM-friendly crawler.
Updated regularly · curated by OpenSourceAI.tech
Surya vs Crawl4AI at a glance
| Spec | Surya | Crawl4AI |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document AI & OCR | Document AI & OCR |
| Type | OCR toolkit | Web crawler for LLMs |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Runs locally | Yes | Yes |
| Primary language | Python | Python |
| Ease of use | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Best for | developers who need OCR beyond plain text | developers who want a free, local Firecrawl alternative |
| GitHub stars | — | — |
How Surya and Crawl4AI score
| Criterion | Surya | Crawl4AI |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | n/a | n/a |
| Maintenance | n/a | n/a |
| Ease of use | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Privacy | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| License freedom | 3.5 | 5.0 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
Surya
Surya is a modern OCR toolkit providing text recognition in 90+ languages plus layout analysis, reading order and table detection.
- 90+ languages with strong accuracy
- Layout, reading order and table detection
- Runs locally on modest GPUs
Crawl4AI
Crawl4AI is a fast, fully open-source crawler that outputs LLM-friendly Markdown with smart extraction strategies, built to run entirely on your own machine.
- 100% free and local, no API key
- LLM-ready Markdown with extraction strategies
- Async and fast, browser-based crawling
Key differences
Surya is oCR toolkit, while Crawl4AI is web crawler for LLMs. Their licenses differ (GPL-3.0 vs Apache-2.0), which matters if you ship a commercial product. In short, Surya fits developers who need OCR beyond plain text, and Crawl4AI fits developers who want a free, local Firecrawl alternative.
Which should you choose?
Choose Surya for developers who need OCR beyond plain text. Choose Crawl4AI for developers who want a free, local Firecrawl alternative.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is Surya or Crawl4AI easier to use?
Both sit at a similar level (Intermediate). Your choice should come down to fit rather than difficulty.
Are Surya and Crawl4AI free?
Surya is free and open source (GPL-3.0), and Crawl4AI is free and open source (Apache-2.0). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run Surya and Crawl4AI locally?
Surya: yes · Crawl4AI: yes. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
Surya vs Crawl4AI — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose Surya for developers who need OCR beyond plain text. Choose Crawl4AI for developers who want a free, local Firecrawl alternative.
People also compare
Explore more open-source AI
Browse thousands of open-source AI tools, models and projects — all curated in one place, updated daily.
Explore the directory →