# Open Source Perplexity Computer Alternative — Self-Host Kortix

Open source · self-hosted · your keys

# The open source Perplexity Computer alternative

Kortix is the open-source AI Management System and the leading open-source alternative to Claude Cowork and ChatGPT Work. Your agents, their skills, your company memory and every connector live in one git repo you own, self-hosted on your laptop, your VPC or on-prem, with any model and your own keys. Perplexity Computer is a capable cloud agent, but it is closed, cloud-only and tied to a $200/month Max plan.

[Self-host open-source Kortix](https://kortix.com)[Compare alternatives](/alternatives.html)

kortix session · isolated linux machine

you › research the alternatives and draft the launch post

planning · 4 steps · model: your key

✓ sandbox booted · branch launch-post

✓ 3,000+ apps online · credentials brokered server-side

… 2 more steps

+ change request #12 — a human reads the diff before it lands

$200/mo Perplexity Max floor for Perplexity Computer

$0 Kortix software — free to self-host

3,000+ apps, plus any MCP, OpenAPI, GraphQL or HTTP API

Claude OpenAI Gemini 3,000+ apps MCP · OpenAPI · GraphQL Self-host or cloud

The short version

## What “open source Perplexity Computer alternative” means

The phrase gets attached to three different products: a chat answer engine, a knowledge workspace, and a true agent that acts on your computer. Perplexity Computer is the third kind. This site compares only tools that can act on your behalf and be self-hosted.

|
| Project | Kortix | OpenClaw | Eigent | Claude Cowork | Perplexity Computer

| open source | Yes Elastic License 2.0 — self-host, read and modify the code | Yes MIT | Yes Apache 2.0 | No | No

| self-host | Yes — laptop, VPS, VPC or on-prem | Yes — your machine | Yes — Docker | No | No

| models | Any, your keys | Any (plugins) | Any / local | Anthropic only | 19 hosted, auto-routed

| cost floor | $0 software; pay compute + model | $0 | $0 self-host | Pro / Max plan | $200/mo Max + credits

Licence and capability statements reflect each project's own documentation and public repositories, September 2026.

Why Kortix

## Why teams switch to open-source Kortix

◆

### One git repo you own

Agents, skills, company memory, connector config and triggers are files — grep it, diff any change, roll it back.

◆

### Every tool the company runs on

3,000+ apps plus any MCP, OpenAPI, GraphQL or HTTP API, with credentials brokered server-side and allow / ask / block per tool call.

◆

### Any model, your keys

Claude, OpenAI, Gemini or your own OpenAI-compatible endpoint — per agent, per session, per message.

◆

### A real agent harness

Planning, tool use and multi-step runs that finish, powered by OpenCode, with permissions per tool down to a single command.

◆

### Every session gets its own computer

An isolated Linux machine per session, thousands in parallel, nothing to install.

◆

### One gate to land work

Start agents from web, Slack, Teams, email, mobile, CLI, API, cron or webhooks — work lands as a change request a human reads as a diff.

How it works

## Self-host in three steps

### Install

Run `curl -fsSL https://kortix.com/install | bash` on a laptop, VPS, VPC or on-prem host. No managed service required.

### Connect

Bring your own model keys and connect 3,000+ apps or any MCP, OpenAPI, GraphQL or HTTP API. Credentials stay brokered server-side.

### Run and review

Every session boots an isolated Linux machine. Work lands as a change request a human reads as a diff — deny by default.

Kortix is open source (Elastic License 2.0) — self-host, read and modify the code. [Kortix on GitHub](https://github.com/kortix-ai/suna).

Cost

## The $200/month floor, removed

### Perplexity Computer

Closed, cloud-only, and gated behind Perplexity Max at $200/month plus per-task credits. No self-hosted edition, no bring-your-own-key.

### Kortix, self-hosted

Software $0. You pay only for the compute you run and any model API you choose — no per-seat subscription underneath.

[Price the gap with the cost calculator →](/perplexity-computer-pricing.html)

## Quick FAQ

### Is Perplexity Computer open source?
No. Perplexity Computer is a closed, cloud-only product available to Perplexity Max subscribers. There is no self-hosted edition. Kortix is the open-source alternative: read, fork and modify the code.

### What is the best open-source alternative to Perplexity Computer?
Kortix. It is the open-source AI Management System and the leading open-source alternative to Claude Cowork and ChatGPT Work: one git repo you own, 3,000+ connectors, any model with your keys, and a change request a human reviews before work lands.

### Can I run a Perplexity Computer alternative locally?
Yes. Kortix self-hosts on a laptop, a VPS, your VPC or on-prem, and so do OpenClaw, Eigent, AnythingLLM and Vellum. See the [self-hosting guide](/self-hosting.html).

## Own your agents — open source

One git repo for the whole company system, any model with your keys, and a human gate on every change.

[Get open-source Kortix](https://kortix.com)

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Source: https://opensourceperplexitycomputer.com/