Skip to content
effecthub

Sider vs SurfMind

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Sider starts at $10, SurfMind at $39. Both have a free tier.

SiderBrowser sidebar that puts GPT, Claude, Gemini, and other models next to any page you're reading.SurfMindBrowser extension that adds a context-aware AI chat, backed by 100+ models, to any web page

Side by side

FactSiderSurfMind
CategoryBrowser Extensions & CopilotsBrowser Extensions & Copilots
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$10 month$39 one_time
Public APINoNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome Ext, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidChrome Ext
CompanySider—
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 1, 2026

What our research says

Sider

Sider puts a chat panel on top of whatever page you're on, so you can ask about an article or PDF without copying it into a separate tab. The catch is that heavier use beyond the free daily cap needs a paid tier, and pricing quoted across review sites is inconsistent, so the entry price is worth confirming before committing.

Pros

  • Works as a sidebar on any web page rather than a separate chat tab
  • Routes one prompt to several models (GPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Grok)
  • Ships native apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac plus browser extensions
  • Can chat with PDFs and YouTube videos, not just plain text

Cons

  • Free tier is capped at a small number of daily uses
  • Independent pricing write-ups disagree on exact plan costs depending on where you check
  • No public API for developers

SurfMind

SurfMind's model list and one-time-payment Pro tier stand out in a category that is usually subscription-only, and support for bringing your own API key or local model means it is not locked to SurfMind's own usage limits. No company name is disclosed, and browser extensions with page-reading permissions carry more trust exposure than a typical web app, so that gap matters more here than for most tools in this batch.

Pros

  • Works across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Brave and Arc
  • One-time Pro purchase instead of a recurring subscription
  • Supports bringing your own API key or a local model, not just SurfMind's own quota
  • Free tier remains usable indefinitely, not just a trial

Cons

  • No company or founder name disclosed anywhere checked
  • A browser extension with page-reading and automation permissions is a meaningful trust decision about an anonymous vendor
  • No web or mobile app - functionality is entirely tied to having the extension installed

Which one fits

Choose Sider if you need

  • Reading and summarizing long articles or PDFs without leaving the page
  • Comparing answers from several models in one panel
  • People who want one subscription instead of several separate chatbot logins

Choose SurfMind if you need

  • Users who want an AI chat panel aware of whatever page they are on, across most major browsers
  • Anyone who would rather pay once for Pro than commit to a recurring AI subscription

More comparisons

Browse all Browser Extensions & Copilots →