Have a photo? Run a face search to identify

Surfface is a face-matching and people search engine that helps you find where a person’s photo appears online. It combines reverse image search, knowledge-based lookups, and facial analysis to deliver results. We index only publicly available data. Our approach is built on compliance and innovation. Where legally allowed, we may use facial recognition. In all other cases, we rely on non-biometric methods.

Here’s how it works:

1. Upload up to 5 face photos of a person: Start with a clear photo of the face you want to search. You can also add optional details like a name, email, or social handle. We work with more than just images. The more context you provide, the better the search can perform.


2. Parallel search lanes: Surfface scans public data sources like Instagram, TikTok, and others to look for matches. The system runs two types of searches in parallel:
   
   Image-led search finds exact and near-duplicate images from our internal index and external tools like Google and Yandex. It also uses non-biometric facial filtering to locate visually similar faces based on general traits like age group, hair color, or glasses. In certain jurisdictions, we may search a small vectorized facial database that does not store landmarks or biometric templates.
   
   Knowledge-led search looks for public clues like names, nicknames, usernames, emails, and locations. This helps uncover social profiles, online mentions, and related data connected to the face.
   
   As results come in, our system uses ranking logic and a curation engine powered by AI to surface the most relevant matches.


3. Access results: You’ll see matched profiles, names, and context, along with direct links to the websites or platforms where the images were found.

Surfface is built for responsible use. Every search is tied to a specific case and based only on public data. Whether you're verifying someone's identity, investigating image misuse, or protecting your own images, Surfface gives you powerful tools without crossing lines.

You can adjust your settings to focus on exact face matches or find visually similar people. This is a powerful tool. Please use it consciously and respectfully.

Yes. Surfface includes 4 free monthly searches so you can explore before spending money.

We believe this is the fairest way to try our face search. You can first see whether a search looks promising, then decide if unlocking the full result is worth it for you.

Our search process is resource-intensive and costly to run, so free usage is limited. That is why we offer a mix of free searches, one-time credit packs, and subscriptions for people who need more searches, more unlocks, and more flexibility every month.

Reverse image recognition is a search method that uses images instead of text. You upload a photo, and the system looks for visually similar images online, along with links to the pages where they appear. Most tools, like Google Images, analyze the entire photo and are not designed to recognize individual faces. While they can sometimes return helpful results, they are limited in scope. This is where Surfface takes it further.

Surfface is a dedicated face search engine built to find where a specific face appears across the public web. It goes beyond identifying image duplicates. Our system can recognize the same face under different conditions, such as new angles, lighting, hairstyles, or backgrounds. In addition to image matches, Surfface helps uncover public profiles, mentions, and other open-source data tied to the face.

Our search process includes three layers of face analysis. First, we run a standard reverse image search using image hashes to detect exact or near-duplicate matches. Then we apply context-based analysis to locate images that may include the same person, even when the photo has been edited or used in a different setting.

We also apply non-biometric facial analytics that rely on general traits like age range, facial hair, and glasses. This method surfaces visually similar faces without identifying individuals or storing biometric data. To improve ranking, we use a neural model that mimics how people naturally judge facial similarity without using biometric face data.

When needed, and only where legally allowed, we may apply ephemeral facial recognition to resolve uncertain matches. This process is temporary, case-specific, and does not store any biometric templates.

In some cases, we search a small, restricted database of vectorized facial characteristics. These cannot be used to reconstruct the original image and are accessed only when compliant and permitted.

This multi-layered approach increases processing time and cost, but it ensures results are accurate and compliant. To support deeper searches, we plan to introduce a token-based model so users can choose higher resource allocation when needed. Learn more about our search approach.

OSINT stands for Open Source Intelligence. It refers to the process of collecting and analyzing publicly available data from the internet and other open sources to generate actionable insights. This can include social media platforms, blogs, news articles, public records, forums, and other accessible websites.

Surfface leverages OSINT techniques to ethically gather and analyze information related to the faces found through searches. By using open data only, Surfface ensures that its search results are privacy-compliant while still offering powerful investigative capabilities. OSINT is commonly used in journalism, cybersecurity, law enforcement, due diligence, and personal investigations to find connections, verify identities, or uncover hidden information in a legal and responsible manner.

All data used by Surfface comes exclusively from open sources, such as social networks, news sites, blogs, public websites, and other freely accessible online platforms. We work only with publicly available information and do not access restricted or private data. Our search index continues to expand as the online landscape evolves. We also actively use third-party services, including traditional search engines like Google, to enhance coverage and accuracy. We're a search engine and OSINT orchestrator. Learn more about our search approach.

We accept major credit cards, debit cards, and other popular online payment methods. One-time credit purchases can also be paid in crypto. Enterprise customers have access to customized billing options and manually handled payments through our sales team.

Surfface prioritizes user privacy and follows global data protection standards. By default, we support the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal and handle publicly available information with care. Our practices are aligned with applicable privacy laws in each jurisdiction.

If you have a privacy concern or request, please visit our Privacy & Requests Center.