Facts checked · xAI
Grok Bot alternative: MausBot
An open source Grok Bot alternative: the same roster-of-bots idea, free and Apache 2.0, on your own machine, on the Claude, Codex and Grok accounts you have.
Grok Bot is xAI's roster of AI bots in a messaging app, Grok only, on one shared cloud computer, included with SuperGrok and Cursor plans. MausBot is the open source Grok Bot alternative: the same shape, free under Apache 2.0, with any model per bot, running on your own machine on the accounts you already have.
What Grok Bot is
Grok Bot has been in beta since August 11, 2026. Every contact is a named bot; bots share group chats of two to six, run routines, use templates from a marketplace, and can learn a task from a screen recording. All bots on an account share one cloud computer, and xAI's docs say not to treat separate bots as a security boundary. It ships on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Launched: Beta, August 11, 2026. Sources: xAI: Grok Bot is now included with more plans; Grok Bot docs: get started.
Why people look for a Grok Bot alternative
- Grok only: a Claude or ChatGPT subscription is useless inside it.
- One shared cloud computer per account; a stuck computer took every bot down in August, as staff confirmed on the Cursor forum.
- A weekly Grok Bot allowance whose size xAI does not publish, with overage billed at token rates.
- Cloud only: transcripts and logins live on xAI's servers, and there is no self-hosting.
- No free tier; the floor is a SuperGrok ($30) or Cursor Pro ($20) plan.
Grok Bot vs MausBot
The Grok Bot column comes from the vendor's own pages and the press cited above, checked on October 2, 2026. Where the vendor has not said, the cell says so.
| Grok Bot | MausBot | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Included with SuperGrok ($30), Cursor Pro ($20) and higher plans; no free tier | Free. Model usage on the Claude, ChatGPT, or Grok account you already have. |
| Models | Grok only | Claude, Codex, Grok, and other CLIs, chosen per bot; switch mid-conversation |
| Where bots run | One shared cloud computer per account | Your own machine; or a cloud desktop per bot |
| Where your data lives | xAI's servers | ~/.openmausbot on your disk; nothing leaves unless you send it |
| Before a bot acts | Pulls you in for judgment calls; local commands need approval | Allow / Deny cards for shell commands and file edits; answer cards for questions |
| Agents | A roster of named bots; group chats of 2 to 6 | As many bots as you like, in group rooms |
| Keeps working with the laptop closed | Yes | Bots on a cloud computer, or all your bots on a Cloud plan from $29 a month |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | macOS, Windows, Ubuntu; iOS and Android companions |
| Open source | No | Yes. Apache 2.0, app and harness, on GitHub |
What MausBot is
MausBot is a free, open-source chat app where every contact is an AI bot with its own model, its own computer, and its own connected apps. Bots run on the claude, codex, and grok CLIs installed on your own machine, with your existing logins, so one bot can be on Claude and the next on ChatGPT. Shell commands and file edits surface as Allow / Deny cards before they run, bots share group rooms and hand work to each other, and your data stays in ~/.openmausbot on your disk. It is published on GitHub under Apache 2.0, with iOS and Android companions, and paid Cloud plans from $29 a month keep bots working with the laptop closed.
What Grok Bot still does better
- Teach a task by screen recording, as it rolls out.
- A marketplace of bot templates and, for teams, shared Team Bots with a Slack handle.
- Every bot keeps working with your laptop closed, with nothing to set up.
Other Grok Bot alternatives
MausBot is the open-source option. The other agents in this category, each with its own comparison page:
- Bops by Orgo (Organic Intelligence, Inc.): Bops is a macOS app from Nick Vasilescu, co-founder of Orgo, the cloud-computer company.
- Meta Muse by Meta: Muse launched on September 8, 2026 from Meta Superintelligence Labs.
- OpenAI dots by OpenAI: Dots launched at DevDay on September 29, 2026.
- Cue by Manus by Manus (Butterfly Effect): Cue launched on September 28, 2026 alongside Manus 2.0.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there an open source Grok Bot?
- Not from xAI. MausBot, formerly OpenGrokBot, is the open source recreation of the Grok Bot shape: a roster of bots in a chat app, each with its own model and computer, Apache 2.0 licensed on GitHub.
- Is Grok Bot free?
- No. There is a 7-day usage-credit trial, new users since September 17, 2026 get one free month, and since August 26, 2026 it is included with SuperGrok ($30), Cursor Pro ($20) and higher plans, with its own weekly allowance. MausBot is free; you pay only your model provider.
- Can I use Grok inside MausBot?
- Yes. The grok CLI is one of MausBot's engines, next to claude and codex. One bot can run Grok while another runs Claude, in the same room.
- Does MausBot need a Grok subscription?
- No. Any one of the claude, codex, or grok CLIs is enough to start.