Grok Bot vs Grok Build: which one do you need?
Both come from SpaceXSI, both run on Grok models and both can take on long jobs. One is a helper for everyday work, the other is a coding agent. Here is how they differ and how they fit together.
Grok Build is a coding agent that runs in your terminal. It is free to try and comes with plans from Plus ($8 a month). Grok Bot is an always-on helper with its own cloud computer that does office and personal tasks. It comes with plans from Premium ($30 a month), which also includes everything in Plus, so Premium gets you both. They share the same Grok models and the same weekly usage pool.
At a glance
| Grok Bot | Grok Build | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI helpers (“Bots”) that each do a job for you | A coding agent for software projects |
| Who it’s for | Anyone with repeat work: email, research, sales, shopping | Developers and engineering teams |
| Where it runs | A cloud computer with a browser, files and your connected apps | Your terminal, inside a code project (also on web and mobile since August) |
| How you talk to it | Chat in the Grok Bot app, on desktop or phone | Commands and chat in a terminal window |
| Cheapest plan | Premium, $30 a month | Plus, $8 a month (free to try) |
| Safety net | Approval cards before it sends, buys or deletes | Plan mode: no edits until you approve the plan |
| Add-ons | Connectors, templates and skills | Skills, plugins, hooks and MCP servers |
What they have in common
- Same company and models. Both are made by SpaceXSI (formerly xAI). Grok 4.6 and 4.7 went live in Grok Bot, Grok Build, Cursor and the API at the same time.
- Same usage pool. On The X Subscription, the plan page describes one shared AI usage pool across all products. Heavy Grok Bot use leaves less for Grok Build that week, and the other way around.
- Skills. Both let you save a repeatable way of working as a skill. Grok Bot can even learn one from a recorded demonstration.
- The Cursor link. Grok Bot signs in with a Cursor account, and plugins submitted to the Grok Bot marketplace can also be listed in Cursor.
Which one should you use?
- You don’t write code: Grok Bot. Grok Build will not help you much.
- You write code at your keyboard: Grok Build, for hands-on work in your own project with diffs you approve.
- You want coding jobs handled in the background: Grok Bot has engineering templates that start cloud agents on your repo, watch pull requests and ask only for merge approval, plus QA and bug-reproduction roles.
- You run a small business: Grok Bot for orders, inbox and research; Grok Build only if you maintain your own site or app.
Can they work together?
Yes, but not as one product. A common setup is to code with Grok Build during the day and let a Grok Bot handle the slow jobs around it: watching a pull request, reproducing a reported bug in staging, or running an acceptance checklist against a live deploy. Both draw from the same weekly pool, so plan long runs accordingly. See Grok Bot use cases for the official engineering roles.
What’s new in Grok Build
- October 16, 2026 (v1.0.61):
/resumefollowed by a session ID or name now opens that session directly, and the resume picker matches words in any order. - October 16, 2026 (v1.0.62): headless runs wait for follow-up work that a finished background task starts.
- Reported on X (v1.0.63): memory now always uses a short MEMORY.md index of topics, the Rex terminal shows each session and subagent separately, and worktree commands flag missing folders. It was not yet on the official changelog when we checked on October 19.
- September 16, 2026: memory arrived in Grok Build.
Install steps and features are in our Grok Build guide; Grok Bot basics are in what Grok Bot is.
Questions people ask
Do I need Grok Bot to use Grok Build?
No. Grok Build is free to try and comes with every plan from Plus ($8 a month). Grok Bot starts with Premium ($30).
Does Premium include Grok Build?
Yes. Premium includes everything in Plus, which lists Grok Build, and adds Grok Bot.
Can Grok Bot write code?
It can run engineering jobs in the background, such as starting cloud agents on a repo and watching pull requests. For hands-on coding in your own project, Grok Build is the tool.
Do they share usage limits?
Yes. On The X Subscription, Grok Bot, Grok Build, Cursor and the Grok apps draw from one weekly usage pool.
- Grok Build, SpaceXSI (checked Oct 19, 2026)
- Grok Build changelog, SpaceXSI (checked Oct 19, 2026)
- Grok Build v1.0.63 release notes, post on X (Oct 2026, reported)
- Memory in Grok Build, SpaceXSI (Sep 16, 2026)
- Grok Bot, SpaceXSI (checked Oct 19, 2026)
- Grok Bot plans, Cursor help (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Introducing The X Subscription, SpaceXSI (Oct 12, 2026)
- Grok Bot marketplace, SpaceXSI (checked Oct 18, 2026)