OpenBot vs Grok Bot: A Local Grok Bot Alternative

OpenBot runs the provider tools you already use, with the plans you already pay for: Codex with your ChatGPT plan, Claude Code with your Claude plan, Gemini with your Google AI Pro or Ultra plan, and Grok CLI with your Grok account or an xAI API key. OpenCode runs free models, or your own model on any OpenAI-compatible server, also one on your computer. You choose the provider, the model and the reasoning effort for each agent. When you move an agent to a different provider, it keeps its role, workspace and conversation.

Grok Bot gives you a managed environment: Cursor manages model selection and the computer. It comes with paid Cursor plans and SuperGrok subscriptions, so you pay for the plan that Grok Bot is part of. There is less to set up, and less of the environment is yours to change.

OpenBot runs on the computer that hosts it. Agent workspaces, conversations and app data stay on that computer, so it must stay on while its agents work. Run it on a desktop or a server that stays on, and your agents keep working while your laptop is closed. Local-first is not offline: an agent that uses a hosted provider still sends its requests to that provider.

Grok Bot works from a persistent cloud computer that Cursor hosts. One computer belongs to each account, and all of its Bots share it: files, browser sessions and signed-in accounts. Closing the app or your laptop does not stop cloud work.

The OpenBot apps for iPhone and Android connect to the computer that runs your agents. From anywhere, you chat with them, follow their progress and send files. The connection goes directly between your devices when it can, it is encrypted, and no cloud stores your chats or files. Remote access needs an OpenBot account.

Grok Bot has apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Your Bots work on the cloud computer that Cursor hosts, so there is no computer of your own to keep on. Their files, browser sessions and signed-in accounts are on that cloud computer.

In OpenBot, a lead agent can give parts of a task to other agents in a shared channel. You follow their work and step in when a decision needs you. For a team of people, one computer runs the host and the others join it; the chats and files stay on the host.

Grok Bot puts two to six Bots in a group chat, and one Bot can send a message to another that it answers later. Because the Bots of an account share one computer, a login or file there is available to every Bot. On the Teams plan, every member has Bots of their own.

OpenBot keeps workspaces, conversations, attachments and browser data in a SQLite database on the computer that runs it. There is no copy on OpenBot's side. An account holds only your profile, team memberships, invitations, sign-in sessions and the settings that let devices find each other.

Grok Bot needs cloud data storage, and its computers run in the United States. With Privacy Mode on, customer data is not used for training. Connector tokens are never stored on the computer, and Cursor keeps a record of Bot actions for 90 days.