Grok Bot vs Mates
Grok Bot is xAI's take on AI teammates: you create Bots with a name and a job, they work on a cloud computer with a browser, a terminal and files, use plugins for your apps, and come back to you for approvals. It ships fast, with weekly updates, phone and voice features, team Bots in Slack and apps on every platform.
You already pay for SuperGrok or Cursor, you want apps on every device or Slack for your whole team today, and one shared computer for all your Bots is fine for you.
You want each AI worker sealed off on its own computer, with replays of what it did, its own email address and published apps, without a Grok or Cursor subscription.
The short version
The biggest structural difference is the computer. Grok Bot gives each account one cloud computer that all of its Bots share, with separate screens; xAI's own docs say Bots are not a security boundary. Mates gives every mate its own isolated computer, so one mate's logins, files and mistakes stay with that mate.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Mates | Grok Bot |
|---|---|---|
| Its own computer for each agent | YesOne isolated Linux computer per mate | PartlyOne computer per account, shared by all Bots (separate screens) |
| Live desktop you can watch and take over | YesWatch live, take control, give it back | YesDesktop preview; hands control to you for logins and 2FA |
| Replays of finished work | YesStep-by-step and video replays | Not documented |
| Several agents, each with its own job | YesAs many mates as your plan allows | YesSpecialist Bots with names and descriptions |
| Agents working together in one chat | YesGroup chats with handoffs | YesGroup chats with 2-6 Bots, Bot-to-Bot messages |
| Scheduled routines | YesSchedules in your timezone, Run now | YesEvery 5 minutes or more, up to 50 per Bot |
| Starts on events (email, webhooks, apps) | PartlyInbound email and a webhook per mate; app events not yet | YesSlack messages and GitHub events via Cursor |
| Its own email address | YesIts own address, with approvals for outgoing mail | YesBots can claim their own inbox (October 2026) |
| App connectors (OAuth, MCP) | YesGmail, Calendar, Notion, Slack, GitHub, HubSpot and more, plus any MCP server | YesPlugins, account-wide rather than per Bot |
| Asks before risky actions | YesChanges in connected apps and outgoing email ask first | YesAuto Review: ask first or allow automatically |
| Reusable skills | YesSkills library; mates write their own too | YesSkills, plus teach a task by recording |
| Your docs and repos as knowledge | YesGitHub repos and .zip uploads, read-only | PartlyFiles on the computer and connected apps |
| Publishes apps and pages | YesPublished apps at their own web address | Not documented |
| Works inside Slack or Teams | NoWeb app for now | YesTeam Bots in Slack |
| Mobile app | NoWorks in a phone browser; no native app yet | YesiPhone, iPad, Android, plus desktop apps |
| Voice and phone | PartlyVoice input; no calls yet | YesVoice chat, voice notes; phone calls via a template |
| Shared team workspace | NoOne person per workspace for now | YesTeam Bots for Teams and Enterprise |
| Price | Invite-only early access; plans not published yet | Included with SuperGrok and paid Cursor plans, with its own weekly usage quota |
Mates is our product. Competitor details come from their public docs and announcements, linked under Sources, and were checked on . Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Where Grok Bot is ahead
- Apps everywhere: macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, plus Slack through Team Bots.
- Teams today: shared Team Bots with team memory and private notes per person.
- Event triggers from Slack and GitHub, and teach-by-recording for browser tasks.
- Voice: live voice chat, voice notes back to you, and phone calls through a template.
- No extra bill if you already pay for SuperGrok or a paid Cursor plan.
Where Mates is ahead
- Each mate has its own computer, so logins, files and mistakes don't leak between mates.
- Replays: every finished task can be watched step by step or as a video.
- Mates publish what they build (apps and pages) at their own web address.
- Read-only knowledge from your GitHub repos and .zip uploads, re-synced automatically.
- No Cursor or SuperGrok subscription needed.
Questions people ask
Is Mates a Grok Bot alternative?
Yes. Both give AI agents a name, a job and a cloud computer, with routines, connectors and approvals. Mates differs in giving every mate its own isolated computer, replays of each task, an email address per mate and published apps.
Do Grok Bots share one computer?
Yes. xAI's docs describe one cloud computer per account that all Bots share, each Bot with its own screen, and say separate Bots should not be treated as a security boundary. In Mates every mate has its own computer.
Do I need a Grok or Cursor subscription for Mates?
No. Mates is its own product with its own plans. Grok Bot is included with SuperGrok and paid Cursor plans.
Does Mates work in Slack like Grok Bot Team Bots?
Not yet. Mates can read and post in Slack through its Slack connector, but you talk to your mates in the Mates web app. A Slack surface is on the roadmap.