Short answer
No one tool wins every job. Pick Grok Bot if you want a few named Bots that do the same jobs again and again on their own computer in the cloud, even with your laptop shut. Pick ChatGPT if you already pay for it and want reports and tasks in the app you chat in. One thing changed: OpenAI’s old “ChatGPT agent” mode is gone. OpenAI now points people to ChatGPT Work for long tasks, and to scheduled tasks for repeat work.
Quick Comparison
Here’s how they line up for automating tasks. “Agent” just means an AI helper that takes steps for you (opens apps, fills in forms, writes files) instead of only answering.
| Grok Bot (xAI) | ChatGPT (OpenAI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic idea | Named Bots, each with a job, its own memory and its own chat | ChatGPT Work for long tasks, plus scheduled tasks. Pro adds Dot, an always-on agent |
| Where work runs | One always-on cloud computer per user (browser, files, terminal), shared by all your Bots | In the cloud for web tasks. Tasks that use files on your computer need it on, with the ChatGPT app open |
| Keeps going when your laptop is closed | Yes | Yes for cloud tasks, no for tasks on your own computer |
| Repeat work | Routines on a schedule or after an event: Slack, email, GitHub, Linear, Sentry, PagerDuty or a webhook | Scheduled tasks on a schedule, or after a Gmail, Slack or GitHub event on eligible plans |
| Learn by showing | Teach a task: record up to 10 minutes of browser work and get a draft skill | Not described on the pages we checked |
| Approvals | Approval cards, Auto-review and your own Ask first rules | Asks before high-impact actions. Scheduled tasks run unattended with your sandbox settings |
| Several agents at once | Many Bots at the same time. They hand work to each other | Dot can split work across background agents (Pro) |
| Cheapest plan that includes it | $30/mo (X Subscription Premium) or a paid Cursor plan | Scheduled tasks from Go. ChatGPT Work on desktop, web and mobile from Plus ($20/mo). Dot needs Pro (from $100/mo) |
Prices Side by Side (Checked November 1, 2026)
Grok Bot comes with:
- The X Subscription: Premium, Super or Ultra. Premium is $30 a month. Free and Plus don’t include Grok Bot.
- Paid Cursor plans, and some linked Grok plans. See our Grok Bot pricing guide.
- Some accounts can start a free trial: a usage credit with a 7-day window.
ChatGPT comes with:
- Free: limited ChatGPT Work in the desktop app, and no scheduled tasks.
- Go: scheduled tasks, and limited ChatGPT Work in the desktop app.
- Plus ($20 a month): ChatGPT Work on desktop, web and mobile, plus scheduled tasks.
- Pro (from $100 a month, in three usage tiers): longer Work sessions and Dot, the always-on agent.
x.ai/pricing, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What Happened to ChatGPT Agent Mode?
OpenAI’s help page now says ChatGPT agent is no longer available. For long, multi-step tasks it points to ChatGPT Work. For browser steps it points to the cloud browser. So if a guide tells you to “type /agent”, it’s out of date. When people say “ChatGPT agents” today, they usually mean ChatGPT Work, scheduled tasks or Dot.
Who Should Pick Which
Pick Grok Bot if you want:
- A small team of Bots, each with one job (inbox, research, social posts), that keep their own memory.
- One cloud computer where logins and files carry over between Bots, with nothing left running on your laptop.
- Routines that start from many kinds of events, including email to your Bot’s own address and webhooks.
- To show a Bot a browser task once and turn it into a skill.
Pick ChatGPT if you want:
- To stay in the app you already use, and you already pay for Plus or Pro.
- Scheduled reports and summaries built from files you upload and apps you connect.
- Tasks that work in folders on your own computer through the ChatGPT desktop app.
Not sure? Write down the one job you’d hand off first. Then check which product lists the apps that job needs.
Can You Use Both?
Yes. They’re separate subscriptions, so you’d pay for each one. Many people chat in one app and run their repeat jobs in the other.
What We Don’t Claim
We haven’t run head-to-head tests, so this page has no speed, quality or “which model is smarter” claims. If you see a benchmark elsewhere, check who ran it and when.
Related Bots From the Library
- Chief of Staff: the Bot that coordinates the others. It shows off Grok Bot’s many-Bot style.
- Terminal Boss: runs Grok Build, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor CLI and other terminal agents from one Bot.
Browse all Grok Bot templates or the Superbots, which each run one whole job.
Get the Free Grok Bot Power User Guide
Trying Grok Bot? Our free 16-page Grok Bot Power User Guide gets your first Bots set up the right way. Get the Free Guide
FAQ
Is Grok Bot Better Than ChatGPT for Automating Tasks?
It depends on the job. Grok Bot is built around long-lasting Bots that repeat jobs on a shared cloud computer. ChatGPT is built around Work tasks and scheduled tasks inside the app you chat in. We don’t publish benchmark claims.
Which Is Cheaper?
ChatGPT Plus, with ChatGPT Work and scheduled tasks, is $20 a month. The cheapest new plan with Grok Bot is X Subscription Premium at $30 a month. ChatGPT’s always-on Dot needs Pro, from $100 a month.
Is ChatGPT Agent Mode Still Available?
No. OpenAI’s help page says ChatGPT agent is no longer available and points to ChatGPT Work for long, multi-step tasks.
Do Both Keep Working When My Computer Is Off?
Grok Bot does, because it runs on a cloud computer. ChatGPT does for cloud tasks, but tasks that use files on your own computer need it on with the ChatGPT app open.
Swarm School is an independent site. We’re not affiliated with xAI, Cursor or OpenAI.
Sources
- https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/overview
- https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/faq
- https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/skills-routines-and-automations
- https://x.ai/bot/use-cases
- https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11752874-chatgpt-agent
- https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001275-chatgpt-work-and-codex
- https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/automations
- https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/dots/tasks-and-memory
- https://chatgpt.com/pricing/
- https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6950777-what-is-chatgpt-plus
Swarm School is independent and not affiliated with Grok Bot’s makers. Features change; check the official docs for current details.
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