guide

OpenAI dots vs Muse and Grok Bot: what your plan buys

Muse starts free. Grok Bot comes with eligible plans, while personal dots access starts at Pro 100. Check access, usage charges, apps and approval rules.

EiliyaSeptember 30, 20267 min read

Meta Muse starts free; personal access to OpenAI dots starts at $100 per month on ChatGPT Pro 100. Grok Bot comes with eligible subscriptions starting at Cursor Pro's $20 per month.

That makes OpenAI dots vs Muse a buying question before you even compare the animated characters. All three offer an agent with a cloud computer that can keep working after you leave. The differences to check are access, billing, account connections and permission to act.

OpenAI dots vs Muse and Grok Bot

xAI's comparable product is Grok Bot, with its persistent computer and recurring workflows. Ordinary Grok chat, voice personalities and companion characters aren't the products to compare for this job.

These are the published monthly US-dollar prices as of September 30, 2026. Use them to compare plans, not to predict local taxes or future offers.

Detail	OpenAI dots	Grok Bot	Meta Muse
Lowest listed personal entry	ChatGPT Pro 100, $100	Cursor Pro, $20; SuperGrok, $30	Free with limits
Other listed paid options	Pro 200, $200; Pro 500, $500	Several eligible Cursor and SuperGrok plans	Power, $20; Maximum, $100
Computer	Persistent OpenAI cloud computer	Persistent cloud computer shared by your Bots	Muse Secure VM with browser
Client access	Desktop ChatGPT app or browser; supporting mobile app update	macOS, Windows and iOS	iOS, Android and web
Messaging	ChatGPT, Slack and Teams; texting planned	Bot app; Team Bots can work in Slack	Muse app and WhatsApp
Notable access limit	Personal Pro excludes EEA, UK and Switzerland	Check eligible subscription and app access	Available in the US and Canada
Work billing detail	Included dot access has usage conditions	Weekly allowance; extra usage charged by tokens	Free and paid tiers have usage limits

Already paying for an eligible plan? Your extra cost may differ from the sticker price. A qualifying Pro user doesn't need a separate dots subscription at launch, and the same applies if your existing Cursor or SuperGrok plan includes Grok Bot.

Dots fits ChatGPT, if your account qualifies

OpenAI launched dots on September 29. It says GPT-6 Astra powers the agent, with memory, a persistent cloud computer and plugins spanning more than 4,000 apps. Your primary dot can take an ongoing responsibility and keep working outside the immediate chat.

You get the ChatGPT environment: existing plugin permissions, relevant ChatGPT memory, supported conversation channels and an Activity view for work in progress. A dot can start or manage Codex Work tasks. Those tasks count toward the normal Codex Work allowance.

The personal Pro exclusion affects the EEA, Switzerland and the UK. Business Premium and enabled Enterprise workspaces follow different worldwide rollout rules. A headline saying “dots is unavailable in Europe” skips that distinction.

Setup starts on a desktop app or desktop browser. Mobile web is unsupported, and mobile app access needs a supporting update. If you're trying agents from your phone, that's an inconvenient place to begin.

Specialist dots are enterprise pilots. Their own identities and credentials, and the proposed Microsoft Agent 365 integration, don't belong on a list of generally available consumer features.

Grok Bot's entry price doesn't cover every token

Grok Bot has its own apps and persistent working environment. xAI describes Bots that stay active while your laptop is closed, carry out routines and work in parallel. You can show a workflow, have the Bot learn it and schedule repetitions.

The product page lists macOS, Windows and iOS, with Bot access included in eligible Cursor and SuperGrok subscriptions. Published entry examples are Cursor Pro at $20 per month, SuperGrok at $30 and Cursor Teams Standard at $40 per seat per month. The $40 buys a team subscription; it isn't a separate Bot fee.

xAI says plans include weekly Bot usage, with extra usage charged by token cost. That means usage isn't unlimited. For an intensive workflow, the monthly subscription alone won't tell you the bill.

All of your Bots share one persistent cloud computer, including files and browser logins, according to the current page. Creating another Bot doesn't create a fresh credential boundary. Read that detail before dividing unrelated personal and work responsibilities between them.

On September 28, xAI announced Team Bots in public beta for Teams and Enterprise customers. They can use shared files, instructions, plugins and credentials, including a Slack identity. Team collaboration is available in that beta, with xAI saying personal conversations and context stay separate from the shared team context.

Muse starts free and works on Android

Meta launched Muse on September 8, powered by Muse Spark. It describes a dedicated Muse Secure VM with a browser, where the agent can use websites, complete forms and keep working after you close the app.

You can reach Muse through its app and WhatsApp, with clients for iOS, Android and web. Meta's September 29 small-business announcement lists availability in the US and Canada. If you're outside those countries, that limit matters as much as dots' personal Pro exclusion.

The subscription help page lists a limited free tier, Power at $20 per month and Maximum at $100. Free access makes Muse easier to try. Paid tiers and usage limits still exist, so don't assume a demanding recurring task will fit free access indefinitely.

The small-business announcement adds skills and connectors to Muse itself. Meta names Shopify, Stripe, Intuit QuickBooks, Slack, Notion and Zoom, alongside Facebook and Instagram business accounts. If your business already uses those services, check account coverage before comparing models.

Meta says the agent asks before emails and purchases. Its business announcement says nothing is published, sent or spent without approval.

Read the safeguards more closely than the avatars

Simon Willison called dots “very Muse-like” in his DevDay live blog. He also reported Muse at number one among free iOS App Store apps. That was his launch-day observation, not a permanent or worldwide ranking.

The resemblance is easy to see: a recognizable agent, a computer it operates and work that continues beyond a single response. For your accounts, the security details deserve more attention than the avatars.

OpenAI describes a separate auto-review system and mandatory confirmations or handoffs for specific actions. Proactive background research is restricted to read-only app tools. Password changes and transfers between financial accounts must go back to you.

xAI describes encryption in transit and at rest, training opt-out controls and sensitive actions that can go through AutoReview. Similar review names don't establish the same policy as dots' mandatory handoffs.

Meta describes Sentinel, a separate agent that reviews internet traffic, plus credentials the model doesn't see and an audit trail. It says Muse conversations and VM data aren't shared with Meta's advertising systems. The proposed Muse Confidential VM with a user-only key is planned for later this year; it isn't the default shipping environment.

These are company descriptions and policies, without an independent head-to-head security assessment or task-completion benchmark behind this comparison. They don't establish that every attempted action will be correctly classified.

How to choose without buying the demo

Start with availability. A product your account can't access isn't a choice you can make today. Then check the connections for one real task: “Can use a browser” and “has the right permission for my account” are separate questions.

If you're a qualifying ChatGPT Pro subscriber, dots is a sensible first trial because the primary dot is included. Check delegated-work limits and inspect the cloud computer before assigning a recurring job.

For eligible users in the US or Canada, Muse is the cheapest starting experiment because it offers limited free access. Its phone and web clients, or its named small-business connections, may decide the choice before the model does.

Try Grok Bot if you already pay for an eligible Cursor or SuperGrok plan, especially if routines or the Team Bots beta fit your work. Watch the extra token charges and account state on the shared computer.

Give each product the same bounded task and source material. Ask for a draft, record its permission requests, inspect the result and check whether it resumes correctly later. Require approval before sending or spending; that gives you evidence for your work, without declaring a universal winner from a demo.

FAQ

Is Grok Bot the same as Grok companions?

No. Grok Bot is xAI's agent with a persistent cloud computer and routines. That's the product to compare for always-on work.

Is Meta Muse free?

Yes, with limits. Paid tiers are Power at $20 per month and Maximum at $100 per month, with eligibility and usage conditions.

Which agent works on Android?

Muse lists Android. Grok Bot's current page lists macOS, Windows and iOS. Dots mobile access needs the supporting ChatGPT app update.

Are dots better than Muse or Grok Bot?

There's no measured overall winner here. Start with eligibility, the subscriptions you already pay for, required connections and approval behavior.