Vellum is a personal AI assistant with free hosting that can use in your browser, on your Mac, iPhone, or any communication platforms like Slack and Telegram. Send it emails, give it phone calls, and text it with your number. Grok Bot is xAI's latest AI agent developed with Cursor ecosystem that runs named Bots on a persistent cloud computer with browser, filesystem, terminal, connectors, and durable state. At a glance they can seem similar, but the differences come from the architecture underneath.
Last updated: August 2026
Vellum is a personal AI assistant that runs as a native Mac app on your own machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web, Slack, and Telegram surfaces in sync across both. It builds a persistent, structured memory of your work and people automatically, and executes real actions across 50+ services through managed OAuth.
Grok Bot is xAI's latest AI agent, developed with the Cursor ecosystem. It runs named Bots on a cloud hosted virtual machine with browser, filesystem, terminal, connectors, and apps, with multiple Bots sharing one computer.
Channels
VellumiOS, native Mac app, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Every surface shares one memory.
Grok BotAvailable on macOS and Windows desktop, plus iOS 18 or later. No Linux, Android, or iPad.
Hosting
VellumRun on-device as a native Mac app, on Vellum's managed cloud, or self-host on your own VPS.
Grok BotGrok Bot runs on a cloud hosted virtual machine, with no ability to self-host.
Integrations
VellumNative agent skills plus 1-click integrations with 50+ services through managed OAuth.
Grok BotConnect Gmail, Drive, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Salesforce, plus custom tools via MCP.
Memory
VellumBuilds a persistent, structured memory of your work and people that gets sharper with every conversation and correction.
Grok BotEach Bot keeps files, browser sessions, preferences, and learned skills on its cloud computer.
Modularity
VellumBuilds its own skills, learns your tone, and adapts based on what you reward and correct.
Grok BotCreate named Bots with specific jobs that learn your routines and run on schedules or triggers.
Open Source
VellumOpen source under MIT license. Full codebase available on GitHub.
Grok Botn/a
Pricing
VellumFree Base with 10 free credits + referral credits. Pro from $50/mo with configurable compute, storage, and assistant email.
Grok Botn/a
Privacy
VellumRun locally on Mac, in Vellum Cloud, or self-host. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path.
Grok Botn/a
Schedules
VellumBuilt-in scheduling for daily briefings, weekly reports, and hourly checks that just run on a cadence.
Grok BotBots can run tasks on schedules or triggers, even when your laptop is closed.
Security
VellumCredentials live in an isolated vault and never enter the language model, so prompt injection can't exfiltrate keys.
Grok BotApprovals, auto-review rules, and secure handoffs keep sensitive actions under your control.
Setup
VellumUp and running in 5 to 10 minutes: Web app and/or download the Mac app, sign in, connect your tools. No terminal needed.
Grok Botn/a
Storage
VellumVellum Cloud: 3 GB RAM and 4 GB storage by default. Mac app runs on standard Mac hardware.
Grok BotAll files, browser sessions, and Bot state live in the cloud. No local storage option.
Grok Bot runs on a cloud computer with a browser, terminal, and file system. Bots can run scheduled tasks even when your laptop is closed.
Vellum runs on your Mac, in free Vellum Cloud, or self-hosted. Built-in schedules handle recurring work without you managing a cloud computer.
Grok Bot works on macOS, Windows, and iOS 18 or later. Its cloud computer can also use apps and websites.
Vellum works on Mac, iPhone, web, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack, all sharing one memory. Your assistant goes where your work already is.
Grok Bot keeps files, browser sessions, preferences, and learned skills on its cloud computer.
Vellum builds structured memory of your work, people, and preferences. Mac memory works on its own, while Vellum Cloud shares it across every device.
Grok Bot requires cloud storage and does not support Cursor's Legacy Privacy Mode. Check Cursor's privacy settings for details.
Vellum Cloud stores your data in Vellum infrastructure with Vellum having no access to data unless you chose to share it. Self-hosting also restricts data from being shared with Vellum.
See how every personal AI assistant stacks up across the categories that matter.
See how Vellum compares to other AI assistants easily.
Choose Vellum if you want a personal assistant with free cloud hosting, structured memory, and surfaces across Mac, iPhone, web, email, Telegram, Slack, and voice. Choose Grok Bot if you want an AI agent that runs on its own cloud computer with a browser, terminal, and file system. The decision comes down to whether you want an assistant that lives across your devices or an agent that works in the cloud.
Vellum includes free cloud hosting when you sign up. Paid plans upgrade your assistant's compute and storage: Mighty at $30 per month, Super at $100 per month plus a $10 platform fee, Ultra at $200 per month plus a $10 platform fee, and Custom. Usage and credits are separate. Grok Bot is available through a 14-day free trial, then $200 per month. SuperGrok Heavy also includes Grok Bot access.
Vellum setup is sign up and use in browser or download the MacOS or IOS app, sign in, and connect your tools through OAuth. No terminal or server required. Grok Bot requires an eligible SuperGrok Heavy or $200/mo paid plan, then you create and configure Bots on its cloud computer. Custom MCP servers must be reachable over the public internet.
Grok Bot stores files, browser sessions, preferences, and learned skills on its cloud computer across sessions. Multiple Bots can share one computer. Vellum builds structured memory across conversations and surfaces. Mac memory works on its own, and Vellum Cloud shares memory across devices. Both products remember context, but how well each works in practice would need testing.
Grok Bot connects to Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, OneDrive, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Salesforce through built-in connectors. It also supports custom MCP servers that must be publicly reachable. Vellum connects to your tools through managed OAuth and native skills. Check current availability for any specific service before choosing.
Grok Bot works on macOS, Windows, and iOS 18 or later. There is no Linux, Android, or iPad support. Vellum works on Mac, iPhone, web browser, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack. If you need an assistant thats always on, wherever you are on the surface of your choice, Vellum is the right choice.
Grok Bot requires cloud storage and does not support Cursor's Legacy Privacy Mode. Privacy settings are managed through your Cursor account. Vellum Cloud stores your data in Vellum infrastructure, and relevant context reaches model and tool providers. Vellum also supports self-hosting with analytics opt-out, which keeps your data from Vellum except for those providers.
Vellum is MIT open source and supports self-hosting and has free cloud hosting with tiers to upgrade your assistant's machine in the cloud. Grok Bot is a cloud hosted only agent, and no self-hosted Grok Bot deployment is available.
Grok Bot gives developers a cloud computer with a terminal, browser, file system, and MCP support. You can create named Bots for specific jobs, run routines on schedules, and work across tools without clean APIs. Vellum gives developers managed OAuth, skills, persistent memory across surfaces, and deployment choice between local, cloud, and self-hosted. If you want a cloud-computer teammate you configure yourself, try Grok Bot. If you want a managed assistant with model-provider flexibility and no infrastructure to maintain, choose Vellum.
Vellum is the easier starting point if you are not technical. Download the Mac app, sign in, and connect your tools through OAuth. No terminal, server, or cloud configuration required. Grok Bot requires an eligible paid plan and a cloud-computer setup before you can create Bots. For non-technical users who want a personal assistant without managing infrastructure, Vellum is the simpler choice.
