A new way to pay: The X Subscription

In October 2026, the company announced The X Subscription. The levels that include Grok Bot, according to the official pricing page when I checked, are Premium ($30 a month), Super ($100) and Ultra ($200), in US dollars before taxes. Older plans, like paid Cursor plans and linked SuperGrok subscriptions, still work.

What it means for you: if you already pay for one of the older plans, check before buying anything new. See my pricing guide.

Bots can have their own email address

According to the official changelog for version 0.70.2 (October 11), Bots can now claim their own email address and receive mail there. Email they send from that address waits for your approval on a draft card.

What it means for you: you can give a Bot an address for things like newsletters or receipts without handing over your personal inbox. I like that the sends wait for approval.

Searching X without connecting your account

The same changelog says Bots can search X and read public posts and profiles without you connecting an X account.

What it means for you: a Bot can keep an eye on public news or a topic on X without any access to your own account.

It got faster

The company said on X that computer tasks now finish about three times faster on average, and replies to other requests arrive in less than half the time, as reported by NDTV Profit and Chasing Next on October 16.

What it means for you: "it's slow" was one of the most common complaints, so this is good news. I haven't measured it myself, so I'd treat "three times" as the company's figure.

X direct messages and @bot on X

The same reports say Grok Bot can now work with your X direct messages once you connect your X account, and that you can tag @bot in a post on X to start a task.

What it means for you: handy if you live on X. But connecting your messages gives a Bot access to private conversations, so think about whether you need it. The official help pages say tagging @bot isn't available for accounts based in some places, including the UK and the EU.

New connectors

New connectors were announced for services including Robinhood, Coinbase, Trello, PostHog, beehiiv and eToro, and teams can now submit their own connectors to the Grok Bot marketplace.

What it means for you: more apps to connect. Some of those are financial. As a beginner, I'd leave financial accounts disconnected. My safety guide explains why.

Bots can make Pages and videos

According to the official changelog for version 0.75.2 (October 22), Bots can now build Pages, such as reports, memos and dashboards, that you edit together or have the Bot keep up to date. The same release says Bots can create videos from a description or from an image you share.

What it means for you: a Page is a nice way to get a report you can keep coming back to, instead of digging through old chat messages. If you share a Page with other people, you can unshare or delete it later from the Pages section of the dashboard.

Bigger attachments

Version 0.71.2 (October 14) says you can attach files up to 250 MB and videos up to 1 GB, and send up to 20 attachments in one message instead of 6. It also says a Bot tells you when its computer is running low on disk space, names the biggest files, and only deletes them if you agree.

What it means for you: you can hand a Bot a long video or a big batch of photos in one go. Keep your Grok Bot app updated, because the changelog says the bigger limits need version 0.70.2 or later.

Paying from inside Grok Bot

The changelog says Bots can pay with X Money or Stripe Link, and version 0.75.2 adds Shop Pay where a store accepts it.

What it means for you: please keep purchases behind an "Ask first" rule, and think twice before giving a Bot any way to pay at all. Just because it can doesn't mean it should.

A fresh look

October also brought a visual refresh, with redesigned cards in chat, a new typeface and themes. If a menu in my book or a video looks a bit different on your screen, this is probably why. The ideas stay the same even when the buttons move.

What hasn't changed

• Usage amounts still aren't published as numbers. See my usage limits guide.
• You still can't pick which AI model your Bot uses.
• It's still a beta, so expect the odd rough day.
• The safety basics are the same: never type passwords into the chat, use Ask first rules, and start with read-only jobs.

Questions people ask

The basics don't go out of date

I wrote my book around habits that hold up even as the app changes: how to ask, how to stay in charge, and how to start small. Read Chapter 1 free or get the full guide.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog

What a Page is

A Page is a document or small app that your Bot writes for you and keeps in your chat's Library. The changelog describes Pages as things like reports, memos and dashboards that you edit together or have the Bot keep up to date. The key word is live: instead of the Bot pasting a long answer into chat that scrolls away, it builds a Page you can open again tomorrow and ask it to refresh.

Good first Pages for a beginner:

• A weekly to-do list the Bot updates when you tell it what's done
• A simple comparison table, like three phone plans side by side
• A trip plan with dates, bookings and links in one place

How to make your first Page

1. Open a chat with your Bot.
2. Ask in plain words, for example: "Make me a Page that compares these three laptops on price, battery and weight."
3. Open the card it sends. That's your Page.
4. To change it, just reply: "Add a column for screen size."

You can also pin Pages, files and links to a Pinned section in the Library so they stay at the top, and that list syncs across your devices.

Sharing a Page safely

Pages can be shared, and the dashboard now has a Pages section listing the ones you've shared, where you can unshare or delete them. Before you share, read the Page top to bottom. Bots sometimes pull in details you didn't mean to make public. My safety guide covers the habits that keep you in charge.

Video creation

The same release says Bots can create videos from a description or from an image you share. For a beginner that means you can describe a short clip ("a 5-second shot of a coffee cup steaming on a wooden table") or send a photo and ask the Bot to animate it.

A few honest expectations:

• Short and simple prompts work best. Describe one scene, not a whole story.
• Video uses more of your allowance than a text reply, so check Settings, then Usage & Billing, before you make a batch.
• Don't use a real person's face or a brand's logo without permission.

If you make videos for a channel, my creators guide on turning one video into Shorts shows where a Bot genuinely helps and where it doesn't.

Other bits in this release worth knowing

The changelog also lists a keyboard shortcuts sheet (Command and slash on a Mac), a redesigned look for cards in chat, and Bots checking links before sending them so broken ones get left out. Those are small, but they make the app calmer to use.

What it means for you

If you've only used Grok Bot as a chat box, Pages are the easiest way to feel the difference between "AI that answers" and "AI that keeps working on something for you." Start with one small Page this week. If you want the basics first, read how to use Grok Bot.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, v0.75.2 (Oct 22, 2026)

What changed, and when

• October 11, 2026 (v0.70.2): the changelog says Bots can pay with X Money or Stripe Link.
• October 22, 2026 (v0.75.2): Bots can pay with Shop Pay, through Shop checkout where a store accepts it, and with a one-time Shop card elsewhere. The same release says you can connect X Money in one tap from a chat, the connector page or checkout.
• Also on October 22: when the Bot asks how to pay, you choose on a card.

Payments weren't brand new. Back on August 28 the changelog described a card that shows the amount for you to Allow or Deny before Link completes the payment. October's change is more choice in how you pay.

How a Bot purchase works

1. You ask, for example: "Order more of the dish soap I bought last month."
2. The Bot finds the item and fills the cart.
3. Before paying, it shows you a card with the amount. You pick how to pay and press Allow, or press Deny.
4. If you don't answer in time, the request expires and nothing is charged.

That Allow step is the important part. A Bot shouldn't be able to buy something you never saw.

Which option should a beginner pick?

• Shop Pay makes sense if you already shop at stores that use it.
• X Money makes sense if you already have it set up on your X account.
• Stripe Link is a saved wallet that many online stores support.

You don't need all three. Pick the one you already use and trust.

Safety habits I'd keep

• Read the amount and the store name on every card before you press Allow.
• Don't turn on anything that skips approval for purchases while you're learning.
• Check your bank or wallet statement after the first few orders.

My guide on staying the boss with approvals goes deeper, and shopping without the tabs shows everyday errands that work well.

What it means for you

Bot shopping is becoming practical, but it's still your money and your decision on every order. Use it for repeat, low-risk purchases first, and keep reading the card.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, v0.70.2 (Oct 11, 2026) and v0.75.2 (Oct 22, 2026)

Which plans include Grok Bot

According to the official pricing docs, the plans are Free, Plus, Premium, Super and Ultra. Grok Bot is included on Premium, Super and Ultra. Plus does not include it. List prices in US dollars, before tax, are:

• Premium: $30 a month ($300 a year)
• Super: $100 a month ($1,000 a year)
• Ultra: $200 a month ($2,000 a year)

The docs describe included usage as 4x, 15x and 50x the Plus plan, respectively. Prices change, so always check the official pricing page before you buy.

The big change: one shared weekly pool

Before this, Grok Bot had its own usage. On The X Subscription, the docs say Grok Bot usage draws from one weekly pool shared with Grok and Cursor. That means a heavy coding day in Cursor or lots of Grok image making can eat into what's left for your Bots that week. When the pool runs out, extra usage comes from prepaid credits you top up, not an open-ended bill.

Do you have to switch?

No. The announcement says existing SuperGrok, Cursor and X Premium subscribers can keep their current plan or switch and get a prorated refund for the old one. The option shows up in your account billing settings when it's available to you. If you bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play, read the official switching notes first, because store subscriptions are handled differently.

How to check what you're on

1. Open Grok Bot.
2. Go to Settings, then Usage & Billing.
3. Look at your current plan and weekly usage.

What it means for you

If you're brand new, Premium is the lowest plan that includes Grok Bot. If you already pay for an older plan that includes it, there's no rush. Compare what you use first. My pricing guide keeps the full breakdown, the free trial guide explains trying before paying, and the usage limits guide explains the weekly pool.

Sources: Introducing The X Subscription (official, Oct 12, 2026) | The X Subscription pricing (official docs) | Grok Bot on The X Subscription (official docs)

Why that's a big deal

Until now, a Bot that needed email had to use yours, through a connected Gmail or Outlook account. A separate Bot inbox means you can hand out an address for one job without giving the Bot the keys to your personal mail. Think of it like giving a new assistant a work email instead of your password.

Good first uses

• Sign-up confirmations for a newsletter you want the Bot to summarize
• A contact address for a small side project
• Receipts from one online store, so the Bot can track orders

How sending stays safe

Out of the box, mail the Bot sends from its own address shows up first as a draft card in your chat. You read it, then press Send or discard it. Later releases added more polish:

• October 14 (v0.71.2): Bots can send from a tagged form of the address, like name+shop@, and a routine on that tag runs only for its mail.
• October 22 (v0.75.2): routines can read the Bot's inboxes, and the first email a Bot sends to someone new includes a one-click unsubscribe link.

The changelog also mentions a "Disable drafts" option that lets a Bot send directly. I'd leave drafts on while you're learning.

How to set it up

1. Open a chat with the Bot you want to give an address.
2. Ask: "Claim an email address for yourself for order receipts."
3. It will suggest an address. Approve it.
4. Use that address on the store or service, then ask the Bot to tell you when mail arrives.

Watch out for

• Don't use a Bot address for banking or anything you'd need to recover in an emergency.
• Treat anything unexpected that lands in the inbox like spam. Bots can be targeted by phishing too.

What it means for you

A Bot inbox is a cleaner way to let a Bot handle email jobs without touching your personal account. For ideas, see customer email without the dread, and for safety basics, is Grok Bot safe?

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, v0.70.2 (Oct 11, 2026) and v0.71.2 (Oct 14, 2026)

What actually happens

Instead of dumping a finished deck on you, the Bot shows you sample slides first so you can choose a look. Once you pick, it builds the rest. At the end you get a file you can open in PowerPoint, or a deck in your Google Slides if you've connected Google.

How to ask for a good deck

The Bot can only be as clear as your request. A good first prompt has four parts:

1. Who it's for: "for my book club" or "for a 10-minute work update."
2. How long: "about 8 slides."
3. What's in it: paste your notes or bullet points.
4. The tone: "simple and friendly, big text, few words per slide."

For example: "Make an 8-slide deck for my neighbourhood association about the new recycling rules. Here are my notes. Big text, one idea per slide."

Editing after the first draft

Just reply in plain words: "Make slide 3 shorter," "Swap the photo on slide 5 for a chart," or "Use our club colours, green and white." The October 22 release also notes that large Google Slides edits update the live deck, which helps if you're working in Google.

What to check before you present

• Facts and numbers. Bots can get these wrong. Check every figure against your source.
• Images. Make sure you're allowed to use any picture in the deck.
• Your voice. Read it out loud once. If it doesn't sound like you, ask the Bot to rewrite it in simpler words.

Other changes in the same release

Version 0.68.1 also says Bots can send formatted emails from a draft card, so recipients see headings, bold text and lists, and the Bot's computer got a larger screen (1920 by 1200, up from 1280 by 800). Those are background improvements, but they make Bots a bit faster and tidier.

What it means for you

Decks are a perfect beginner task: low risk, easy to check, and a real time saver. If you're not sure how to phrase requests, my guide on how to use Grok Bot has simple prompt habits that work everywhere.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, v0.68.1 (Oct 7, 2026)

What a primary Bot is

Most people end up with more than one Bot: maybe one for email, one for a side project, one for family planning. The primary Bot is the one you treat as your main helper. With this update it doesn't just wait for instructions; it can suggest things it could do for you.

What "offering" looks like

In practice, the primary Bot may message you with an offer, like noticing a recurring chore and asking whether you'd like it handled. You stay in control: an offer is just a suggestion until you say yes.

How to pick or change your primary Bot

Setup creates your first Bot for you, and it usually becomes your primary. If you want a different Bot as primary, look in the Bot's details or ask your current Bot how to change it. One note from the October 5 release: Team Bots can't be a primary Bot.

Other changes the same day

The October 2 releases also tidied up the app in ways beginners will notice:

• Marketplace is now called Connect Apps, with category chips under the search and recommended apps first. Older tutorials that say "Marketplace" mean this screen.
• Status lines while a Bot works use plain phrases like "Thinking it through."
• Approval cards show when your "Ask first" rule paused an action, with an Edit rule button to change it.

How to get the most from it

1. Tell your primary Bot a bit about your week: work hours, regular chores, things you dread.
2. Let it suggest a couple of tasks.
3. Approve one small offer and see how it goes.
4. Give feedback: "That was useful, do it every Monday," or "Please don't suggest that again."

What it means for you

This is a small change with a big idea behind it: Grok Bot is moving from a tool you have to remember to use toward a helper that suggests where it can help. If you're still getting your bearings, start with what Grok Bot is and how to use it.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, Oct 2, 2026

The idea in plain English

Picture one helpful assistant that everyone on the team can message. Each person gets their own private conversation, and the Bot keeps separate notes for each person. You set it up once with the right apps, files and instructions, and everyone benefits.

How publishing works

According to the changelog:

• In a Bot's Share menu, choose Publish to Team. You can make a team copy that includes its chat and memories, or start fresh. Your original Bot stays private.
• A new Team Bot walks you through plugins, secrets, skills and files one card at a time, and only you can see it until you publish.
• Owners can change the Team Bot's name, description, plugins and files later, and Unpublish takes it away from teammates.

Privacy and usage

Two points the changelog makes clearly:

• A Team Bot asks before using your connected plugins, like your email. Always allow is your choice.
• Teammates' use of a Team Bot counts against their own allowance, not the owner's.

Slack

The same release says Team Bots work in Slack: they reply in threads, read channels they've joined and keep links and tables intact. Later releases added a status line in Slack threads and voice chats with Team Bots (September 30).

Good first Team Bots

• A "policies and how-tos" Bot that answers common staff questions from your documents
• An order-status helper for a small online store
• A meeting-notes Bot that turns notes into action items

What it means for you

If you're solo, you can skip this for now. If you have even one or two collaborators, a Team Bot saves everyone from building the same Bot twice. Before you add company files, read is Grok Bot safe? and decide what the Bot should never see.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, Sep 26, 2026

Three ways to use your voice

It's easy to mix these up, so here they are side by side:

• Dictation: you speak, and your words are typed into the message box. On desktop the changelog lists Command D (Ctrl D on Windows and Linux) to dictate.
• Voice chat: a live, back-and-forth spoken conversation with your Bot.
• Voice memos: short audio messages a Bot sends you, with a transcript.

How to start a voice chat on your phone

The official mobile docs say to choose Start voice chat when the message box is empty, and a Voice chat control stays under the header while you're on the line.

1. Open a chat with your Bot.
2. Make sure the message box is empty.
3. Tap Start voice chat and talk normally.
4. Hang up when you're done. If the Bot was in the middle of a task, the changelog says it finishes and posts the result in the chat.

Improvements since launch

The changelog shows voice getting steadily better:

• September 25: voice chats use the microphone you pick in Settings.
• October 14: if a voice chat's connection drops, the call reconnects and continues.
• October 22: voice calls can draw on your earlier calls and recent chat with the Bot.

When voice works best

• Hands-busy moments: cooking, walking, driving as a passenger
• Brain dumps: "Here's everything on my mind this week"
• Anyone who finds typing slow or tiring. My guide for seniors has more on this.

When to type instead

Type when you need precision: exact addresses, account numbers, or anything private in a public place.

What it means for you

Voice makes Grok Bot feel less like software and more like talking to an assistant. If you haven't installed the app on your phone yet, see how to install Grok Bot.

Sources: Official @bot post on X (Sep 17, 2026) | Grok Bot for Mobile (official docs) | Official Grok Bot changelog

What you need

The official mobile docs list:

• An iPhone with iOS 18 or later, or an Android phone with Android 9 or later
• An iPad with iPadOS 18 or later (the iPhone app runs on iPad)
• An eligible plan and an internet connection

Download it from the App Store on iPhone and iPad, or Google Play on Android.

Your phone is a remote control, not the engine

This is the part beginners often miss. Your Bots work on their own cloud computer, not on your phone. The Android announcement put it simply: Bots keep working after you lock your phone, and only check in when something needs your approval. So you can start a task on the bus, put your phone away, and come back to a result.

What you can do from the phone

According to the docs, from a conversation you can send text, dictate, start a voice chat, take or attach a photo, mention another Bot, reply in a thread and react to messages. Bot drafts of emails or Slack messages show up as cards you can edit, then Send or Discard.

Same Bots everywhere

Your Bots, chats and routines are the same on desktop and phone. The Android announcement called it picking the thread back up on desktop. Usage is shared too, so a task started on your phone counts the same as one started on your computer.

Getting started

1. Install the app and sign in with the same account you use on desktop.
2. Open your main Bot and send a simple first task, like "Remind me what we worked on yesterday."
3. Turn on notifications so approvals reach you.

What it means for you

You no longer need to be at a computer to use Grok Bot. For a step-by-step setup, see how to install Grok Bot.

Sources: Grok Bot is Now Live on Android (official Cursor forum announcement, Sep 2, 2026) | Grok Bot for Mobile (official docs) | 9to5Mac: SpaceXAI expands Grok Bot to iPad (Sep 4, 2026)

What a template is

A template is a starting copy of a Bot: its name, look and instructions. When you add a Bot from a template, you get your own copy. It doesn't share your chats or your accounts with the person who made it, and you connect your own apps.

How to share one of your Bots

1. Open the Bot's chat.
2. Open the share menu in the chat header. (Since September 3, Share as template, Update template and View template details live there.)
3. Choose who can use it: your team or anyone with the link.
4. Copy the link and send it.

Team admins can limit whether members share templates publicly or only within the team.

How to use someone else's template

Open the link, add the Bot, and it appears in your sidebar. A Bot you create from a template greets you in your app language (a September 16 improvement). Then connect only the apps it actually needs.

Finding templates

Since October 11, the changelog says Bots can find a Bot template that fits what you describe and link it in the chat. Try: "Is there a template for planning meals for a family of four?"

I've also put together free Grok Bot templates based on Bots I use to run my business, each with ask-first rules built in, such as the News Desk for following a topic.

Tips for good templates

• Give it one clear job. "Weekly meal planner" beats "life helper."
• Write ask-first rules into the instructions: "Never send or buy anything without asking me."
• Update the template when you improve your own Bot, so people who copy it later get the better version.

What it means for you

Templates are the fastest way for a beginner to get a useful Bot on day one. Start with one, use it for a week, then tweak it to fit. For prompt basics, see how to use Grok Bot, and for safety, is Grok Bot safe?

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, v0.30.0 (Aug 28, 2026)

What changed, and when

• August 20, 2026: routines can start from a webhook, with their own Webhook URL and Webhook key.
• August 25 (v0.27.0): routines started by a webhook receive the request body, so the Bot can act on what was sent.
• September 14 (v0.51.0): you can delete a routine, which also stops its future runs.
• September 15: you can pause a routine and resume it later.
• October 22: a webhook routine's menu shows its URL and key, and the key stays hidden until you reveal it.

Routines in plain English

There are three common kinds:

• Scheduled: "Every weekday at 8 AM, summarize my calendar."
• Event-based: started by something in a connected app, like a new message.
• Webhook: started when another service sends a message to a private web address the routine gives you.

What a webhook is, simply

A webhook is a private web address. When another app sends information to it, your routine wakes up and gets that information. For example, an online form tool could send each new form entry to your routine, and the Bot could sort it and draft a reply for you to approve.

Your first routine

1. Pick a small, repeatable job. A morning summary is perfect.
2. Ask your Bot: "Every weekday at 8 AM, send me a short summary of today's calendar."
3. Check the routine it creates: when it runs and what it does. Since October 11, the Bot sums this up after saving.
4. Let it run for a few days, then adjust.

What it means for you

Routines turn Grok Bot from something you visit into something that quietly helps every day. My routines guide covers the basics, testing routines shows how to check one before trusting it, and overnight drafts is a favourite real-world example.

Sources: Official Grok Bot changelog, Aug 20, Aug 25, Sep 14 and Sep 15, 2026

What was announced

The announcement made a few core promises, in its own words:

• Bots "have their own computer."
• They "sign into the tools you already use and work across apps, inboxes, and more."
• They "finish jobs end to end, and only come back when something needs your approval."

It also said Grok Bot started as an internal prototype that took off across the company, with teams using Bots for sales outreach, marketing, office operations and bug fixes.

Who could use it at launch

At launch Grok Bot was in beta on desktop and iOS for a list of higher-priced SuperGrok and Cursor plans. The announcement also said Grok Bot came with its own usage, separate from Grok and Cursor plans.

How much has changed since

Quite a lot, quickly. A few milestones, all covered in this news section:

• Late August: cheaper plans gained access. The changelog for August 25 says Cursor Pro subscribers could now use Grok Bot, as could SuperGrok and X Premium+ subscribers who link their account. 9to5Mac noted the entry price fell to a $20 a month plan.
• Early September: Android and iPad.
• September 17: voice chat.
• September 26: Team Bots.
• October 12: The X Subscription, where Grok Bot usage now shares a weekly pool with Grok and Cursor.

What "its own computer" means for you

This is the idea that makes Grok Bot different from a chat app. Your Bot works on a cloud computer with its own browser, so it can open websites, fill in forms and keep going after you close the app. You can watch, or take over when it needs you to sign in.

What it means for you

Grok Bot is still young and still changing almost weekly, which is exactly why this news section exists. If you're new, start with what Grok Bot is, then install it. If you're comparing tools, see Grok Bot vs Grok vs ChatGPT.

Sources: Introducing Grok Bot (official announcement, Aug 11, 2026) | Official Grok Bot changelog | 9to5Mac on pricing and iPad (Sep 4, 2026)