OpenMausBot: what it is, and how to start
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OpenMausBot is an open-source desktop app that turns the agent CLIs on your computer, such as Claude Code, Codex and the Grok CLI, into a team of bots you message like contacts. It also goes by MausBot, and its README calls it an independent project inspired by Grok Bot, not affiliated with xAI. This guide follows the project's own README, docs and website for what it is and how a first run is supposed to go.
Status: Not tested yet. We have not installed OpenMausBot for this page, so nothing here comes from our own use. Sources were checked on 2026-11-02. The latest GitHub release that day was v0.1.137, published on 2026-11-01.
What OpenMausBot is
OpenMausBot is an open-source desktop app for running a team of AI agents in a chat interface. Its README describes it as "the open-source Grok Bot alternative": a roster of bots in a sidebar that you message like contacts, where each bot is a real agent running on your machine, with its own personality, model, computer and connected apps. The code is on GitHub at milind-soni/OpenMausBot under the Apache License 2.0, except an enterprise/ folder that has its own source-available license.
The project uses two names. The README says it is "also known as MausBot; formerly OpenGrokBot", and the website at mausbot.com (openmausbot.com redirects there) uses MausBot throughout. The README also says it is an independent project, not affiliated with xAI, Meta, OpenAI or Manus, and that it has no cryptocurrency token. The license notice credits Milind Soni and OpenMausBot contributors; the website lists Milind Soni and Omkar Satpute as creators.
The README calls the status "early but real". On 2026-11-02 the latest GitHub release was v0.1.137, published 2026-11-01.
How the pieces fit
The docs describe six layers. The table below follows the overview page.
| Layer | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bot | Holds the identity, conversation, memory and defaults. |
| Agent engine | Runs the reasoning loop and tools. This is a CLI you already have, such as Claude, Codex or Grok. |
| Working folder | Gives the bot project context and a safe place to work. |
| Connected apps | Authorizes services such as Gmail or GitHub, through Composio. |
| Computer | Visual control of a desktop: your own computer, an isolated local VM, a Boat cloud desktop, or your own VPS. |
| Automation | Runs a task later, on a schedule, from a webhook, or when something happens in a connected app. |
Under the hood, the README says one small harness server on 127.0.0.1 owns every agent process and turns each provider's output into one event stream for the app. Transcripts, keys and events are stored in ~/.openmausbot.
What it can do
- A different engine per bot. The agent engines doc lists Claude, Codex, Grok, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Kimi, Droid, Antigravity (Google Gemini), OpenCode, Qwen, Hermes and Pi. Each uses its own CLI sign-in, and you can switch a bot's model mid-conversation.
- Approvals in the chat. Shell commands, file edits and questions can show up as cards you allow, deny or answer. The website adds that approval coverage depends on the engine and tool, so not every action is guaranteed to pause.
- Connected apps. Gmail, Slack, GitHub, Notion, Linear and hundreds more through Composio. You sign in once and every bot can use them.
- A computer for each bot. A Boat cloud Linux desktop, an isolated local VM, or your own computer. Control of your own computer is available on macOS, and on Ubuntu Xorg after you opt in. The README says it stays disabled on Ubuntu Wayland while a safety issue is open.
- Channels and teams. Separate channels for work, personal and project contexts, each with its own transcript, instructions, folder and roster. A team of bots can be imported from one Markdown file, or shared as a file without chat history or keys.
- Triggers. Schedules that run once, on chosen weekdays or every 5 to 1,440 minutes, plus webhooks and app events. Webhooks use a local receiver, so the app has to be running to accept a delivery.
- Voice, phone and scripts. Spoken replies and calls (calls are macOS-only for now), Android and iOS companion apps that connect to your running computer or server, an MCP server for clients such as Claude Desktop, and an
openmausbotcommand for scripts and CI.
What you need
| Need | Required | What the project says |
|---|---|---|
| A supported computer | Yes | macOS (Apple silicon or Intel), Windows x64, or Ubuntu 24.04 x64. Ubuntu is a beta, with GNOME as the supported desktop. |
| One agent engine | Yes | At least one supported agent CLI installed and signed in. Claude and Codex are the most common starting points. |
| A provider account or API key | Yes | Model usage is billed by your provider. A subscription to one provider does not include the others. |
| Connected apps, a cloud computer, voice keys | No | Optional. Composio, Boat, ElevenLabs and Fish Audio are third-party services with their own accounts and terms. Boat is paid after its trial. |
| Node.js 24+ and pnpm | Only from source | Needed to build from source or to run the terminal version. Released builds embed the harness server. |
Install and first run
These steps follow the project's website and installation doc. We have not run them.
Download the desktop app
Download the build for your computer from the OpenMausBot releases page or mausbot.com/download: a signed .dmg for Apple silicon or Intel Macs, a Windows x64 installer, or a .deb or AppImage for Ubuntu 24.04 x64.
The docs warn that the Windows installer is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen may show "Unknown publisher". Check that the file came from the official releases repository before you choose More info → Run anyway.
Connect one agent engine
Install one supported agent CLI, such as Claude Code or Codex, from its official provider. Run it once in a terminal and sign in, restart OpenMausBot, then open the model picker. Available engines appear normally; unavailable ones explain what is missing.
If an engine is installed somewhere unusual, the configuration doc says to pick its executable in Settings → Engines.
Create your first bot
Select New or share, then New bot. Give it a name and choose the connected engine and an available model. A working folder is only needed for tasks that involve files.
Send a small task
Ask the bot to plan your day, summarize notes or draft an email. Start with one clear request and review its answer before you connect apps or give it a computer.
Without the desktop app
The README also gives a terminal route, with Node 24 or newer. First launch walks you through choosing AI access, a model, and optionally a phone:
npm install -g openmausbot
openmausbot
npx openmausbot works without a global install. For a VPS or an always-on computer, the README points to npx openmausbot serve with explicit remote options. It also notes that API keys entered in this setup are saved as plaintext in a private config.json.
What is free and what costs money
The website says the desktop and companion apps are free and open source. What you pay for is elsewhere:
- Models. Every bot runs on your own provider account or API key, billed by that provider. OpenMausBot says it does not proxy or mark up model usage.
- Third-party add-ons. Composio for connected apps and Boat for cloud computers have their own accounts and terms.
- MausBot Cloud (optional). Paid monthly plans add an always-on hosted workspace, so automations keep running with your laptop off, plus included cloud-computer hours and voice. There are also Team and Business plans, including a self-hosted one.
Prices are left out on purpose. See the MausBot pricing page.
OpenMausBot vs Grok Bot
| Question | OpenMausBot | Grok Bot |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Open-source desktop app (Apache 2.0) you install and update. | A hosted app from xAI, on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. |
| The model | Each bot uses an agent CLI you have signed in to, and you choose the engine and model per bot. | Comes with the plan that includes Grok Bot; usage draws from that plan's weekly pool. |
| Where work runs | Your computer by default, or a local VM, a Boat cloud desktop, your own server, or a paid MausBot Cloud workspace. | A persistent cloud computer with a browser, filesystem and terminal, in Cursor's cloud, shared by all your Bots. |
| Laptop closed | On the free setup, bots stop while the host computer is asleep or off. | Work continues. Closing the app, laptop or phone does not stop a background turn or a routine. |
| Access | Free download. Optional paid Cloud plans. | Included with Premium, Super and Ultra on The X Subscription, and some legacy Cursor, SuperGrok, X Premium+ and Grok Business plans. |
The trade-off is control versus upkeep. With OpenMausBot you pick the engine and the machine, and your data sits on your own disk, but you install updates, keep the host awake, and set up each third-party service yourself. Grok Bot's docs describe a managed setup: you create a Bot by messaging it, and the cloud computer is run for you. See what Grok Bot is and how Grok Bot routines run.
OpenMausBot's README also has a table comparing itself with Grok Bot, Meta Muse, OpenAI dots and others. That table is the project's own framing, and we have not checked every claim in it.
Limits of this guide
- We have not installed OpenMausBot, created a bot, connected an app or run an automation. Everything above comes from the project's README, docs and website, and the Grok Bot docs, checked on 2026-11-02. If we test it, the run will be logged here with the date, version, machine and output, following how we test.
- OpenMausBot ships often (the releases page lists 16 versions between 2026-10-22 and 2026-11-01), so features, platforms and defaults can change after v0.1.137.
- The quotes and user counts on the project website are the project's own, and we have not verified them.
FAQ
What is OpenMausBot?
OpenMausBot is an open-source desktop chat app for running a team of AI bots. Each bot is a real agent process, such as the Claude, Codex or Grok CLI on your own computer, with its own model, instructions, working folder, connected apps and computer. The README says it is also known as MausBot, was formerly called OpenGrokBot, and is an independent project inspired by Grok Bot that is not affiliated with xAI.
Who makes OpenMausBot?
The GitHub repository is milind-soni/OpenMausBot. The license notice credits Milind Soni and OpenMausBot contributors, and the project website lists Milind Soni and Omkar Satpute as its creators.
Is OpenMausBot free?
The website says the desktop and companion apps are free and open source under Apache 2.0. The enterprise folder in the repository is source-available under its own license. Model usage is separate: you bring a supported provider account or API key, and that provider's fees and limits apply. Optional paid Cloud plans add an always-on hosted workspace. This page does not list prices; see the MausBot pricing page.
Which models and agents can OpenMausBot use?
The agent engines doc lists Claude, Codex, Grok, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Kimi, Droid, Antigravity (Google Gemini), OpenCode, Qwen, Hermes and Pi, each with its own sign-in. Every bot can use a different engine and model. A built-in chat engine also works with OpenAI-compatible services such as OpenRouter.
Does OpenMausBot keep working when my computer is off?
Not on the free setup. The website says bots hosted on a computer cannot work while it is asleep, offline or shut down. To keep them running, you need an always-on host, such as your own server, or the optional paid MausBot Cloud workspace.
Is my data local?
The app stores its data under ~/.openmausbot on your computer. The website adds that your prompts and relevant context still go to the model provider you choose, connected apps get the data their actions need, and a Cloud workspace stores its data on the hosted server. Local storage does not mean model requests stay on your device.
How is OpenMausBot different from Grok Bot?
OpenMausBot is software you install, and each bot runs on an agent CLI you have signed in to. Grok Bot is a hosted product: its docs say every Bot works on a persistent cloud computer in Cursor's cloud and keeps working while your laptop is closed, with access through certain X Subscription, Cursor, SuperGrok or Grok Business plans. We have not run either for this page.
Related on bests.one
- What is Grok Bot — the hosted product OpenMausBot is modeled on.
- Hermes Agent: what it is and how to start — another open-source agent, which OpenMausBot can run as an engine.
- Grok Bot vs Claude Code
- How Grok Bot routines run
- How we test
Sources: OpenMausBot README (GitHub), OpenMausBot releases (GitHub), MausBot website, Download MausBot, MausBot pricing, OpenMausBot documentation, Installation (OpenMausBot docs), Agent engines (OpenMausBot docs), Other model providers (OpenMausBot docs), Grok Bot (xAI docs), Grok Bot plans and billing. Checked on 2026-11-02.