KutrimBots vs OpenMausBot (2026): local bots or business team?

OpenMausBot, now called MausBot, is a free, open-source desktop app that turns the Claude, Codex or Grok tools on your computer into a team of chat bots, each with its own computer and apps. KutrimBots is a hosted team of business agents with AI usage, approvals, a CRM and an inbox included. Choose MausBot if you're technical, already pay for an AI subscription and want an open-source "Grok Bot at home"; choose KutrimBots if you want agents that run customers, leads and admin for a business, safely, without setup.

Disclosure: KutrimBots publishes this blog. Facts about MausBot come from its GitHub repository, its documentation and mausbot.com, as of October 29, 2026. The project ships changes daily, so check the sources at the end.

KutrimBots vs OpenMausBot at a glance

What is OpenMausBot (MausBot)?

OpenMausBot started in August 2026 as "the open-source Grok Bot alternative" and is now branded MausBot (it was briefly called OpenGrokBot). It has about 7,200 stars on GitHub. The idea is AI as a messaging app: a sidebar of bots you chat with like contacts, each with its own personality, model, computer and connected apps.

Under the hood:

• Bring your own agent. Bots run on the claude, codex and grok command-line tools already installed and signed in on your computer, with "your existing logins and subscriptions". The site lists more engines too, including Cursor, OpenCode, Qwen and Hermes.
• Local first. A small server on your machine runs every agent, and transcripts and keys live in a folder on your computer.
• Agents with hands. A bot can use a cloud Linux desktop from Boat, an isolated local VM, or, after you opt in, your own computer.
• Connected apps. A marketplace over Composio connects Gmail, Slack, GitHub, Notion and hundreds more.
• Extras: channels for each project, schedules and webhooks, voice replies and calls, and whole teams you can install or share from one Markdown file.

What do MausBot's approval levels mean?

MausBot has four approval levels, documented in its repository:

1. Ask for approval: asks before commands and file changes.
2. Auto-accept edits: approves file edits; other actions can still ask.
3. Approve for me: the AI provider's own automatic review approves routine actions and asks about others.
4. Full access: the provider's permissive mode for commands, edits and computer actions.

The documentation says "Every bot and conversation starts at Full access" on the desktop app, while hosted company workspaces default to Ask. At Full access, connected-app sends such as emails, messages, posts and payments go out without a confirmation card. MausBot's site is upfront that "approval coverage depends on the engine and tool, so it is not a guarantee that every action will pause."

If you use MausBot for anything that touches customers or money, switch new bots to "Ask for approval" first.

Does MausBot work when your computer is off?

The free app runs on your computer, so bots stop when it sleeps; app events from Gmail or Slack wait until it's back. For always-on bots there's MausBot Cloud, priced on October 29, 2026 at:

• Starter: $15 a month, one person, 100 computer-hours, Claude credit "Not included".
• Pro: $49 a month, 300 computer-hours, $10 of Claude credit a month.
• Max: $99 a month, 800 computer-hours, $20 of Claude credit a month.
• Team: $169 a month for up to 5 people, where "your team brings its own Claude or ChatGPT accounts, or API keys".

Every Cloud plan starts with a 3-day free trial that needs a card. Beyond the included credit, you bring your own AI account or key, and your provider bills you for it.

KutrimBots runs in the cloud on every paid plan, with AI usage included.

What does each cost for a small business?

An example scenario, using list prices as of October 29, 2026: one owner wants five always-on agents for inbox, sales, support, research and content.

If you already pay for Claude or ChatGPT and only use bots on your own computer, MausBot costs nothing extra. The gap grows when you need hosting, business tools and predictable AI costs.

Where MausBot is better

MausBot is one of the most capable open-source agent apps, and it wins clearly in some areas:

• Truly open source. Apache-2.0 lets you use, change and run it for business at no license cost.
• Model choice. Pick a different engine and model for each bot, and switch mid-conversation.
• A computer for each bot. Bots can work in a cloud Linux desktop with a live preview, or on your own Mac after opt-in.
• Voice. Bots can read replies aloud, and on Mac you can call them.
• Uses what you already pay for. No new AI account if you have Claude, ChatGPT or Grok.
• Your data at home. Transcripts and keys stay on your machine when you run it locally.

Why businesses choose KutrimBots

KutrimBots is for owners who want the work done, not a project to maintain:

• Approvals on by default. Agents ask before they send, post, pay or delete, with approval cards in the chat and on your phone. You can allow trusted contacts or tools one at a time.
• A vault for passwords. Keys and logins are encrypted, and agents use them without seeing the values. You choose Allow once, Always or Deny.
• Built-in business tools. CRM & Leads with a pipeline and follow-up reminders, Email Inbox with an address for each agent, a website Chat Widget, Bookings, Forms, Invoices, Support Desk, Social Studio, Team & HR and more.
• A team with one memory. Agents hand work to each other in channels with @mentions and share one business memory in Super Brain.
• Predictable cost. One price per workspace with AI usage included, and a $10 top-up that carries over if you use more. If you'd rather use a plan you already pay for, you can sign in with ChatGPT, SuperGrok or Nous, or add your own API key.
• No setup. No CLIs, Node versions, API keys or servers. See what KutrimBots is.

Which should you choose?

Choose MausBot if:

• you're comfortable installing developer tools and managing API keys;
• you already pay for Claude, ChatGPT or Grok and want to reuse them;
• you want open-source software you can read, change and self-host;
• your bots mostly do computer, browser or coding work.

Choose KutrimBots if:

• you want agents that answer customers, follow up leads and handle email and admin;
• you want approvals before risky actions without changing settings;
• you want one bill that already includes the AI;
• you'd rather not run anything on your own computer.

KutrimBots has a 7-day trial for $1, and plans start at $20 a month (see pricing).

Related comparisons: KutrimBots vs OpenBot, KutrimBots vs Grok Bot and KutrimBots vs OpenClaw and Hermes Agent.

Frequently asked questions

Is OpenMausBot free?

Yes. The desktop app is free and open source under Apache-2.0. You pay your own AI provider, and optional services like the Boat cloud computer, voice providers or MausBot Cloud (from $15 a month) cost extra.

Is OpenMausBot the same as MausBot?

Yes. OpenMausBot is now branded MausBot, and openmausbot.com redirects to mausbot.com. It was briefly called OpenGrokBot. It isn't affiliated with xAI, Meta, OpenAI or Manus.

Does OpenMausBot need a Claude or ChatGPT subscription?

Yes, or an API key. Bots run on the Claude, Codex or Grok tools you install and sign in to, so usage counts against your own plan or key. Paid Cloud plans above Starter include a small Claude credit.

Is OpenMausBot safe?

It has approval levels, but new desktop bots start at "Full access", and the site says approval coverage depends on the engine and tool. Set bots to "Ask for approval" before connecting email, payments or social accounts.

What is the best OpenMausBot alternative for a small business?

If you want agents for customers, leads and admin with approvals, AI usage and business tools included, KutrimBots is built for that. For other open-source options, see our guide to KutrimBots vs OpenBot or OpenClaw and Hermes Agent.

Sources

• OpenMausBot README (GitHub, milind-soni/OpenMausBot)
• Approval levels (OpenMausBot docs)
• MausBot pricing
• MausBot homepage
• MausBot download and phone companions
• Boat pricing (cloud computers)