Compare
Grok Business, the API, a bot, or an install.
Use Grok Business (~$30 per seat) when people need a governed assistant. Use the xAI API when you embed a model in software you control. Use a Grok bot — often through Cursor — when the work is “do this job across several apps.” Buy a Helixfield install when you need a shared graph and a human acceptance path.
The Field Survey picks the door from the loop, not from the demo. Many companies end up mixed.
Doors
Which product matches the job
| Door | Buy it when | Typical 2026 cost | Not enough when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grok Business | People need a governed assistant | ~$30 / seat / month | A job that must click across several apps |
| xAI API | You embed a model in software you control | $2 / $6 per million tokens (under 200k prompt) | An operator who needs a shared computer |
| Grok bot (often Cursor) | The work is “do this job across apps” | Cursor Teams ~$120 / seat, Ultra ~$200 / mo | A chatbot with no owner and no graph |
| Helixfield install | You need a shared graph, named loops, and acceptance | $24,000–$48,000 + optional retainer | A year of seats with no operating system |
Cached API input is $0.50 per million tokens. Server-side tools such as web search bill on top. Helixfield does not mark up vendor usage. The client pays xAI and Cursor directly.
Questions
Direct answers
Unsure which door?
A Field Survey is $9,500 and exists to answer this before you buy a year of seats.