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Grok Ani in 2026: The Companion Mode Is Gone, Here's What's Left
Checked October 27, 2026 against the Grok and Animates listings on the US App Store, xAI's Grok product page and ITmedia News' August 31, 2026 report. Dates attributed to trackers are third-party reports.
Short answer: Ani was the animated 3D companion xAI added to the Grok app in July 2025. That Companions mode (Ani, Valentine, Mika and Rudi) has since been removed from Grok. An in-app notice sent users to Animates, a separate 18+ app made by Animation Inc, the studio behind the avatars. News reports put the switch-off in the first week of September 2026. Paying for SuperGrok ($30 a month on the App Store) no longer gets you the 3D Ani.
What Happened to Grok Ani
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | xAI adds 3D Companions, including Ani, to the Grok app | ITmedia News |
| Late July 2026 | Grok's official account calls the Companions mode “an experiment” that is retiring soon | Replies on X, as reported by companion-app trackers |
| August 29, 2026 | Animation Inc launches Animates, with Ani available from day one | ITmedia News, August 31, 2026 |
| Early September 2026 | The Companions mode stops working in Grok (the in-app notice cited September 7; trackers report removals from September 1) | ITmedia News; trackers |
The personalities weren't deleted entirely. Third-party reports say you can still ask for Ani by name in regular Grok chat or voice, but the animated avatar, outfits and companion tab are gone.
Grok Ani on Android, iPhone and the Web Now
- Grok itself is still available on the web, iOS and Android, per xAI's product page, but without the Companions mode.
- Animates runs on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, according to ITmedia. Its US App Store listing rates it 18+ and is published by Animation Inc.
- Nothing transfers. ITmedia reported that Animates is a separate service: you can't link your Grok account or carry over chat history.
What It Costs Now
| App | Plan | Price (US App Store) |
|---|---|---|
| Grok | SuperGrok | $30.00 a month, or $300.00 a year |
| Grok | SuperGrok Lite | $10.00 |
| Animates | Whisper | $7.99 a month, or $63.99 a year |
| Animates | Heartbeat | $19.99 a month, or $159.99 a year |
| Animates | Presence | $39.99 a month, or $319.99 a year |
In-app purchase prices from the Grok and Animates listings on the US App Store, checked October 27, 2026. The listings don't label every item's billing period; we've paired monthly and yearly items by plan name. Animates says it's free to download, with paid plans for extended conversation time and premium features, and that subscriptions renew automatically.
Is Ani 18+?
The Grok app is rated 16+ on the US App Store. Animates is rated 18+, and its listing names sexual content or nudity and mature or suggestive themes among its age-rating reasons. Trackers have described an adult mode in Grok's old companion feature, but we couldn't verify how it worked, and the feature no longer exists in Grok.
Should You Follow Ani to Animates?
If you were attached to Ani herself, Animates is the official continuation, and its listing promises real-time voice, memory that picks up where you left off, and text in your messenger. Expect to start from scratch, since nothing carries over. If what you liked was a companion with a voice and a face, the alternatives below are older and better documented.
Grok Ani Alternatives
- Kindroid: Live Avatar video calls where the character lip-syncs and gestures in real time, for subscribers. See AI video call apps.
- Candy AI: the cheapest yearly plan we've found ($47.88), with voice, images and generated video paid for with monthly tokens.
- ourdream.ai: 1,000 dreamcoins a month for images, video and voice calls (50 dreamcoins a minute), from $119.88 a year.
- Nomi: long memory and voice calls, $99.99 a year on the App Store. See our Nomi AI review.
See Candy AI plans | See ourdream.ai plans
Related: Best AI companion apps | AI girlfriends with voice | Best AI girlfriend apps
FAQ
Is Grok Ani still available?
Not as a 3D companion. xAI removed the Companions mode, including Ani, from the Grok app in early September 2026, according to news reports and the in-app notice users shared. Reports say the personality can still be prompted by name in regular Grok chat, without the avatar.
Where did Ani go?
To Animates, a separate 18+ app by Animation Inc, the studio that built Grok's avatars. ITmedia reported that Ani was available there from Animates' launch on August 29, 2026.
How much does Grok Ani cost?
The 3D Ani mode is no longer sold. SuperGrok is $30 a month on the App Store, but it no longer includes the companion avatars. Animates lists plans at $7.99, $19.99 and $39.99 a month on the App Store.
Is Grok Ani on Android?
The Grok app is still on Android, but without the Companions mode. Animates, where Ani moved, is available on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, according to ITmedia.
Does my Grok chat history move to Animates?
No. ITmedia reported that Animates is a separate service and that accounts and data can't be linked or transferred from Grok.