• 2 min read
Grok hits Excel, but paywall blocks basic use
xAI has launched a Grok add-in for Excel via the Microsoft Marketplace, but it requires a paid Grok plan and offers less integration than Copilot.
Image: The Register
xAI has brought Grok to Microsoft Excel with a new add-in on the Microsoft Marketplace, pitching it as a sidebar agent that can search the web, update spreadsheets, and build financial models. The catch: while xAI says the Microsoft 365 add-in is free, access currently requires a SuperGrok, Heavy, Business, or Enterprise plan.
The move puts xAI directly against Microsoft Copilot inside Office, but with a much lighter level of integration. In 2025, Microsoft introduced a COPILOT function in Excel that lets users call its assistant at the workbook cell level. Grok, by contrast, works through a sidebar and turns prompts into workbook actions.
That may still appeal to organizations already paying for Grok, but there are reasons for caution. Microsoft warns that when the app is used, it can read and modify documents and send data over the internet. The Register also notes Grok’s recent history, including the model’s role in generating non-consensual deepfake nudes and the MechaHitler episode. Earlier this month, Grok 4.5 launched, with xAI claiming it was “capable of building complex Excel models.”
The publication tested the add-in by asking it to create a chart showing SpaceX stock performance since IPO. Grok responded that it had hit usage limits and suggested upgrading the plan. Simpler prompts failed as well, indicating that a paid subscription is effectively mandatory.
That leaves Grok entering a crowded field. Copilot is already built deep into Microsoft’s productivity stack, while Google continues pushing Gemini across its own workplace tools.
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Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via The Register
