# How to create an app with Grok Build on Croft > Source: > Published: 2026-09-27 11:00:00+00:00 [Blog](https://oncroft.net/blog/) · September 28, 2026 · Rich Chetwynd # How to create an app with Grok Build on Croft Step-by-step guide: connect Grok Build to Croft, build a private team app with AI, and deploy it with a database and company login. Complete video walkthrough included. ## Quick answer To **create an app with Grok Build on Croft**, connect Grok Build to your croft over MCP, ask it to build your app (like a todo list or tracker), and deploy. The app goes live at its own web address with a database and company login—ready to share with your team privately. This setup works from the Grok Build terminal: type `/mcps`, press Ctrl+O to open Plugins in your browser, add Croft as a custom connector, authorize it, and you’re connected. After that, just describe the app and ask Grok Build to deploy it. ## Video walkthrough: Grok Build + Croft Watch the full setup and build process, start to finish: The video covers how to set up Grok Build with Croft MCP, then build and deploy a simple todo app—the same pattern works for any internal tool you need. ## How to connect Grok Build to Croft Grok Build works in the terminal and uses the same MCP connector setup as Grok.com. Here’s the one-time connection: 1. **Type `/mcps`** in the Grok Build terminal to open connector settings. 2. **Press Ctrl+O** to launch your browser to the Grok Plugins page. 3. **Click New Connector** and select**Custom connector** . 4. **Name it Croft** and set the URL to`https://mcp.oncroft.net` . 5. **Save** , then click**Authorize** to connect Grok to your croft. 6. **Return to the terminal** and type`/mcps` again to verify Croft appears as connected. After this setup, Grok Build can create apps, deploy them, read and write data, and share them—all through that one connector. [Full connection guide →](https://oncroft.net/connect/grok/) ## Building and deploying an app with Grok Build Once connected, the workflow is straightforward: 1. **Describe the app.** Tell Grok Build what you need: “Build me a todo app where my team can add tasks, mark them done, and filter by status.” 2. **Ask it to deploy.** Say “deploy this to my croft” or just “deploy it.” 3. **Get the link.** Grok Build creates the app, writes it to your private server, and returns a live URL. The app includes: - A **real database** so data persists across sessions and users - **Company login** so only people you invite can access it - **Backups and rollback** built into the host - **HTTPS** and a web address you can share internally This isn’t a chat artifact that disappears when you close the browser—it’s a running app your team can open and use. ## What makes this different from public hosting Public hosts like Vercel or Replit are excellent for sharing demos and preview builds with anyone. Croft is built for **private team apps**: - **Private by default.** Every app sits behind company login; there’s no “guess the URL” risk. - **Database included.** You’re not provisioning a separate Postgres instance or wiring credentials—SQLite or an app database comes with the deploy. - **Many apps, one login.** Build multiple internal tools on one croft; your colleagues sign in once and access everything they’re invited to. - **Simple sharing.** Invite people by email; they sign in with your company login provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Okta). When someone searches for **how to host a Grok Build app privately** or **create internal tools with Grok Build**, this is the path: AI builds it, MCP deploys it, your team uses it. ## Common questions ### Can I use Grok.com instead of Grok Build? Yes—the same connector works for both. Connect Grok.com to Croft through Plugins, describe your app, and ask it to deploy. Grok Build offers a faster terminal-based flow; Grok.com works in the browser. [Connect Grok.com guide →](https://oncroft.net/connect/grok/) ### Do I need to write code? No. Describe the app in plain language; Grok Build writes the code and deploys it. You can ask for changes the same way: “Add a search bar” or “Let users upload a CSV.” If you want to see the code or edit it directly, you can—Croft stores every version. ### How do I share the app with my team? After deploy, go to your croft, find the app, and invite people by email. They’ll receive a link, sign in with your company login, and open the app. You control access per app, so you can share an approvals queue with leadership and a stocktake tracker with the warehouse team using the same host. ### What if Grok Build makes a mistake? Ask it to fix the bug, or roll back to the last working version from your croft dashboard. Every deploy is saved, so you can step backward if an AI edit breaks something. This is one reason why hosting for AI-built apps matters: you get backups and rollback without setting them up yourself. ### How much does Croft cost? Solo from $24/month on annual billing, Team $99/month on annual. 7-day free trial, no card to start. [See pricing →](https://oncroft.net/pricing/) ## Get started [Connect Grok Build to your croft →](https://oncroft.net/connect/grok/) or [learn more about hosting AI-built apps on Croft →](https://oncroft.net/ai-app-hosting/). ## Stake out your croft. Your team's first app could be live before lunch. [Get your croft](https://app.oncroft.net/signup) 7 days free, no card to start. From $24/month - cancel anytime and take everything with you.