Podcast Summary: Marketing Against The Grain – "Is Grok 4 Worth $30/mo? (Full Test)"

Release Date: July 15, 2025
Host/Author: HubSpot Media
Guests: Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (HubSpot’s SVP of Marketing)

Introduction

In the latest episode of Marketing Against The Grain, hosts Kipp Bodnar and Kieran Flanagan delve deep into the capabilities and value proposition of Grok 4, touted as the smartest AI model on the planet. The discussion centers around whether Grok 4 justifies its $30 monthly subscription fee by evaluating its performance in real-world marketing scenarios.

Overview of Grok 4

Kipp Bodnar kicks off the conversation by highlighting Grok 4's advanced capabilities compared to other AI models. He states, “Grok 4 is an incredible model” (01:17), emphasizing its superior performance on respected benchmarks. Kieran adds that Grok 4’s unique access to Xai data sets it apart, allowing for more nuanced and informed outputs.

Pricing and Subscription Tiers

The hosts break down Grok 4's pricing structure:

• Free Version: Access to basic features.
• $30/month Subscription: Includes Grok 4 with limited heavy usage.
• $300/month Subscription: Unlocks the full potential of Grok 4 Heavy, which utilizes a team of agents to solve complex tasks, albeit with longer processing times.

Kieran notes, “The $30 Grok is now pretty close to ChatGPT's $200 a month subscription” (07:59), suggesting competitive pricing for solo users seeking high-quality AI assistance.

The AI Innovation Curve

Kieran emphasizes the rapid pace of AI advancements, stating, “AI innovation curve is still really steep” (03:14). He anticipates continued exponential improvements in AI capabilities, indicating that current models like Grok 4 are just the beginning of what’s to come.

Real-World Applications and Use Cases

The core of the episode revolves around practical demonstrations of Grok 4’s applicability in marketing tasks. Kipp shares his hands-on experience with Grok 4 through three main prompts:

1. Building an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) for Content:

   • Task: Creating an ICP to identify the ideal reader for specific content.
   • Process: Analyzing competitor handles on X (formerly Twitter) to cluster engaged followers and define target personas.
   • Outcome: Grok 4 successfully generated a draft ICP, though Kipp mentions that its effectiveness could be enhanced with more contextual information.

   Notable Quote:
   “For marketers, here's how to level up your copywriting today.” (07:14)

2. Content Creator Assessment:

   • Task: Developing a tool to grade the potential success of content based on the ICP.
   • Process: Inputting content into Grok 4 to evaluate its alignment and attractiveness to the defined audience.
   • Outcome: Kipp found Grok 4’s output “just fine” but noted it lagged behind ChatGPT's OpenAI model in creative output quality.

   Notable Quote:
   “I've only done the prompts. We're running this live. So we have GRO4 picked down here.” (05:12)

3. Campaign Planning for a Mock Brand:

   • Task: Crafting a marketing campaign for a fictitious AI note-taking app, Brief Buddy.
   • Process: Detailing target demographics, psychographics, competitive landscape, and messaging strategies.
   • Outcome: Grok 4 generated comprehensive campaign elements, though some creative aspects were lacking due to the fictional nature of the brand.

   Notable Quote:
   “It creates a campaign and then it assesses how it performed against that campaign.” (07:32)

Challenges and Limitations

While Grok 4 shows promise, the hosts discuss several limitations:

• Contextual Dependence: Grok 4 performs better with detailed contextual information. Without it, as seen in the Brief Buddy campaign, the outputs can be generic.
• Creative Output: Compared to ChatGPT’s upcoming GPT-5, Grok 4’s creative generation falls short, particularly in nuanced and engaging content creation.
• Technical Hiccups: Initial live demonstrations faced connectivity issues, though stability improved over the weekend (09:32).

Kieran remarks, “I did run this prompt in O3 on ChatGPT and the output was much, much better than Grok4.” (07:14)

Comparative Analysis with Other AI Models

The hosts juxtapose Grok 4 with other AI models like ChatGPT and the anticipated GPT-5:

• Performance Benchmarks: Grok 4 excels in standard benchmarks but shows variability in practical applications.
• Feature Set: Features like real-time voice mode in Grok 4 are highlighted as advantageous, though overall creative capabilities need enhancement.
• Pricing Competitiveness: At $30/month, Grok 4 offers competitive pricing, especially for solo marketers, compared to ChatGPT’s $200/month subscription.

Kipp states, “I think GPT5 is not out yet. The benchmarks have just been leaked.” (04:44), indicating a highly competitive landscape in AI development.

Conclusions and Takeaways

In wrapping up the episode, Kipp provides a candid assessment:

• Utility: Grok 4 is a solid tool for specific marketing tasks, especially those leveraging X data.
• Expectations vs. Reality: Despite high expectations based on benchmark performances, real-world applications reveal that Grok 4 is adequate but not groundbreaking.
• Future Prospects: With ongoing AI advancements, both Grok and other models are expected to evolve rapidly, potentially addressing current limitations.

Kipp concludes, “I was going to just like be totally blown away and thinkin' wow, like I can just get such incredible results... I feel it's pretty fine.” (09:32)

Notable Quotes

• Kipp Bodnar:
  “Grok 4 is an incredible model.” (01:17)
  “I did run this prompt in O3 on ChatGPT and the output was much, much better than Grok4.” (07:14)
  “I was going to just like be totally blown away... I feel it's pretty fine.” (09:32)

• Kieran Flanagan:
  “AI innovation curve is still really steep.” (03:14)
  “I think GPT5 is not out yet.” (04:44)
  “The $30 Grok is now pretty close to ChatGPT's $200 a month subscription.” (07:59)

Final Thoughts

"Is Grok 4 Worth $30/mo?" offers a balanced exploration of Grok 4's strengths and weaknesses within the marketing landscape. While it stands out in specific areas like data accessibility and pricing, its creative and contextual capabilities leave room for improvement. As AI continues to evolve, tools like Grok 4 will likely integrate more sophisticated features, enhancing their value for marketers and knowledge workers alike.

Listeners are encouraged to try Grok 4, experiment with the discussed use cases, and share their experiences to further the conversation on AI-driven marketing innovation.