Manus: a general-purpose AI agent that does the work for you
Manus is a general-purpose AI agent: you hand it a complete task, such as a research report, a website or a slide deck, and it carries it out end to end in its own workspace. After a Meta acquisition that Beijing ordered unwound, Manus is once again an independent company.
Data as of October 22, 2026
Key figures
| Developer | Manus AI |
|---|---|
| Country | Singapore |
| Launched | Not disclosed |
| Free version | Yes, limited |
| Plans | from $20 per month |
| Official website | manus.im |
Features
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Web search | Yes |
| Agent mode | Yes |
| File upload | Yes |
| Image generation | Not disclosed |
| Voice mode | Not disclosed |
| Memory | Not disclosed |
| Code execution | Yes |
| Autonomous browsing | Yes |
Where to use it
| Where to use it | |
|---|---|
| Web | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes |
| Android | Yes |
| Windows | Yes |
| macOS | Yes |
| Browser extension | Not disclosed |
| French interface | Not disclosed |
| Spanish interface | Not disclosed |
Privacy
| Privacy | |
|---|---|
| Opt out of training on your chats | Not disclosed |
| Temporary chat | Not disclosed |
| EU data residency | Not disclosed |
What an agent like Manus actually does
An AI agent does more than answer questions: it plans, breaks a job into steps, uses tools and hands back a result. Manus does this inside an isolated environment (a sandbox) with its own browser and code execution. It can run in-depth research, analyze data, build and publish a website, produce slides, edit video (Video Editor arrived in October 2026) or run scheduled automations.
Manus 2.0, introduced in late September 2026, comes in three levels: Manus 2.0 Lite, Manus 2.0 and Manus 2.0 Max. An option called Manus Flex lets you plug your own API key into the workspace. The agent runs on the web, on desktop and on mobile.
From Meta and back to independence
Manus started in China in 2022 and later moved its base to Singapore. In late December 2025, Manus announced it was joining Meta. Chinese authorities then blocked the deal and ordered it reversed in April 2026. In August 2026, Manus said it would operate independently again, and an official post in early September confirmed that the founding team remains in charge. Press reports say former shareholders bought the company back; Manus does not describe its new ownership on the pages we checked.
Credit-based pricing, explained
Manus charges by usage through credits. As of October 22, 2026:
- Free: 300 credits per day, Chat mode and Manus 2.0 Lite, 1 concurrent task, 2 scheduled automations.
- Pro: from $20 per month (4,000 credits) or $40 per month (8,000 credits, 7-day trial), all Manus versions, 20 concurrent tasks.
- Team: from $20 per seat per month, with single sign-on and data privacy controls.
In practice, what a task costs depends on how long and complex it is, and Manus does not publish a fixed rate per task type. Start small to get a feel for your usage.
Limits and precautions
An autonomous agent can go wrong at any step, and one mistake can carry through the whole job. Check sources and figures, and avoid giving it access to sensitive accounts (banking, work email) without oversight. Our Can I trust an agent? tool helps you weigh the risk. For a close competitor, see Genspark.
Models used
- Manus 2.0
- Manus 2.0 Max
- Manus 2.0 Lite
Strengths
acting on your behalf · teamwork · coding
AI assistants
- Alexa+ · Amazon
- Apple Intelligence et Siri AI · Apple
- ChatGPT · OpenAI
- Claude · Anthropic
- Comet · Perplexity
- Microsoft Copilot · Microsoft
Frequently asked questions
Who runs Manus now?
Manus AI, independent again. Meta announced it was acquiring Manus on December 29, 2025, but China's National Development and Reform Commission ordered the deal unwound on April 27, 2026. On August 11, 2026, Manus said it would resume independent operations under its founding team.
Is Manus free?
There is a free plan with 300 credits per day, access to Chat mode and Manus 2.0 Lite, and one task at a time. Heavy tasks use credits quickly, so regular use usually calls for a Pro plan.
How much is Manus Pro?
As of October 22, 2026, Pro starts at $20 per month for 4,000 monthly credits, with a $40 per month tier for 8,000 credits. Annual billing saves about 17 percent. The Team plan starts at $20 per seat per month.
Was my data affected by the split from Meta?
For users in certain jurisdictions, Manus deleted data created between December 29, 2025 and August 23, 2026, after giving them a window to back it up. Manus says this was not a security incident, and an in-app notice told users whether their account was affected.
Data sources
Data as of October 22, 2026
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