Manus AI Pricing in 2026: What You're Actually Paying For

Last updated: January 2026

TL;DR: Manus AI costs $0-199/month. Free tier: 300 daily credits + 1,000 starter. Basic: $19/month for 1,900 credits. Plus: $39/month for 3,900 credits. Pro: $199/month for 19,900 credits. Credit consumption varies wildly by task complexity (10-200 credits per task).

Manus AI is one of the more interesting entrants in the AI agent space. It lets you build autonomous agents that can browse the web, generate content, and execute multi-step tasks without constant oversight.

But the pricing model is credit-based, and credits can burn fast. This guide breaks down what Manus AI actually costs and whether it makes sense for your use case.

What is Manus AI?

Manus AI is an autonomous agent platform. You describe a task, and Manus figures out how to accomplish it, browsing websites, gathering information, creating documents, whatever the task requires.

The key difference from traditional automation tools: Manus agents operate more independently. You're not configuring each step. You're describing an outcome and letting the AI figure out the path.

Core capabilities:

• Autonomous web browsing and research
• Document and slide generation
• Multi-step task execution
• Agent scheduling and automation
• Creative content workflows

Manus AI Pricing Plans

Here's what Manus AI costs:

Note: Manus often runs promotional credit bonuses that effectively double your allocation. Check their site for current offers.

Understanding Credit Consumption

This is where things get tricky. Manus uses a credit-based system, but credit consumption varies significantly based on:

• Task complexity. Simple research might use 10 credits. Complex multi-step tasks can burn 100+.
• Agent autonomy. The more decisions the agent makes independently, the more credits consumed.
• Web browsing depth. Deep research across many sites uses more credits than shallow lookups.
• Output generation. Creating documents, slides, or long-form content costs more than simple answers.

The math is hard to predict

Unlike operation-based tools where "1 action = 1 operation," Manus credit consumption is variable. A task you think will cost 20 credits might cost 50. Or 10. It depends on what the agent decides to do.

This makes budgeting difficult. You might plan for 100 tasks per month, but if tasks are more complex than expected, you run out of credits early.

Real-world cost scenarios

Here's what Manus AI actually costs for common use cases:

Scenario 1: Quick research lookups

• Task: "Find the pricing page for [company] and summarize their plans"
• Credit usage: ~10-15 credits per lookup
• Monthly volume: 50 lookups
• Monthly credits: ~500-750 credits
• Manus cost: Free tier or Basic plan ($19/month)

Scenario 2: Competitor research reports

• Task: "Research 5 competitors in [space], analyze their features, and create a comparison doc"
• Credit usage: ~80-150 credits per report
• Monthly volume: 4 reports
• Monthly credits: ~320-600 credits
• Manus cost: Free tier might cover it, or Basic plan ($19/month)

Scenario 3: Content generation with research

• Task: "Write a blog post about [topic] with current stats and examples"
• Credit usage: ~50-100 credits per post
• Monthly volume: 10 posts
• Monthly credits: ~500-1,000 credits
• Manus cost: Basic plan ($19/month) to Plus plan ($39/month)

Scenario 4: Heavy autonomous workflows

• Task: Complex multi-step research, document generation, and analysis
• Credit usage: ~100-200 credits per task
• Monthly volume: 50 tasks
• Monthly credits: ~5,000-10,000 credits
• Manus cost: Pro plan ($199/month)

The pattern: light research is affordable. Heavy autonomous work with complex multi-step tasks pushes you into higher tiers quickly. The variability makes budgeting harder than operation-based tools.

Manus AI Pricing vs Competitors

Here's how Manus compares to alternatives for different use cases:

Note: Zapier isn't directly comparable since it's built for app connections, not autonomous agents. Manus and Lindy compete in the AI agent space. Miniloop is positioned differently as transparent, code-based AI workflows.

When Manus AI Works Well

Manus shines for:

• Research tasks. "Find me 10 companies doing X and summarize their approach."
• Content generation. Slides, documents, creative writing with web research baked in.
• Exploratory work. When you don't know exactly what steps are needed.
• Autonomous operation. Tasks that benefit from AI judgment rather than rigid rules.

When Manus AI Gets Frustrating

Manus struggles when:

• You need predictable costs. Credit consumption is variable and hard to forecast.
• You want control. The autonomous approach means less visibility into what the agent is doing.
• You're processing structured data. CSVs, databases, transformation workflows aren't the focus.
• You need integrations. Manus is built around web browsing, not app-to-app connections.

Alternatives to Consider

When to choose Miniloop over Manus AI

Manus is built for autonomous, exploratory tasks. You describe a goal, and the agent figures out how to achieve it through web browsing and content generation.

Miniloop is built for structured data workflows. You describe what you want ("enrich this CSV with company data and score leads"), and AI generates Python code to do it. You can see exactly what the code does, modify it, and run it in secure sandboxes.

The difference: Manus is autonomous and opaque. Miniloop is AI-assisted but transparent.

Choose Manus if:

• Your tasks are research-heavy and exploratory
• You want the AI to figure out the approach
• You don't need to see or control the underlying process

Choose Miniloop if:

• You're working with structured data (CSVs, lists, databases)
• You want to see and understand the code running
• Predictable execution matters more than autonomous exploration

When to choose traditional automation over Manus AI

If your workflows are predictable and repeatable ("when X happens, do Y"), traditional tools like Zapier or Make are more cost-effective. Manus's credit-based pricing only makes sense when you need autonomous decision-making.

Making the Right Choice

The best tool depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Here's a decision framework:

Choose Manus AI if:

• Your tasks genuinely benefit from autonomous AI agents
• Research and content generation are core to your workflow
• You want the AI to figure out the approach independently
• You're okay with variable, less predictable costs

Budget expectation: $19-199/month depending on task volume and complexity. Expect variability. Credit consumption is hard to predict until you've used it for a while.

Choose Miniloop if:

• You're working with structured data (CSVs, lists, databases)
• You want to see and understand the code running
• Predictable execution matters more than autonomous exploration
• You need transparent, editable workflows

Budget expectation: Free - $150/mo

Choose Zapier/Make if:

• Your workflows are predictable trigger-action sequences
• You're connecting apps rather than doing research or content generation
• You need a large integration library
• You want visual workflow builders

Budget expectation: $10-150/month depending on operation/task volume.

Choose Lindy if:

• You want autonomous agents with more structure than Manus
• You need business-focused AI automation
• You want a middle ground between autonomous and configured

Budget expectation: $49.99-99.99+/month depending on usage.

Is Manus AI Worth It?

Manus AI represents a different paradigm: autonomous agents that figure things out rather than configured automations that follow rules.

For research, content generation, and exploratory tasks, that autonomy is valuable. But the credit-based pricing makes costs unpredictable, and the black-box nature means you're trusting the AI to do the right thing.

If you want AI assistance with more control and transparency, where you can see exactly what code is running, that's a different tool for a different job.

FAQs About Manus AI Pricing

How much does Manus AI cost?

Manus AI costs $0-199/month. Free: 300 daily + 1,000 starter credits. Basic: $19/month for 1,900 credits. Plus: $39/month for 3,900 credits. Pro: $199/month for 19,900 credits. Team: $39/member with shared credits.

How fast do Manus AI credits get used?

Credit consumption is highly variable: 10-200 credits per task. Simple research lookups: ~10-15 credits. Content generation with research: ~50-100 credits. Complex multi-step tasks: ~100-200 credits. Budgeting is difficult until you understand your specific usage patterns.

Is Manus AI good for business automation?

No, Manus is optimized for research and content, not business automation. For structured workflows: use Zapier ($29.99/month, 8,000+ integrations), Make ($10.59/month, data transformation), or Miniloop (AI-generated workflows with visible code).

What's the difference between Manus AI and Miniloop?

Manus is autonomous and opaque. Miniloop is AI-assisted and transparent. Manus agents browse the web independently; you see results, not process. Miniloop generates Python code from descriptions; you see and can modify exactly what runs. Choose Manus for exploratory research; choose Miniloop for structured data work.

Can I try Manus AI for free?

Yes, Manus has a generous free tier. 300 daily credits + 1,000 starter credits lets you test 30-100+ tasks depending on complexity. That's enough to evaluate whether it fits your use case.