Manus
by Butterfly Effect
Autonomous general AI agent that runs whole tasks in a cloud sandbox
Last reviewed 2026-06-18
Manus is an autonomous general AI agent that takes a natural-language goal and executes the whole multi-step task end to end inside a cloud Linux sandbox: it researches the web, browses sites, scrapes and analyzes data, runs code, edits spreadsheets, fills forms, builds websites and slide decks, writes reports, then hands back the finished artifact. It runs on multi-model orchestration (primarily Anthropic Claude, plus a fine-tuned open model for cheaper sub-tasks) rather than its own foundation model. It is genuinely one of the more autonomous consumer agents: a human kicks off the task and reviews the output, but Manus plans and runs dozens of steps on its own. Its newer Desktop mode that drives the local machine is supervised with per-action approval. It targets knowledge workers, analysts, researchers, marketers, and small teams who want a do-the-whole-thing agent.
What it can do
Run deep multi-step research
AutonomousBrowses and synthesizes across many sources into a structured report, autonomously deciding what to read next.
sourceBuild websites and slide decks
AutonomousGenerates working sites and decks from a prompt, including layout, content, and analytics.
sourceExecute code and data tasks in a cloud sandbox
AutonomousRuns a code interpreter and shell in a cloud VM to process data, edit spreadsheets, and produce artifacts.
sourceAutomate browser tasks
AutonomousDrives a real browser to scrape content, navigate sites, and fill forms as part of a larger task.
sourceOperate the local machine via Desktop (My Computer)
SupervisedReads and writes authorized files, runs terminal commands, and drives installed apps on macOS and Windows with per-action approval.
source
Strengths
- +Genuinely high autonomy: completes long multi-step tasks start to finish
- +Produces real deliverables (reports, sites, decks, analyses), not just chat
- +Flexible tiers from a free plan to team seats, with first-class MCP connectors
Limitations
- −Opaque, potentially expensive credit economics with no pre-run cost estimate
- −Reliability varies on long runs; it can go off-track on complex goals
- −Ownership and governance uncertainty plus China-origin export-control exposure (a Meta acquisition was announced then blocked by Chinese regulators in 2026)
Overview
Manus is an autonomous general AI agent. Give it a goal in natural language and it executes the whole multi-step task end to end inside a cloud Linux sandbox, then returns the finished artifact.
What it does
It runs deep multi-step research, builds websites and slide decks, executes code and data tasks in a VM, and drives a real browser to scrape and fill forms. A 2026 Desktop app adds a supervised My Computer mode that operates the local machine with per-action approval. It orchestrates multiple models (primarily Anthropic Claude, plus a fine-tuned open model for cheaper steps) rather than shipping its own foundation model.
Integrations & setup
First-class MCP connectors (Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Notion, HubSpot, Stripe, GitHub) over OAuth, and it can also run as an MCP server.
Pricing
Credit-based: a free tier (daily refresh credits), Standard $20/month, higher tiers up to $200/month with a cloud computer, and team seats. Spend is hard to predict because actions consume credits with no pre-run estimate.
Best for / not for
Best for individuals and small teams who want an agent to complete whole tasks and produce deliverables. Less suited to buyers who need predictable costs, guaranteed reliability on long runs, or a vendor without governance uncertainty.
Traction
Reported ~$75M Series B led by Benchmark at a roughly $500M valuation (TechCrunch, April 2025). A Meta acquisition announced in late 2025 was blocked by Chinese regulators in April 2026 and unwound, leaving Manus operating independently; figures are reported, not audited.
Alternatives
Genspark is the closest general super-agent; Perplexity is more research/answer-focused; Devin and Replit Agent are the coding-specialist analogs.
What people are saying
Common gripes
- −because
- −steel
- −first
Recent mentions
“There are a few moments in a life where you stop calculating the risk and just leap. Mine was booking a one-way flight to San Francisco on Feb 9th. I'd shut Dunlin down three months earlier. I had $3,000 to my name. Afte”
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“Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect? A single decision can change the entire course of a life. For me, that decision happened in 2022, when I joined Al Akhawayn University at the very last minute. The degree that”
“I was born in a small town in Kerala, India and grew up in Muscat, Oman, to hard working and humble middle-class parents. To work hard and be grateful for all of life’s blessings was the words of wisdom that I heard grow”
“I believe in the butterfly effect big time... A few months ago, I found myself hosting a rather impromptu dinner for speakers of the MIT Sloan Healthcare and BioInnovations Conference (SHBC). It was there I first met Rif”
FAQ
Is Manus actually autonomous?+
Largely yes. A human sets the goal and reviews the output, but Manus plans and runs dozens of steps on its own inside a cloud sandbox, completing whole tasks end to end. Its Desktop mode that drives your local machine is supervised with per-action approval.
How is Manus priced?+
Credit-based: a free tier with daily refresh credits, then subscriptions (Standard $20/month, higher tiers up to $200/month, plus team seats). Every action consumes credits, and there is no pre-run cost estimate, which can make spend unpredictable.
Sources
- Manus (official site) · accessed 2026-06-18
- Manus pricing · accessed 2026-06-18
- Manus MCP connectors (docs) · accessed 2026-06-18
- Manus (AI agent) (Wikipedia) · accessed 2026-06-18
- China blocks Meta's Manus takeover (CNBC) · accessed 2026-06-18
Last reviewed 2026-06-18