AutoGPT vs Manus

AutoGPT or Manus for workflow automation? Full feature comparison for teams and solo builders. AutoGPT is best for autonomous tasks, open-source AI agents.

	AutoGPT Best for: Autonomous tasks, open-source AI agents	Manus Best for: Autonomous AI agent, mobile/web app building, task automation
Overview	AutoGPT is an open-source platform for building and running autonomous AI agents. Now shipping as the AutoGPT Platform (beta v0.6.65, June 25, 2026), it pairs a visual Agent Builder with a managed cloud and paid Pro/Max subscriptions.	Manus is an autonomous AI agent acquired by Meta in late 2025. Manus 1.6 Max completes complex tasks in under 4 minutes with mobile app development, web app builder, and Slack/WhatsApp/Telegram integrations.
Pricing	Freemium	Freemium
Users	Free	Free / from $20/mo
Advantages	✅Free, MIT-licensed self-hosted core with no seat limits when you bring your own keys and compute ✅Visual drag-and-drop Agent Builder plus an agent marketplace for publishing and reusing agents ✅AutoPilot/Copilot handles goal decomposition, with an context panel, Cmd+K search, and MCP auto-discovery ✅30+ integrations (Slack, Discord, Stripe) plus native scheduling and webhook triggers ✅Choice of free self-hosting or managed AutoGPT Cloud with clear Pro and Max subscription tiers	✅Task completion time reduced from 15 minutes to under 4 minutes in Manus 1.6 Max ✅Builds iOS and Android mobile apps from natural language descriptions ✅Web App Builder includes database, Stripe, and SEO configuration out of the box ✅Slack, WhatsApp, and Telegram integrations — assign tasks from any messaging app ✅Desktop app with local file access for on-device task automation
Disadvantages	❌Platform is still officially in beta (v0.6.65), so expect rough edges and changes ❌Pay-as-you-go credit wallet meters agent runs at a rate that is not published up front ❌Autonomous agents can consume credits or LLM API tokens unpredictably ❌Max tier is expensive at $320/mo ($3,264/yr) for heavier cloud usage ❌Self-hosting shifts setup, LLM keys, and maintenance burden onto you	❌Acquired by Meta — long-term product direction and data privacy policies may change ❌Autonomous agents occasionally make errors on ambiguous tasks requiring human review ❌Generated mobile apps may require developer review before App Store submission ❌Token/credit consumption for long tasks can be significant on complex workflows
Rating	…	…
Website	agpt.co	manus.im
	Visit →Full review	Visit →Full review

Verdict: Which Should You Choose?

Choose AutoGPT if…

✅ You want open-source autonomous AI you can self-host, modify, and fully control (MIT license, $0, bring your own LLM API keys)
✅ You're a developer building or experimenting with autonomous agent workflows and want a transparent, hackable platform
✅ You want to customize the agent's blocks, memory, and tool integrations, or run it on your own infrastructure
✅ You'd rather use managed hosting when convenient — AutoGPT Pro ($50/mo, or $42.50/mo billed annually) and Max ($320/mo) run the platform for you

Choose Manus if…

✅ You want a polished autonomous agent that completes complex tasks with minimal setup
✅ You need an agent that browses the web, writes code, manages files, and executes multi-step plans on its own
✅ You want results, not engineering — Manus handles the complexity so you can focus on the task
✅ You prefer simple credit-based pricing: a free tier (300 daily refresh credits) and Pro plans from $20/mo

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AutoGPT?

AutoGPT was one of the first open-source autonomous AI agent projects (2023). It has since grown into the AutoGPT Platform (current release: autogpt-platform-beta-v0.6.65, June 2026), a block-based system for building and running autonomous agents. You can self-host it for free under the MIT license and bring your own LLM API keys, or use the managed Pro and Max tiers.

How much does AutoGPT cost?

Self-hosting is free (MIT license, $0) — you only pay for your own LLM API and compute. The managed cloud offers Pro at $50/mo ($42.50/mo billed annually, $510/yr) and Max at $320/mo.

What is Manus and what does it cost?

Manus is a general-purpose autonomous AI agent. The current family is Manus 1.6 — 1.6 Lite, 1.6, and the flagship 1.6 Max. Pricing is credit-based: a Free tier with 300 daily refresh credits, and Pro plans at $20/mo (4,000 credits), $40/mo (8,000 credits, 7-day trial), and $200/mo (40,000 credits). Team plans start at $20/seat/mo (2-seat minimum).

What can Manus do that AutoGPT can't?

Manus is a ready-to-use product with reliable web browsing and tool use, so you get task completion without building infrastructure. AutoGPT gives you an open, customizable platform to build agents yourself — more control and transparency, but more setup. Choose Manus for turnkey results; choose AutoGPT to own and shape the agent.