WhichBot › Alternatives › Alternatives to Manus
Last checked Oct 28, 2026 · plain English · no paid picks
Best alternatives to Manus
Stay with Manus if you want to hand off multi-step tasks to an agent in the cloud, with a free plan to try.
Try ChatGPT Work if you already use ChatGPT and want it to handle multi-step jobs like research, files and scheduled tasks.
Try Goose if you're a developer or power user who wants a free, open-source agent on your own computer.
Try Hermes Agent if you like tinkering and want a free agent that learns skills and remembers things.
The alternatives
Agents and personal assistants
ChatGPT Work
Agent inside ChatGPT for multi-step tasks · OpenAI
Pick it if you already use ChatGPT and want it to handle multi-step jobs like research, files and scheduled tasks.
Price: Free/Go: limited (desktop app); Plus and Pro: desktop, web and mobile
Free plan: Yes
Manus vs ChatGPT Work · Alternatives to ChatGPT Work · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Agents and personal assistants
Goose
Free, open-source agent from Block that runs on your computer · Block
Pick it if you're a developer or power user who wants a free, open-source agent on your own computer.
Price: Free
Free plan: Yes
Checked Oct 28, 2026
Agents and personal assistants
Hermes Agent
Free, open-source agent from Nous Research · Nous Research
Pick it if you like tinkering and want a free agent that learns skills and remembers things.
Price: Free; model and optional hosting billed by providers
Free plan: Yes
Checked Oct 28, 2026
Agents and personal assistants
OpenClaw
Free, open-source assistant that runs on your own computer · OpenClaw Foundation
Pick it if you're comfortable with tech and want a free assistant that runs on your own machine.
Price: Free; no paid version (you pay your model provider)
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Setup and model costs are on you; Microsoft Security: limited built-in security controls; treat as untrusted code with persistent credentials; run only in an isolated VM with dedicated accounts. Third-party skills can be malicious
Alternatives to OpenClaw · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Browser agents
Perplexity Comet
Web browser with an AI assistant built in · Perplexity
Pick it if you want a free web browser with an AI assistant built in.
Price: Free; higher limits with Perplexity plans
Free plan: Yes
Alternatives to Perplexity Comet · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Manus next to the top alternatives
| Manus | ChatGPT Work | Goose | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Agent that does multi-step tasks for you in the cloud | Agent inside ChatGPT for multi-step tasks | Free, open-source agent from Block that runs on your computer |
| Made by | Manus | OpenAI | Block |
| Price | Free; Pro from $20/mo; Team from $20/seat | Free/Go: limited (desktop app); Plus and Pro: desktop, web and mobile | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Good at | Not listed in our data | Not listed in our data | Open source (Apache-2.0) |
| Who it's for | Anyone delegating multi-step tasks | Anyone with multi-step tasks: research, files, scheduled tasks, browser | Developers and power users |
| Where it runs | cloud | ChatGPT desktop, web, mobile | local: command line, desktop |
| Status | Current | Current | Current |
| Sources | manus.im | openai.com · chatgpt.com | github.com |
Related pages
- Manus vs ChatGPT Work
- Alternatives to ChatGPT Work
- Alternatives to OpenClaw
- Alternatives to ChatGPT Dots
- Alternatives to Claude Duet
Questions people ask
What is the best alternative to Manus?
It depends on what you need. Try ChatGPT Work if you already use ChatGPT and want it to handle multi-step jobs like research, files and scheduled tasks. Try Goose if you're a developer or power user who wants a free, open-source agent on your own computer. Try Hermes Agent if you like tinkering and want a free agent that learns skills and remembers things.
Is there a free alternative to Manus?
Yes. These have a free plan: ChatGPT Work, Goose, Hermes Agent, OpenClaw, Perplexity Comet.
Is Manus still worth using?
Yes, if you want to hand off multi-step tasks to an agent in the cloud, with a free plan to try. Its status in our directory: current.
Are these picks paid for?
No. There are no paid picks, sponsors are always labeled, and WhichBot never takes sponsorship from AI labs.
Facts come from the companies' own pages, linked above, and were last checked Oct 28, 2026. Prices are US and can change. Picks are Hector's: no paid picks, sponsors always labeled, and no sponsorship from AI labs. Our policy.