What Is Manus? The General AI Agent Explained (2026)
The general agent that delivers finished work from its own cloud computer
By Tal SlavinUpdated
What is Manus?
Manus is a hosted general AI agent that takes a goal, breaks it into steps and runs them inside a virtual computer, returning finished deliverables such as reports, slide decks, websites and code. Manus 2.0, released September 28, 2026, added the Cascade harness, Cloud Computer, Automations and Manus Studio.
☰On this page (3 sections)
Manus is a hosted general AI agent that takes a goal, breaks it into steps, and executes those steps inside a virtual computer. You receive finished deliverables rather than just chat replies. As of Manus 2.0 (released September 28, 2026), the system runs on a new Cascade harness that loads specialized capabilities on demand.
Key takeaways#
- Manus acts as a virtual colleague with its own computer (browser, files, terminal, and the ability to install tools).
- It returns complete outputs: research reports, slide decks, websites, code, videos and more.
- Manus 2.0 added Cascade, Manus Studio, Cloud Computer and Automations, plus Cue, a new app for personal agents (what changed in Manus 2.0).
- Pricing is credit-based, with a free plan and paid tiers (Manus pricing).
- Execution runs in Manus's cloud environment, though Manus Studio can also work on your own computer with permission modes.
At a glance#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What it is | General AI agent that completes multi-step tasks and delivers finished work |
| Maker | Butterfly Effect (Singapore); independent since August 2026 after Meta's acquisition was blocked |
| Latest major release | Manus 2.0 (September 28, 2026) |
| Where work runs | Cloud sandboxes plus an optional persistent Cloud Computer (Manus Cloud Computer) |
| Pricing model | Credits (free plan plus paid tiers) |
| Best for | Users who want finished deliverables with minimal operational overhead |
Manus connects to many apps through built-in connectors and MCP. For always-on work it offers Cloud Computers. Manus Flex lets you bring your own model API key while still using Manus's planning and execution layer (Manus Flex).
Comparing agents? See Manus vs Grok Bot and Manus limitations and alternatives.
Sources & Further Reading#
| Claim / Topic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Product overview, connectors and MCP | Manus docs | Read 2026-11-03 |
| Manus 2.0: Cascade, Cloud Computer, Automations, Studio, Cue | Manus blog: Introducing Manus 2.0 | 2026-09-28 |
| Maker, Meta acquisition attempt and independence | Wikipedia: Manus (AI agent) | Read 2026-11-03 |
Frequently asked questions
What is Manus?
Manus is a hosted general AI agent that takes a goal, breaks it into steps and runs them inside a virtual computer, returning finished deliverables such as reports, slide decks, websites and code. Manus 2.0, released September 28, 2026, added the Cascade harness, Cloud Computer, Automations and Manus Studio.
Who makes Manus?
Butterfly Effect, a Singapore-based company. Meta announced an acquisition in December 2025, China blocked it in April 2026, Meta cut ties in June, and Manus announced on August 11, 2026 that it operates as an independent company.
Is Manus free?
There is a free plan with limited credits; paid plans add more credits and capabilities. Manus bills in credits rather than tokens.
How we sourced this. Manus docs, the Manus blog and Wikipedia read on 2026-11-03. Methodology