ChatGPT Agent is no longer available. OpenAI’s Help Center says to use ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks and its supported cloud-browser workflows for browser work. Manus remains an option for agentic creation and workflows. The right choice depends on what you need done, where the work must happen, and which apps or files the agent can access—not on a proven universal performance winner.
What changed: ChatGPT Agent has been retired
OpenAI’s current Help Center states, “ChatGPT agent is no longer available,” and points users to ChatGPT Work for longer multi-step tasks and to its built-in browser documentation for supported browser workflows. The name in the original comparison is therefore outdated: the practical comparison is Manus versus the current ChatGPT Work and browser capabilities.
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ChatGPT Agent’s 2025 launch and later expansion are historical context, not evidence that it remains available. Current availability and plan limits can change; check the live OpenAI documentation for your account and workspace.
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| What you need to do | What the official descriptions support | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Research, analysis, and polished business deliverables | ChatGPT Work is described for research and analysis across connected apps and files, and for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports, and Sites. OpenAI’s ChatGPT Work documentation describes these capabilities. | Whether Work is available on your plan, in your region, and in your workspace; which apps and files are connected; and any administrator controls. |
| Websites, slides, video, and other creation-oriented tasks | Manus describes Agent mode for complex tasks such as creating websites, slides, and videos. Its Manus 2.0 announcement also describes Cloud Computer, Automations, and Manus Studio. Manus Help Center and the Manus 2.0 announcement outline those product areas. | Which feature is available to your account, whether the task consumes credits, and whether the expected output matches your needs. |
| Work that depends on local files, installed tools, or a particular browser session | Manus documents authorized local folders and a local-computer feature described primarily through command-line instructions in a March 24, 2026 help article. Its later Manus 2.0 announcement describes Computer Use in an authorized session. OpenAI’s desktop built-in browser has its own browser state rather than automatically using a user’s Chrome profile. | The exact machine, folder, browser, account, or app access required—and the available approval and permission settings. |
| Recurring or change-triggered workflows | ChatGPT Work documentation describes scheduled tasks that can run once, recur, or respond to triggers or monitored changes. Manus’s 2.0 announcement describes Automations triggered by connected services. | Trigger availability, connected services, workspace settings, and whether the automation can take consequential actions. |
How file and browser access differ
Manus: authorized local access and a cloud workspace
Manus’s March 24, 2026 help article describes “My Computer” as operating primarily through command-line instructions, using installed local tools and folders the user has authorized. It also describes confirmation for sensitive commands and options to scope risky-operation permissions. Because this explanation predates the September 2026 Manus 2.0 announcement, it should not be assumed to describe every detail of newer Computer Use behavior.
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In its September 28, 2026 announcement, Manus describes Computer Use as operating in an authorized session with approved files, a browser, and apps. Manus says of the feature, “you stay in control of what it does.” That is the company’s description, not an independent security assessment. Treat access as something to configure carefully: authorize only the folders, services, and actions needed for the task.
ChatGPT: connected files and a separate built-in browser
ChatGPT Work is described as working across connected apps and files. Separately, OpenAI’s desktop built-in browser guide says users can browse, sign in, download files, and review pages within ChatGPT. It supports multiple tabs but uses its own browser state; it does not automatically inherit the user’s Chrome profile. Some tasks may use the Codex Chrome extension when existing Chrome state is needed. Available features depend on plan and workspace settings, and the browser’s documented settings include approval for new website use.
These are different access models, not interchangeable promises of control over a computer. Before choosing, identify whether the job needs a local folder, an existing signed-in browser session, a connected app, or only web access in a separate browser.
What Manus modes and integrations offer
Manus describes two modes in its help documentation:
- Chat mode: for quick answers and discussion, including recognition of images, PDFs, and text files, plus online search. Manus says Chat conversations do not consume credits.
- Agent mode: for more complex tasks such as websites, slides, and videos. Manus says it plans and completes tasks autonomously and that Agent tasks consume credits.
Manus’s product materials advertise connections to services including Gmail, Notion, and Slack, as well as web and app building, slide generation, images, and video. These are vendor descriptions of product scope, not independent evidence of output quality or suitability for every user. Confirm that the connector and feature you need are available for your account.
OpenAI describes ChatGPT Work as handling research, analysis, connected apps and files, and business deliverables. The documentation also describes scheduled tasks that can run once, recur, or respond to triggers or monitored changes. Rollout and access vary, so a feature listed in product documentation may not be enabled for a particular account or workspace.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is either agent faster or better?
The available official material does not establish a fair, independent Manus-versus-ChatGPT performance comparison or a universal winner. Manus reports an internal result for one tested configuration comparing Cascade with its previous system: 23.2% fewer tokens, 28.2% less time, and 32% lower run cost. Those figures are a vendor-reported comparison within Manus, not a head-to-head test against ChatGPT and not evidence that Manus will be faster or cheaper for your task.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchChoose by testing the same representative task in the products you can access. Compare whether each produces the required deliverable, handles the necessary files or services, asks for confirmation before consequential actions, and fits your budget and workflow. Treat your result as specific to that task and setup rather than a general ranking.
How to compare them for your own workflow
- Define the finished result. Specify whether you need an answer, a research report, a spreadsheet change, a presentation, a site, media, or a recurring automation.
- List the required access. Note the apps, files, local tools, browser session, and account context the job needs. Check which product can access them under your plan and settings.
- Set boundaries before running the task. Decide which folders and sites may be used and which actions require your review. Keep approval for consequential changes where the product offers it.
- Run a small, representative task. Use the same inputs and success criteria where possible. Inspect the output and the steps taken; do not infer broad performance from one run.
- Check current availability and cost. Confirm your region, plan, quotas or credits, seat count, and displayed price immediately before committing.
Plans, credits, and availability
A Manus Help Center pricing article dated March 16, 2026 listed a free tier at $0 per month, Pro tiers starting at $20 or $40 per month with a seven-day trial, and Team starting at $20 per seat per month. The article described different credit and task allowances, noted that annual billing discounts may apply, and said the displayed price controls. These dated figures are not a guarantee of current pricing, and the two Pro starting figures should not be read as a complete plan comparison. Check the live offer and terms before subscribing.
OpenAI’s current agent-status article and ChatGPT Work documentation describe paid-plan access and limits or rollout conditions, but those details are subject to change. Check the current plan and workspace documentation rather than assuming that a feature or quota applies to every account. There is no verified, like-for-like price comparison here: plans, usage units, included features, and availability may differ.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
