Compare · Prices checked October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 and October 29, 2026
Manus vs ChatGPT vs Perplexity (2026)
Published starting prices: Manus, $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly). ChatGPT, Free; Plus $20/mo. Perplexity, Free; Pro $17/mo. All three side by side: public pricing, what each does, real use cases and who each suits, from our listings with sources. We haven't tested them hands-on.
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Browser agents
Manus
A general-purpose agent that works on its own in a cloud computer: browsing, researching, and producing reports, slides and simple sites.
Subscription · 1 use case$20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly)
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Browser agentsFree tier
ChatGPT (agent & deep research)
OpenAI's assistant. Paid plans add agent features (ChatGPT Work, a built-in browser, scheduled tasks) and deeper research reports.
Subscription · 2 use casesFree; Plus $20/mo
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ResearchFree tier
Perplexity
An AI answer engine with cited sources, deep research reports and 'Computer' tasks that build documents and apps.
SubscriptionFree; Pro $17/mo
Short answer: Manus vs ChatGPT vs Perplexity pricing
Lowest listed monthly plans: Manus 4,000 credits/mo: $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly; plus 300 refresh credits a day; 20 concurrent and 20 scheduled tasks); ChatGPT Go: $8/mo (may include ads); Perplexity Pro: $17/mo (billed annually). Of the plans listed in US dollars per month, ChatGPT lists the lowest. ChatGPT and Perplexity have a free plan. Plans differ in what they include (usage limits, seats and features) and some are billed yearly, so compare the plan details. Checked October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 and October 29, 2026. Manus: no $0 plan on its pricing page (checked October 24, 2026). ChatGPT: yes. Its Free plan is $0 (limited deep research and ChatGPT Work), checked October 21, 2026. Perplexity: yes. Its Free plan is $0, checked October 29, 2026.
Pricing side by side · FAQ · Just two of them? ChatGPT vs Perplexity · Manus vs ChatGPT · Manus vs Perplexity
Pricing side by side
| Item |  Manus |  ChatGPT |  Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly) | Free; Plus $20/mo | Free; Pro $17/mo |
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free plan | No | Yes | Yes |
| Plans |
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|
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| Pricing note | No free plan is shown on the pricing page; every paid plan adds 300 refresh credits a day. Plan cards have no names, so we label them by monthly credits. Annual billing saves about 17%. Manus's personal-agent app Cue is listed separately. | Business prices from OpenAI's Codex pricing page (developers.openai.com/codex/pricing). | Monthly (non-annual) prices weren't shown on the page we captured. |
| Checked | October 24, 2026 | October 21, 2026 | October 29, 2026 |
| Source | Vendor pricing page | Vendor pricing page | Vendor pricing page |
Copied from each vendor's public pricing page on the date shown. "not published" means the vendor doesn't publish it; we don't guess. Prices change; confirm with the vendor.
Features and details from our listings
| Item | Manus | ChatGPT | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A general-purpose agent that works on its own in a cloud computer: browsing, researching, and producing reports, slides and simple sites. | OpenAI's assistant. Paid plans add agent features (ChatGPT Work, a built-in browser, scheduled tasks) and deeper research reports. | An AI answer engine with cited sources, deep research reports and 'Computer' tasks that build documents and apps. |
| Made by | Manus | OpenAI | Perplexity |
| Listed under | Browser & computer-use agents, Research agents | Browser & computer-use agents, Research agents | Research agents |
| Jobs it fits |
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|
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| Verified public use cases | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Who each is best for
- Subscription
Manus is best for
- Teams that need to: Competitor and market research; Turn research into a report or slides.
- Budget: starts at $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly) (subscription).
- SubscriptionFree plan
ChatGPT is best for
- Teams that need to: Run multi-step web errands; Write a cited research report; Schedule recurring tasks.
- Budget: starts at Free; Plus $20/mo (subscription, free plan available).
- Watch out: A Washington Post test of the Operator agent found it spent $31 on a dozen eggs: confirm purchases yourself. Source
- SubscriptionFree plan
Perplexity is best for
- Teams that need to: Quick cited answers; Deep research reports.
- Budget: starts at Free; Pro $17/mo (subscription, free plan available).
From our listing data (jobs and public pricing); not a hands-on test. Full details: Manus · ChatGPT · Perplexity.
FAQ
Which is cheapest: Manus, ChatGPT or Perplexity?
Lowest listed monthly plans: Manus 4,000 credits/mo: $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly; plus 300 refresh credits a day; 20 concurrent and 20 scheduled tasks); ChatGPT Go: $8/mo (may include ads); Perplexity Pro: $17/mo (billed annually). Of the plans listed in US dollars per month, ChatGPT lists the lowest. ChatGPT and Perplexity have a free plan. Plans differ in what they include (usage limits, seats and features) and some are billed yearly, so compare the plan details. Checked October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 and October 29, 2026.
Are Manus, ChatGPT and Perplexity free?
Manus: no $0 plan on its pricing page (checked October 24, 2026). ChatGPT: yes. Its Free plan is $0 (limited deep research and ChatGPT Work), checked October 21, 2026. Perplexity: yes. Its Free plan is $0, checked October 29, 2026.
How much does Manus cost?
Manus lists 4,000 credits/mo: $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly; plus 300 refresh credits a day; 20 concurrent and 20 scheduled tasks); 8,000 credits/mo: $40/mo ($34/mo billed yearly; credits adjustable up to 20,000/mo at higher prices); 40,000 credits/mo: $200/mo ($167/mo billed yearly; extended usage); Team / Enterprise: Contact sales (no price published). Its lowest listed monthly plan is 4,000 credits/mo: $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly; plus 300 refresh credits a day; 20 concurrent and 20 scheduled tasks). No free plan is shown on the pricing page; every paid plan adds 300 refresh credits a day. Plan cards have no names, so we label them by monthly credits. Annual billing saves about 17%. Manus's personal-agent app Cue is listed separately. Checked October 24, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page.
How much does ChatGPT cost?
ChatGPT lists Free: $0 (limited deep research and ChatGPT Work); Go: $8/mo (may include ads); Plus: $20/mo (ChatGPT Work on desktop, web and mobile; expanded deep research); Pro: from $100/mo (maximum deep research; longer agent sessions); Business: $25/user/mo ($20 billed annually, 2+ users). Its lowest listed monthly plan is Go: $8/mo (may include ads). Business prices from OpenAI's Codex pricing page (developers.openai.com/codex/pricing). Checked October 21, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page.
How much does Perplexity cost?
Perplexity lists Free: $0; Pro: $17/mo (billed annually); Max: $167/mo (billed annually). Its lowest listed monthly plan is Pro: $17/mo (billed annually). Monthly (non-annual) prices weren't shown on the page we captured. Checked October 29, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page.
Did AITeamGuide test them?
Not hands-on. This comparison is built from each vendor's public pricing page (with the date we checked it), published product information and credited public use cases.
Can a vendor pay to win this comparison?
No. Nothing here is paid. Paid placements on AITeamGuide are always labelled "Sponsored" or "Featured" and never change a comparison or ranking.
Related guides
All comparisons →- ChatGPT vs PerplexitySide-by-side pricing
- Manus vs ChatGPTSide-by-side pricing
- Manus vs PerplexitySide-by-side pricing
- Perplexity alternatives9 compared by price
- Manus alternatives13 compared by price
Work at Manus or ChatGPT or Perplexity? Vendors can claim their listing for free or feature it with a label that says "Sponsored"; paid status never changes the order on this page. Building a different agent? List it here.
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