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ChatGPT Agent is no longer available. OpenAI’s Help Center directs users to ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks and to its cloud-browser guidance for supported browser workflows. So the useful comparison today is Manus versus those current ChatGPT capabilities—not a choice between two active products both called “Agent.” For creation-oriented workflows such as building websites, slides, or video, Manus may be a better fit; for research, analysis, connected files and apps, and finished work documents, ChatGPT Work may fit better. Neither vendor’s feature descriptions establish a universal winner or prove which performs better on your tasks.
What happened to ChatGPT Agent?
OpenAI’s current Help Center says “ChatGPT agent is no longer available.” Its guidance points users to ChatGPT Work for longer multi-step tasks and its cloud-browser instructions for supported browser workflows. The old Agent mode launched in 2025, but that history does not describe what users can access now.
For a current decision, compare Manus with ChatGPT Work and ChatGPT’s supported browser capabilities. Names, plan access, limits, and rollout can change, so check the live product pages for your account and region.
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How do Manus and current ChatGPT capabilities differ?
| What you need | Manus | ChatGPT Work or browser |
|---|---|---|
| Research and analysis | Manus describes Chat mode for quick answers and online search, and Agent mode for more complex tasks. Its product descriptions are vendor claims, not independent quality tests. (Manus Help Center) | ChatGPT Work is positioned for longer research and analysis across connected apps and files. (OpenAI Help Center) |
| Finished documents and presentations | Manus describes generating slides and other deliverables. (Manus Help Center) | ChatGPT Work describes creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports, and Sites. (OpenAI Help Center) |
| Websites, apps, images, or video | Manus highlights website and app building, image and video creation, and other outputs. (Manus product page; Manus 2.0 announcement) | The cited ChatGPT Work documentation emphasizes research, analysis, and work deliverables; it does not establish a direct quality comparison for these creation tasks. |
| Browser operation | Manus describes Computer Use in an authorized session with approved files, browser, and apps. (Manus 2.0 announcement) | ChatGPT’s desktop built-in browser supports browsing, signing in, downloading files, and reviewing pages. It has its own browser state rather than automatically using the user’s Chrome profile; some tasks may use the Codex Chrome extension when existing Chrome state is needed. (OpenAI Help Center) |
| Local computer files and tools | A March 24, 2026 Manus Help Center article describes “My Computer” using command-line instructions, locally installed tools, and folders the user authorizes. The newer Manus 2.0 announcement separately describes Computer Use; these descriptions should not be treated as identical operating models. (Manus Help Center; Manus 2.0 announcement) | The cited OpenAI browser documentation describes its built-in browser, not general access to local folders or locally installed tools. |
| Connected apps | Manus advertises connections including Gmail, Notion, and Slack. Availability can depend on account and current product support. (Manus product page) | ChatGPT Work is described as working across connected apps and files. Check which connectors are enabled for your account or workspace. (OpenAI Help Center) |
Which one should you choose for your task?
Choose Manus when the deliverable is the main priority
Manus is worth considering if you want an agentic workflow centered on making something—such as a website, slides, or video—or need its documented computer-use or authorized local-folder workflows. Manus describes separate Chat and Agent modes: Chat is for quick answers and discussion, while Agent mode handles more complex tasks and consumes credits. Its help documentation also says Chat conversations do not consume credits. Check the live interface and plan details because mode access and allowances can change. (Manus Help Center)
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Choose ChatGPT Work when the work centers on research and business files
ChatGPT Work is the current OpenAI destination described for longer multi-step research and analysis, working across connected apps and files, and producing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports, and Sites. Scheduled tasks may run once, recur, or respond to triggers or monitoring changes, according to OpenAI’s description. Access and rollout vary by plan and workspace. (OpenAI Help Center)
Choose based on browser context, not just the word “agent”
If a workflow depends on a signed-in browser session, check which account context the agent can actually use. ChatGPT’s built-in desktop browser maintains a separate browser state and does not automatically inherit your Chrome profile. Its documented settings include user review of websites and approval for new website use; feature availability depends on plan and workspace settings. Manus describes Computer Use in an authorized session with approved files, browser, and apps, but that vendor description is not an independent security assessment. (OpenAI Help Center; Manus 2.0 announcement)
What to verify before connecting accounts or files
Agentic tools can take actions in connected services, so decide what access is appropriate before starting a consequential task. Manus’s March 2026 “My Computer” article describes authorized folders, confirmation for sensitive commands, and controls for scoping risky-operation permissions. The September 2026 Manus 2.0 announcement describes Computer Use in an approved workspace; Manus says, “you stay in control of what it does.” That is the company’s characterization, not an independent security finding. OpenAI’s browser guide describes its own browser state, user review, and website-approval behavior. Read the current controls for the specific feature you plan to use rather than assuming either product has identical permissions or safeguards. (Manus Help Center; Manus 2.0 announcement; OpenAI Help Center)
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- Confirm which folders, apps, websites, and account sessions the task can access.
- Review what approvals are requested before allowing actions that send messages, change records, publish content, or spend money.
- Check connector availability and administrator controls if you use a managed workspace.
- Use the narrowest permissions that still let the task succeed.
Is Manus faster or cheaper than ChatGPT?
There is no independent head-to-head performance result in the cited official material that establishes a winner. Manus reports one internal comparison of its Cascade configuration with its previous system: 23.2% fewer tokens, 28.2% less time, and 32% lower run cost. Those are vendor-reported results from one tested configuration, not a Manus-versus-ChatGPT benchmark and not a prediction for your workload. Do not use those figures to conclude that Manus is faster or cheaper than ChatGPT.
Manus’s March 16, 2026 Help Center pricing article listed a free tier at $0/month, Pro tiers starting at $20/month or $40/month with a seven-day trial, and Team starting at $20 per seat/month; it also described differing credits and task allowances and possible annual-billing discounts. These are dated listed prices, not a current quote. Manus says the displayed price controls. OpenAI’s current plan access and limits for Work also depend on rollout and workspace availability, so compare the checkout price and included quotas for your own account rather than treating unlike plans as equivalent. (Manus Help Center; OpenAI Help Center)
A practical way to decide
- Write down the actual deliverable. Specify whether you need an answer, a research report, a spreadsheet change, a presentation, a website, media, or a recurring workflow.
- Check where the inputs live. Identify required files, local tools, browser sessions, and connected services, then confirm the intended product supports them for your plan.
- Review permissions and approval points. Look for the folder, website, app, or action controls relevant to that specific workflow before connecting accounts.
- Run the same small task in each available option. Use identical source files and instructions, then judge factual accuracy, completeness, editability, and how much correction you had to do. This is a personal fit check, not a universal benchmark.
- Compare the live cost and limits. Check today’s plan, credit or message quota, seat count, region, and any workspace restrictions before committing.
Verdict
For creation-oriented workflows and documented computer-use options, evaluate Manus. For multi-step research, analysis, connected apps and files, and business deliverables, evaluate ChatGPT Work. The former ChatGPT Agent is not a current option, and available official descriptions do not prove a universal winner. Let the task, access requirements, permission model, and current plan terms decide.
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