To use Manus AI, sign up at manus.im, type a specific task into the box and let Manus plan and carry it out. It works in its own virtual computer with internet access, then delivers the finished file, report or site. Free users get 300 credits each day they log in.
Manus isn't a chatbot in the usual sense. Its docs describe it as an autonomous AI agent, like a virtual colleague with its own computer, that plans, does the work and delivers a complete result. That changes how you should use it. You don't chat back and forth; you brief it the way you'd brief a freelancer.
Step 1: Write a task, not a question
Manus's own docs give the clearest advice on this. Clear, well-defined tasks help it work efficiently and use fewer credits. Its example of a weak request is Research AI. A better one names the topic, the scope and the output:
Copy this prompt
Research the five most common questions small accounting firms in the UK ask about switching to cloud bookkeeping. For each, give a short plain-English answer and one example. Deliver it as a two-page PDF with a summary table at the top.
Include who it's for, what to deliver, the format and any limits on length. Manus then plans the job and works through it, and you can watch its progress.
Step 2: Understand what it can do
Because Manus runs in a sandbox with internet access, a file system and the ability to install software, it can handle jobs a chatbot can't. Its docs list features including:
| Feature | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Wide Research | Large research jobs split across several agents running in parallel |
| Manus Slides | Complete presentations with research, visuals and speaker notes |
| Data analysis | Turning raw data into charts and insights |
| Website builder | Building, editing and publishing web apps |
| Cloud browser | A browser in the cloud that operates like a real person |
| Meeting minutes | Notes from meetings |
Step 3: Set up a project for repeat work
If you do the same kind of job every week, a project saves you writing the same brief again. A project holds a master instruction and a knowledge base of files, and every new task inside it inherits both.
- Click Create Project, the + icon next to Projects in the sidebar.
- Name it and write the master instruction that defines the workflow.
- Upload the files it should always use, such as your style guide or price list.
- Start tasks inside the project. Each one picks up the setup automatically.
Step 4: Send tasks by email with Mail Manus
Mail Manus lets you start a task by forwarding an email. Go to Settings, then Mail Manus, and copy your personal bot address. Forward an email to it, or copy it in, add any instructions, and Manus sends the result back to your inbox, with attachments where needed. For security, only emails from approved sender addresses can trigger tasks. It's handy for jobs like summarising a long supplier email or turning an enquiry into a draft quote outline.
Work with others and in your browser
Manus Collab lets several people work on the same task in one workspace, so a colleague can add context or check the output without copying files around. The Browser Operator is a browser extension that turns your own browser into an agent, which helps with sites that need you to be signed in. For anything Manus builds as a website, the website builder covers editing with plain-language changes, publishing, custom domains and built-in SEO settings, and you can export the code to a private GitHub repository.
Whatever you use, check the result before it goes anywhere public. Manus works independently, which is the point, but it's still your name on the report or the site.
How credits work
Everything in Manus runs on credits, which pay for the AI model, the virtual machine and any outside data it uses. The help centre sets out the free plan rules:
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
| Rule | What Manus says |
|---|---|
| Daily credits | 300 a day, granted automatically when you log in |
| Reset | Back to 300 at 00:00 UTC; unused daily credits are removed |
| Free plan cap | Daily refresh credits are capped at 1,500 a month for free users |
| Model | Daily credits can only be used with Manus 2.0 lite |
| Failed tasks | Credits are refunded when a task fails because of a technical issue on Manus's side |
Manus also spends credits in a fixed order: event credits first, then daily credits, then monthly, add-on and finally free credits. Free credits never expire, while monthly credits on a subscription reset at the end of each cycle.
Credits are only used while a task is running, so storing finished work costs nothing and there's no need to delete completed tasks. If a task runs your balance slightly below zero, Manus says that's expected and it clears at your next refresh. As an example from its help centre, the Pro membership at $20 in US dollars gives 4,000 monthly credits, as of October 2026.
Manus can build web apps, and for the free no-code and developer-tool routes to a mobile one, our app-building guide has the details.
My verdict
Manus suits jobs with a clear deliverable: a researched report, a deck, a data summary or a simple website. Brief it tightly, use a project for anything you repeat and log in daily if you're on the free plan, because unclaimed daily credits are lost. If you'd rather compare it with other options first, see my Manus alternatives, or for research jobs alone, my guide to ChatGPT deep research.
Frequently asked questions
Is Manus AI free?
Yes, there's a free plan. Manus gives 300 credits a day when you log in, capped at 1,500 a month for free users, and they can only be used with Manus 2.0 lite.
Do Manus daily credits roll over?
No. They reset to 300 at 00:00 UTC each day and unused daily credits are removed.
Does Manus charge credits for failed tasks?
Manus says it refunds consumed credits for tasks that fail because of technical issues on its side.
Can I send Manus a task by email?
Yes, with Mail Manus. Copy your bot address from Settings, then Mail Manus, and forward or copy emails to it from an approved address.
How do I use fewer Manus credits?
Write specific, well-defined tasks. Manus says clear requests reduce unnecessary steps and credit use.
