kitio.aiManus vs Claude Agent SDK
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while Manus is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Cloud virtual computer
- Web browsing and code execution
- Scheduled tasks
- App connectors
- Desktop mode
- Claude Code agent loop
- Built-in file and shell tools
- Hooks and permissions
- Subagents and skills
- MCP support
| Feature | Manus | Claude Agent SDK |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | General-purpose AI agent that works in its own cloud computer | Anthropic's SDK for building agents on the Claude Code harness |
| Category | Agents & automation | Agents & automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting price | $20/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Butterfly Effect | Anthropic |
| Based in | Singapore | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while Manus is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- 300 credits a day
- Up to 1,500 credits a month
Pro
$20/mo
- 4,000 credits per month
- 20 concurrent tasks
Pro 8K
$40/mo
- 8,000 credits per month
- Adjustable up to 20,000 credits
Pro 40K
$200/mo
- 40,000 credits per month
- Adjustable up to 5M credits
Team
$20/mo
- Per seat, starting price
- Shared credit tiers
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Manus
- Handles long multi-step tasks alone
- Keeps working after you close it
- Produces finished files and sites
- Credit use is hard to predict
- Long tasks can fail midway
- Data runs on its cloud machines
Claude Agent SDK
- Proven harness from Claude Code
- Strong for long, tool-heavy tasks
- Fine-grained permission control
- Requires API billing
- Mostly tied to Claude models
Which one should you choose?
Choose Manus if you want:
- Handles long multi-step tasks alone
- Keeps working after you close it
- Produces finished files and sites
Watch out: credit use is hard to predict.
Choose Claude Agent SDK if you want:
- Proven harness from Claude Code
- Strong for long, tool-heavy tasks
- Fine-grained permission control
Watch out: requires api billing.
Manus vs Claude Agent SDK FAQ
What is the difference between Manus and Claude Agent SDK?
Manus: General-purpose AI agent that works in its own cloud computer. Claude Agent SDK: Anthropic's SDK for building agents on the Claude Code harness. Both are agents & automation tools.
Is Manus or Claude Agent SDK cheaper?
Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while Manus is freemium.
Do Manus and Claude Agent SDK have free plans?
Manus: Yes. Claude Agent SDK: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Manus?
Manus is made by Butterfly Effect, based in Singapore.
Who makes Claude Agent SDK?
Claude Agent SDK is made by Anthropic, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Manus or Claude Agent SDK?
Choose Manus if you value handles long multi-step tasks alone and keeps working after you close it. Choose Claude Agent SDK if you value proven harness from claude code and strong for long, tool-heavy tasks.