kitio.aiManus vs Thoughtful
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Manus has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $25 for Thoughtful.
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
- Multiplayer AI chats
- Shared skills and memory
- Connectors and APIs
- Code execution
- Browser automation
| Feature | Manus | Thoughtful |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | General-purpose AI agent that works in its own cloud computer | Shared AI agent workspace for teams with skills, memory and automations |
| Category | Agents & automation | Agents & automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Made by | Butterfly Effect | Lex, Inc. |
| Based in | Singapore | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Manus has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $25 for Thoughtful.
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
2 plans
Platform
$25/mo
- Per user
- Shared workspace and skills
- Bring your own API keys
- Managed AI credits +$10/user
Custom
Contact sales
- Volume pricing for 25+ seats
- SSO and enterprise features
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
Thoughtful
- Bring your own API keys at no markup
- Whole team works in one chat
- Reusable skills for common tasks
- No free plan
- Per-user fee before any AI usage
- SSO only on custom plans
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 Thoughtful if you want:
- Bring your own API keys at no markup
- Whole team works in one chat
- Reusable skills for common tasks
Watch out: no free plan.
Manus vs Thoughtful FAQ
What is the difference between Manus and Thoughtful?
Manus: General-purpose AI agent that works in its own cloud computer. Thoughtful: Shared AI agent workspace for teams with skills, memory and automations. Both are agents & automation tools.
Is Manus or Thoughtful cheaper?
Manus has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $25 for Thoughtful.
Do Manus and Thoughtful have free plans?
Manus: Yes. Thoughtful: No.
Who makes Manus?
Manus is made by Butterfly Effect, based in Singapore.
Who makes Thoughtful?
Thoughtful is made by Lex, Inc., based in United States.
Which should I choose, Manus or Thoughtful?
Choose Manus if you value handles long multi-step tasks alone and keeps working after you close it. Choose Thoughtful if you value bring your own api keys at no markup and whole team works in one chat.