What you'll do

Ask an agent to research 3 options and put them in a table: for example, weekend trips, a new phone plan, or a gift under $50. It's read-only, so nothing gets booked, bought or sent.

Manus website homepage with a task box asking What can I do for you
Manus homepage, where you type a task.Screenshot: manus.im, Oct 15, 2026 (public page, not from our testing)

Step 1 (2 min): pick a tool

  • Already pay for ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo)? Switch to Work, which can use a cloud browser (per OpenAI, Plus and up).
  • Want free? Try Manus (free plan: 300 daily credits) or the free Perplexity Comet browser.
  • Use Google every day? Try Gemini; agent features grow with Google AI plans.

Prices and limits as of Oct 15, 2026. We haven't tested these hands-on yet.

Step 2 (3 min): write a clear goal

Good agent prompts have four parts: goal, limits, output and a stop rule. Copy this and fill in the brackets:

Find 3 [weekend trips from Chicago] under [$400 per person] in [November].
Compare them in a table: price, travel time, what's included, and a link to each.
Tell me anything you couldn't confirm.
Don't book, buy, sign up or send anything. Stop and show me the table.

Step 3 (5 min): watch it work

Most agents show their steps as they go (pages visited, searches made). Watch the first run. If it asks to log in or enter payment, say no. It doesn't need either for this task.

Step 4 (3 min): check the result

  • Click 2 of the links and check the prices yourself.
  • Ask: “Which of these facts are you least sure about?”
  • Ask for one change, like “add a cheaper option”.

Step 5 (2 min): decide what's next

If it worked, try a use case that fits you. Before you let an agent send email or spend money, read our 8 safety rules: keep approvals on, set spending limits, and never share passwords.

Sources

Prices and plans change often. Always confirm on the official site before you buy.