Claude Code vs Manus: which one to choose in 2026?

Community ratings, features, pricing and free plans: the complete head-to-head between Claude Code and Manus to find the right tool for your needs.

Screenshot of Claude Code
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Claude Code

4.8 (421)

Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent, available in the terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, on the web and as a desktop app. Powered by the latest Claude models, it explores your codebase, writes and fixes code across multiple files, runs tests and opens pull requests on GitHub. With parallel subagents, hooks and a growing plugin ecosystem, it has become a go-to choice for delegating complex development tasks end to end.

Code AssistantAgentsDeveloper Tools
View detailsOfficial site
Screenshot of Manus
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Manus

4.2 (178)

Manus is a general-purpose autonomous AI agent developed by Butterfly Effect, a Singapore-based company. It carries out complex tasks end to end in the cloud: in-depth research, building websites, presentations and documents, data analysis and web automation. You describe a goal; the agent plans the steps, takes action and delivers a finished result. Its ability to keep working on its own in the background, even after you close your session, sets it apart from traditional chatbots.

AgentsAutomationResearch Tool
View detailsOfficial site

Comparison table

CriterionClaude CodeManus
Average rating4.84.2
Number of reviews421178
Free planNoYes
PlansPro, Max, API (pay-as-you-go)Free, Pro, Team
CategoriesCode Assistant, Agents, Developer ToolsAgents, Automation, Research Tool
Last updatedJuly 8, 2026July 8, 2026

Our verdict

Claude Code or Manus?

With an average rating of 4.8/5 (421 reviews), Claude Code comes out ahead of Manus (4.2/5, 178 reviews) with our community.

Budget-wise, Manus offers a free plan to get started, while Claude Code does not appear to offer one.

Positioning-wise, Claude Code stands out in Code Assistant and Developer Tools, while Manus focuses on Automation and Research Tool.

Features head to head

Claude Code

  • Autonomous agent that explores the codebase, edits multiple files, runs tests and fixes errors
  • Available in the terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, as a desktop app and on the web via claude.ai/code
  • Parallel subagents, hooks, skills and plugins to customize and automate your workflows
  • GitHub and GitLab integration: reading issues, creating branches and pull requests
  • MCP protocol support for connecting external tools and data sources

Manus

  • Autonomous execution of multi-step tasks in the cloud, even after the window is closed
  • Wide Research: dozens of searches run in parallel for in-depth reports
  • Creation of ready-to-use websites, apps, presentations (AI Slides) and documents
  • Autonomous web browsing: the agent visits sites, fills out forms and collects data
  • Mobile and desktop apps, scheduled tasks and integrations with third-party services

Pricing compared

Claude Code

Pro

  • $20 per month ($17 per month billed annually)
  • Claude Code included in the terminal, IDEs and on the web
  • Usage quotas shared with the Claude chatbot, suited to regular use

Max

  • $100 or $200 per month depending on the tier (5x or 20x)
  • Significantly higher quotas for heavy, daily use
  • Higher output limits and early access to new features

API (pay-as-you-go)

  • Per-token billing based on Anthropic API rates
  • No subscription required, via a key created in the Anthropic Console
  • Well suited to occasional use and CI/CD integration

Manus

Free

  • $0 per month
  • Around 300 complimentary credits every day
  • Access to agent mode with a lightweight model
  • Ideal for discovering the tool

Pro

  • From $20 per month
  • Several thousand monthly credits depending on the tier
  • Concurrent tasks and advanced features such as Wide Research
  • Higher tiers available for heavy use

Team

  • Around $20 per seat per month
  • Shared credit pool for the team
  • Access management and collaboration features

Prices are indicative and may change — check the official sites for up-to-date pricing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Claude Code and Manus?

Both tools share the Agents space, but Claude Code also covers Code Assistant and Developer Tools, while Manus adds Automation and Research Tool.

Claude Code or Manus: which one is rated higher?

Claude Code earns the better average rating: 4.8/5 (421 reviews), versus 4.2/5 (178 reviews) for Manus.

Can you use Claude Code or Manus for free?

Claude Code does not offer a free plan as far as we know, and Manus offers a free plan.

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