Manus lessons: workflows, costs, mistakes, prompts
Reference lessons to use after the step-by-step tutorial.
Prompt library
Before you start, show your plan as numbered steps and estimate how long it will take. Wait for my OK.Use only official sources. For every price, include the URL and the date you checked.When done, list anything you could not verify.Mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| No finish line | Describe the exact output |
| Agent handles logins | Do logins yourself |
| Trusting gathered prices | Open each source |
Use-case playbooks
Comparison report
- Name the items and columns.
- Approve the plan.
- Spot-check 3 cited facts.
Weekly scheduled digest
- Run the task by hand twice.
- Schedule it.
- Review each result before forwarding.
Simple landing page draft
- Describe audience and sections.
- Review the draft.
- Edit copy yourself before publishing.
Troubleshooting
I ran out of credits.
Free credits refresh daily (300). Paid plans have monthly credits. Shorten tasks and approve plans to waste less.
My task is stuck.
Stop it, then restart with a narrower goal and a clear finish line.
The answer cites a page that doesn't say that.
Treat the claim as unverified. Ask it to quote the exact sentence from that page, or say it isn't there. Then open the page yourself.
It forgot my earlier instructions.
Long sessions push early text out of context. Put standing instructions where Manus keeps them (Give each task a clear name and finish line, and save prompts that worked as templates for scheduled automations.) and start fresh.
It agrees with everything I say.
Ask it to argue the other side and list the strongest evidence against your view, with sources.
Cost control
- Free: 300 daily credits, 1 concurrent task, 2 scheduled automations.
- Pro: from $20/month (4,000 credits) or $40/month (8,000 credits, with a 7-day trial). About 17% off yearly. Up to 20 concurrent tasks.
- Team: from $20 per seat a month or $200 per seat a year. SSO is a $150 add-on for teams under 30 seats.
Source: Manus Help Center, checked Oct 30, 2026.
Free: 300 daily credits and 1 concurrent task. Pro: 4,000 or 8,000 monthly credits and up to 20 concurrent tasks (Manus Help Center).
- Test with the free tier (if there is one) on real tasks for a week first.
- Set a calendar reminder 2 days before any renewal.
- Keep one paid tool per job, not three, unless each earns its place.
Prompt library: bad vs good
Bad: help me
Good: Task: make a one-page comparison of 3 budgeting apps for a college student (price, free plan, platforms, one pro, one con). Show me your plan first and wait for my OK. Cite the official page for every price.
Why: situation, task, format and limits.
Bad: research this
Good: Find the 5 most relevant official sources from the last 12 months on [topic]. For each: title, date, link, and one sentence it actually says.
Why: asks for dated, quotable, checkable sources.
Bad: make it better
Good: Rewrite this for a busy customer: max 100 words, one ask, no jargon. Then list what you cut.
Why: a reader, a length and an audit of changes.
Bad: should I do X?
Good: List the 3 strongest reasons for and against X for someone in [situation]. Mark which reasons depend on facts I should check.
Why: balanced, and separates facts from judgement.
Privacy and safety
- Don't paste passwords, ID numbers, card numbers or other people's private details.
- Assume the company can read and keep your chats unless its official policy says otherwise.
- For health, money or legal decisions, confirm with a professional or an official source.
- Never give the agent your passwords or card details. If a site needs a login, do that step yourself.
- Review files and outputs it creates before sharing them.
Failure modes to watch
- Confident wrong turns early in a long task. Approve the plan.
- Outdated prices from cached pages. Open the source.
- Credit drain from retries on a vague goal.
When to use it vs other bots
| Use Manus for | Consider another bot when |
|---|---|
|
See: ChatGPT · Claude · Gemini · Perplexity · Copilot · comparison |
Leveled tutorials
Where these facts come from
Checked Oct 30, 2026. Plans change, so confirm on the official page before you pay.