The Automations Wall
A big screen shows today’s Upcoming, Running now and Completed automations. Step up to the tablet to take a closer look at any run.
Manus vs OpenClaw
Choose Manus if you want a managed agent that plans, runs and delivers finished research, slides, websites and video for you. Choose OpenClaw if you want a persistent agent gateway you host yourself and reach through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack and other chat apps.
This comparison is published by ShiftHands, which is not affiliated with Manus or the OpenClaw Foundation. It compares documented product capabilities, not hands-on benchmark results.
Manus
by Manus
Managed agent for creative and research tasks
- Free planYes, 300 daily refresh credits
- Paid$20, $40 or $200 a month
- Runs onManus cloud, plus Manus Studio
OpenClaw
by the OpenClaw Foundation
Configurable agent gateway across messaging apps
- SoftwareFree, MIT-licensed
- Paid tierNone
- Runs onYour computer or server
The tour below shows ShiftHands, the publisher of this comparison. It is not a demo of Manus or OpenClaw.
See it working
See ShiftHands working. Agents type, browse and report back.
Click through the real app: projects down the side, a chat per agent, automations that report back, and a browser you can take over. The agents do the typing.
Recorded in the ShiftHands demo workspace.
Virtual Environment
Your AI team, in a 3D office.
Every ShiftHands plan, Free included, comes with the Virtual Environment: a 3D office in the app where your agents work at their desks, grouped by project. Walk over, pull up a chair, and watch your crew get it done.
Your boss desk
Sit down to see every project and every agent at a glance, and chat with anyone without leaving your chair.
Watch your agents work
Every agent has a desk in its project area. Agents running an automation head to the Automations room. Walk up to any agent and chat.
- Free and Pro
- No extra AI usage for the 3D view
- Mac app and web, including phone browsers
Rendered in the ShiftHands demo workspace with made-up names. Open the Virtual Environment from the sidebar or from Chief of Staff in the app. Agents still run on your Mac and use your connected AI accounts.
Manus vs OpenClaw at a glance
The dimensions that change the decision. A pill shows availability or setup needed, not a score.
| Dimension | Manus | OpenClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Managed general AI agent that plans, runs and delivers tasks | Self-hosted gateway that connects chat apps to AI agents |
| Where tasks and agents run | In a Manus cloud sandbox per task; an optional paid Cloud Computer for always-on projects | On the computer or server that runs your Gateway |
| Local-computer access | Manus Studio Desktop app for macOS (Apple silicon) and Windows, using files and apps you approve | Host tools Agents use tools on the Gateway host, unless you configure sandboxing |
| Who maintains the runtime | Manus Manus runs the sandboxes and agent infrastructure | You operate it You install, configure, secure and update the Gateway |
| Interfaces and messaging channels | Web app, desktop app, iOS and Android apps, plus Slack and Mail Manus | 29 channels WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, iMessage and more, plus a browser Control UI |
| Agent organisation and parallel work | Projects with shared files and instructions; up to 20 concurrent tasks on paid plans | Isolated agents routed by channel bindings in one Gateway, plus subagents |
| Scheduling and event triggers | Built in Scheduled tasks and triggers from Gmail, Slack, GitHub, Shopify, webhooks and more | Built in Cron jobs, hooks and webhooks |
| Approvals and permissions | Approval required can be set for automations that send or publish; local access needs your permission | Configurable Exec approval policies and allowlists per agent, sender pairing and allowlists |
| Browser automation | Cloud browsing in the sandbox; Browser Operator extension acts in your signed-in browser | Managed browser profile for agents, or attach to your signed-in browser |
| Models and providers | Manus agent modes by default; Manus Flex connects your own key via OpenRouter, Fireworks or Modal | Many providers through plugins, with model fallbacks and a model per agent |
| Free availability | Free plan 300 daily refresh credits, 1 concurrent task, 2 scheduled automations, Lite agent mode | Free software No usage limits set by OpenClaw itself |
| Paid plans and operating costs | $20, $40 or $200 a month with credits; Team from $20 per seat; Cloud Computer is extra | No paid tier; you pay model providers, hosting and any third-party services |
| Best fit | Finished creative and research output without running infrastructure | Persistent agents in your chat apps, on infrastructure you control |
Facts come from each product's own site, help centre and documentation, read on October 19, 2026. We compared documented features; we did not run hands-on tests.
How the agent workflows differ
Manus is built around tasks that end in a deliverable. OpenClaw is built around long-running agents you talk to wherever you already chat.
How a task starts
Manus
You describe the outcome in the Manus app, desktop app, Slack or email, or an automation starts it.
OpenClaw
You message an agent in a chat app, the Control UI or a desktop or mobile client, or a cron job or webhook starts it.
Where context lives
Manus
In the task's sandbox and in Projects, which share instructions and files across tasks.
OpenClaw
In each agent's own workspace, state directory and persistent session history on your Gateway.
How multiple agents work
Manus
Paid plans run up to 20 tasks at once, and Wide Research spreads one job across parallel agents.
OpenClaw
Several isolated agents share one Gateway, and bindings route each incoming message to the right agent.
When people step in
Manus
You review results, approve automations that send or publish, and grant local or browser access.
OpenClaw
Exec approvals prompt you when policy requires it, including in the Control UI and mobile apps.
Where results appear
Manus
As finished files, sites, slides or videos in Manus, and in Updates for each automation run.
OpenClaw
In the chat or channel where you talk to the agent, or wherever a scheduled job delivers.
Where agents run and what you maintain
Manus runs the infrastructure for you, with an optional way to work on your own computer. OpenClaw gives you the Gateway to install and keep running.
Manus
- Each task gets an isolated cloud sandbox: a virtual computer with internet access, a file system and software it can install.
- A Cloud Computer is an optional paid environment that stays up, for example for a multiplayer game server or an always-on automation.
- Manus Studio, the desktop app for macOS (Apple silicon) and Windows, works with your local files, folders and approved apps.
- You maintain no servers. Manus maintains the sandboxes, harness and hosting.
OpenClaw
- The Gateway runs on macOS, Linux or Windows, or on a VPS such as Hetzner, Fly.io or GCP. Node is the recommended runtime.
- On a Mac, the menu bar app can run a local Gateway or connect to a remote one.
- Agents work only while the machine running the Gateway is on.
- You set up models, channels, permissions and updates yourself.
Interfaces, messaging and phone access
Manus gives you its own apps on every major platform. OpenClaw puts your agent inside the messaging apps you already use.
Manus
- Web app, plus desktop apps for macOS and Windows and mobile apps for iOS and Android.
- Assign tasks from Slack with @Manus, or by email through Mail Manus.
- With Computer Use, you can ask Manus from your phone to work on your connected desktop and watch it live.
- Cue, a separate Manus app for personal agents, is in invite-code early access.
OpenClaw
- Talk to agents in WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams and more, through channel plugins.
- The browser Control UI covers chat, sessions, automations and settings.
- Companion apps for macOS, Windows and Linux.
- iOS and Android apps pair with your own Gateway, with chat, Talk mode and remote approvals.
Scheduling, approvals and security controls
Both run work on a schedule or a trigger. Manus secures the environment it hosts; with OpenClaw, securing the Gateway is your job.
Manus
- Automations start from a schedule, an app event or a plain description of the routine.
- Triggers include Gmail, Outlook, Google Calendar, GitHub, Shopify, Slack, Notion, RSS and webhooks.
- Set Approval required for work that sends or publishes, or No approval needed for routines you trust.
- Free includes 2 scheduled automations; paid plans include 20.
OpenClaw
- Cron jobs, hooks and webhooks run scheduled and event-driven work.
- Exec approval policies and allowlists are set per agent and enforced on the machine running the command.
- The Gateway binds to loopback by default. Unknown senders get a pairing code, and groups use allowlists.
- Tools run on the host unless you configure sandboxing. A built-in security audit checks the setup.
Neither product is safe or unsafe by default. Results depend on configuration and on what each agent can reach.
Browser use and local-computer access
Browser-session access and general local-file access are different permissions. Each product handles them separately.
Manus
- Tasks browse the web from the cloud sandbox by default.
- Browser Operator is an extension that lets Manus act in your own signed-in browser, after you grant access.
- Separately, Manus Studio's Computer Use works in its own visible workspace on your computer, with files and apps you approve.
OpenClaw
- Agents get a managed, isolated browser profile for automation.
- Agents can also attach to your signed-in browser session, if you set that up.
- Local files and commands are accessed through tools on the Gateway host. Execution approvals, tool permissions and sandboxing depend on how OpenClaw is configured.
Models, credits and total cost
Manus bills work in credits. OpenClaw is free software, and the running cost comes from your model provider and hosting.
Manus
Free $0; paid plans from $20/month
- Free: $0, with 300 refresh credits a day, 1 concurrent task and the Lite agent mode.
- Paid: $20 (4,000 credits), $40 (8,000) or $200 (40,000) a month, each with 300 refresh credits a day. Annual billing saves 17%.
- Credits used depend on task complexity, and add-on credit packs are available.
- Manus Flex connects your own API key; that provider bills inference, while other Manus services still use credits.
OpenClaw
Software $0, with model and hosting costs separate
- Free, MIT-licensed software, stewarded by the non-profit OpenClaw Foundation. No paid tier.
- Connect many model providers through plugins, including ChatGPT/Codex sign-in and API keys.
- Set a model per agent, with fallbacks.
- You pay your AI provider, plus any server and third-party services you use.
Free software does not mean free to run. Heavy model use or a server can cost more than a Manus plan, and a Manus credit is not the same unit as a model provider's tokens.
Who should choose Manus?
- You want finished research, slides, websites, code, games or video delivered without running infrastructure.
- You want professional creative tools, such as Manus Studio's Video Editor and Game Dev.
- You want scheduled and event-driven automations across Gmail, Slack, GitHub, Shopify and Notion.
- You want the option of a paid Cloud Computer that keeps a project running when your laptop closes.
Trade-off Work is metered in credits, and you rely on Manus's hosted environment for most tasks.
Who should choose OpenClaw?
- You want to host your own agents on your computer or a server.
- You want persistent agents with their own workspaces, routed across several agents.
- You want your agent inside WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord or other chat apps.
- You want broad model-provider choice, plugins and control over the infrastructure.
Trade-off You configure, secure and maintain the Gateway, models and channels yourself, and pay providers and hosting separately.
Frequently asked questions
Are Manus and OpenClaw free?
OpenClaw is free, MIT-licensed software, but you pay for models and any hosting. Manus has a free plan with 300 refresh credits a day and paid plans from $20 a month.
Do I pay for AI models separately?
With OpenClaw, yes: you pay your model provider directly. Manus includes model use in its credits, unless you use Manus Flex with your own key, where that provider bills inference.
Can Manus or OpenClaw run locally?
OpenClaw runs entirely on your own computer or server. Manus tasks run in its cloud, but Manus Studio can work with files and apps on your computer that you approve.
Can I use them from my phone or browser?
Yes. Manus has web, iOS and Android apps. OpenClaw works through chat apps, a browser Control UI and iOS and Android apps paired to your Gateway.
Which has stronger security controls?
They use different controls. Manus manages its hosted environment and lets you require approval for automations that send or publish; local-computer actions have separate permissions. OpenClaw offers configurable execution approvals, sender pairing, allowlists and optional sandboxing. Neither is automatically safer for every setup.
Do they work on Windows and Mac?
Both do. Manus Studio supports macOS (Apple silicon) and Windows. The OpenClaw Gateway runs on macOS, Linux and Windows.
Can I switch between Manus and OpenClaw?
Yes, but expect to rebuild workflows. Manus projects and automations live in Manus. OpenClaw agents, channels and cron jobs live in your Gateway's configuration.
Manus facts: pricing, plans in the help centre, Manus 2.0 announcement, Manus Studio, automations, Browser Operator, Manus Flex and documentation, read October 19, 2026.
OpenClaw facts: OpenClaw site, documentation, platforms, Control UI, multi-agent routing, automations, exec approvals, security, browser and model providers, read October 19, 2026.
Product names belong to their owners. ShiftHands is not affiliated with or endorsed by Manus or the OpenClaw Foundation. Facts and prices were checked on each product's own site on October 19, 2026 and can change.