Quick Brief
- Manus processed 147 trillion tokens across 80 million virtual computers since Meta’s $2 billion acquisition
- AI agents execute multi-step tasks autonomously; chatbots only respond to single queries
- Effective prompts delegate ownership, track progress over time, and produce structured outputs
- Free tier provides 1,000 bonus credits plus 300 daily credits that refresh at midnight
Meta acquired Manus for over $2 billion in December 2025, validating the platform’s approach to general-purpose AI agents. Unlike ChatGPT or Claude, Manus executes tasks autonomously across multiple steps rather than responding to individual questions. This guide provides 15 expert-tested prompt templates that leverage agent capabilities for real-world automation.
Why Manus Requires Different Prompts Than Chatbots
AI agents and chatbots serve fundamentally different purposes. Chatbots excel at answering questions from a fixed knowledge base without reasoning or adaptability. AI agents autonomously make decisions by analyzing complex data, determining optimal actions, and modifying workflows in real-time.
Manus achieved $100 million in annual recurring revenue within eight months by focusing on orchestration how agents plan tasks, invoke tools, handle failures, and deliver finished work. The platform created over 80 million virtual computer instances to process 147 trillion tokens, demonstrating its capacity for large-scale autonomous operations.
Effective agent prompts include these elements:
- Ownership delegation (“take charge of,” “manage until complete”)
- Time-based tracking (“monitor over time,” “check in regularly”)
- Decision authority (“figure out what’s needed,” “adapt if things change”)
- Structured outputs (“produce a report,” “create a schedule”)
What makes an AI agent different from a chatbot?
AI agents autonomously execute multi-step tasks, make decisions based on real-time data, and adapt workflows dynamically. Chatbots deliver predefined responses to single queries without reasoning capabilities or the ability to maintain context across multiple interactions.
Daily Life Automation Prompts
Manus excels at managing recurring tasks that require ongoing attention and adaptation. These prompts establish persistent agents that track your schedule, goals, and progress without manual intervention.
Personal Day Manager
“I want you to act as my daily assistant today. Ask me any questions you need, then plan my day, remind me of tasks, and adapt the plan if things change.”
This prompt creates an agent that gathers requirements, constructs a schedule, monitors your progress, and adjusts based on real-time developments. Traditional chatbots cannot maintain this level of ongoing engagement.
Weekly Organization Agent
“Help me stay organized this week. Track my tasks, deadlines, and follow-ups, and check in with me when decisions are needed.”
The agent maintains a running list of commitments, proactively surfaces items requiring attention, and initiates conversations when input is necessary.
Goal-to-Action Converter
“I have this goal: [insert specific goal]. Break it into steps, schedule them, and guide me through completing them over time.”
Manus transforms abstract objectives into actionable timelines with accountability checkpoints. The system adapts the plan based on your completion rate and changing priorities.
Life Admin Agent Templates
Complex administrative tasks involve multiple stakeholders, documents, and decision points. These prompts delegate end-to-end process management to Manus.
End-to-End Task Manager
“I need to take care of [moving to a new apartment]. Figure out the steps, ask me for required info, and manage the process until it’s done.”
Replace the bracketed text with any major life task: planning a wedding, changing insurance providers, organizing a trip, or handling estate matters. The agent maps dependencies, collects necessary information through structured questions, and tracks completion.
Form Completion Assistant
“Help me complete this [tax form]. Ask me questions one by one, fill in what you can, and flag anything that needs my attention.”
Manus guides you through complex paperwork by breaking it into digestible sections and identifying information gaps that require your input.
Decision-to-Execution Agent
“Help me decide the best option for [choosing health insurance], then guide me through acting on that decision step by step.”
The agent first facilitates decision-making through structured comparison, then immediately transitions to implementation without requiring a new prompt.
How long do Manus tasks take to complete?
Average task completion time improved from 15 minutes 36 seconds in April 2025 to approximately 3 minutes 43 seconds currently. Complex multi-step tasks may take longer depending on scope, while simple tasks often complete in under 5 minutes.
Work and Productivity Agent Prompts
Professional workflows demand structured follow-through and cross-functional coordination. These templates establish agents that maintain project momentum.
Meeting Follow-Through System
“I just had a meeting about [Q1 marketing strategy]. Extract action items, assign priorities, draft follow-ups, and track progress until everything is completed.”
The agent parses meeting outcomes, categorizes tasks by urgency, generates email drafts to relevant stakeholders, and maintains a tracking system.
Project Co-Pilot
“Act as my project assistant for [website redesign]. Keep track of tasks, deadlines, risks, and next steps, and proactively tell me what to do next.”
This creates a persistent project management agent that surfaces blockers, recommends prioritization, and maintains awareness of dependencies across workstreams.
Message Management Agent
“Help me manage messages related to [client onboarding]. Draft replies, remind me who I’m waiting on, and suggest follow-ups when needed.”
Manus tracks conversation threads, identifies action items within messages, and generates contextually appropriate responses for your review.
Research and Monitoring Agent Templates
Autonomous monitoring requires agents that continuously scan for changes and alert you only when intervention is necessary.
Topic Surveillance Agent
“Monitor [semiconductor industry policy changes] for updates that matter to me, and notify me when action is needed.”
Unlike search alerts that flood your inbox, this agent filters information for relevance and urgency before presenting findings.
Purchase Decision Manager
“Help me choose the best option for [buying a laptop]. Research options, update me as you learn more, and recommend when I should decide.”
The agent conducts ongoing price monitoring, compares specifications across vendors, tracks inventory availability, and provides a recommendation when sufficient data exists.
Learning Path Orchestrator
“I want to learn [Python for data analysis]. Create a learning plan, track my progress, adjust based on my pace, and suggest next steps.”
Manus constructs a curriculum, monitors completion rates, adapts difficulty based on your performance, and maintains motivation through structured milestones.
Personal Support and Accountability Prompts
Long-term goals require sustained engagement and adaptive support. These agents provide persistent accountability.
Accountability Partner Agent
“Act as my accountability partner for [exercising 4 times weekly]. Check in regularly, track progress, and help me get back on track when I slip.”
The agent establishes check-in rhythms, celebrates achievements, identifies patterns in missed commitments, and suggests adjustments to increase success rates.
Event Planning Manager
“Plan [my parents’ 50th anniversary party]. Handle the timeline, tasks, decisions, and reminders, and keep everything organized until the event is over.”
Event management involves coordinating vendors, tracking RSVPs, managing budgets, and handling last-minute changes—all capabilities where autonomous agents excel.
Life Transition Guide
“Help me plan for [career change to UX design]. Break it into phases, track decisions, and guide me through each stage over time.”
Major life changes unfold across months or years. This prompt creates an agent that maintains context across the entire transition period.
Manus Performance Data and Best Practices
Meta’s acquisition of Manus for over $2 billion reflected the platform’s unique orchestration capabilities. The Singapore-based company, founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, processed 147 trillion tokens and created over 80 million virtual computer instances to handle autonomous task execution at scale.
Prompt structure that maximizes agent performance:
- Use numbered lists or bullet points for multi-part requests to improve task parsing
- Separate instructions from context using clear headers so the agent distinguishes requirements from background
- Define objectives, boundaries, and success criteria upfront to enable autonomous decision-making
- Provide examples of desired output formats to ensure deliverables match expectations
The 105-employee team joined Meta following the December 2025 acquisition, with CEO Xiao Hong reporting to Meta COO Javier Olivan. The platform operates as a general-purpose agent supporting multiple domains rather than vertical-specific tools.
What is Manus’s current ownership?
Meta acquired Manus for over $2 billion in December 2025. The Singapore-based company’s 105 employees joined Meta, with CEO Xiao Hong reporting to COO Javier Olivan. Meta stated there will be no continuing Chinese ownership interests following the transaction.
When Uncertain What to Ask
If you have a complex need but cannot articulate specific steps, use this meta-prompt:
“I want you to take ownership of helping me with [buying my first home]. Figure out what needs to be done, ask me questions, and manage the process.”
This delegates problem decomposition to the agent itself. The system will map the domain, identify information requirements, and construct a management framework without requiring domain expertise from you.
Effective agent prompts differ fundamentally from chatbot queries. They establish delegation relationships rather than requesting information. Phrases like “take ownership,” “track over time,” “guide me step by step,” and “follow up when needed” signal to Manus that you expect autonomous, ongoing engagement.
Getting Started with Manus AI
Manus removed its waitlist in May 2025 and now provides 1,000 bonus credits plus 300 daily credits that refresh at midnight for all users. The platform operates differently from conversational AI tools you assign a task and observe the agent work rather than exchanging messages.
Average task completion time dropped from 15 minutes 36 seconds in April 2025 to approximately 3 minutes 43 seconds currently, though complex multi-step workflows may take longer depending on scope.
| Feature | AI Agent (Manus) | Chatbot (ChatGPT) |
|---|---|---|
| Task execution | Multi-step, autonomous | Single response |
| Context retention | Persistent across sessions | Limited to conversation |
| Decision-making | Analyzes data, determines actions | Delivers predefined answers |
| Time horizon | Days to weeks | Immediate |
| Output type | Structured deliverables | Text responses |
| Average completion | 3-4 minutes per task | Instant response |
The acquisition by Meta signals integration into Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger as social media platforms compete with Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot.
Limitations and Considerations
Manus requires clear task boundaries to avoid scope creep. Overly broad prompts like “manage my entire life” produce unfocused results. Effective delegation includes specific constraints: time frames, budgets, priorities, and decision criteria.
The platform’s Meta integration raised concerns among some customers regarding data privacy following the December 2025 acquisition. Meta stated it will operate Manus as a separate product while integrating agent capabilities across its social media ecosystem.
Agent-based workflows demand different mental models than chat interfaces. Users must resist the urge to micromanage and instead trust autonomous execution within defined parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What types of tasks work best with Manus AI agents?
Tasks requiring multiple steps, ongoing tracking, decision-making across time, and structured outputs perform best. Examples include project management, research monitoring, event planning, and accountability tracking. Single-question inquiries are better suited for traditional chatbots.
How do I know if my prompt is agent-appropriate?
If your prompt includes phrases like “take ownership,” “track over time,” “guide me step by step,” or “follow up when needed,” you’re using Manus as an agent rather than a chatbot. Agent prompts delegate ongoing responsibility instead of requesting one-time information.
Can Manus agents integrate with my existing tools?
Yes. Manus uses orchestration layers to connect with existing tools and services, enabling the platform to invoke appropriate tools, handle failures, and deliver finished work across multiple systems.
What happened to Manus after Meta’s acquisition?
Meta acquired Manus for over $2 billion in December 2025. The 105-employee team joined Meta with CEO Xiao Hong reporting to COO Javier Olivan. The platform continues operating while integrating agent capabilities into Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
How many credits do I need for different tasks?
Average task completion dropped to approximately 3-4 minutes, though complex workflows may take longer. The free tier provides 1,000 bonus credits plus 300 daily credits that refresh at midnight, sufficient for testing multiple agent templates.
What’s the difference between chat mode and agent mode in Manus?
Chat mode provides quick answers to direct questions similar to traditional chatbots. Agent mode enables autonomous task execution across multiple steps, maintaining context and making decisions over extended periods without constant user input.
How does Manus maintain context across multiple sessions?
Manus agents retain task state, progress tracking, and decision history across sessions through persistent storage. Unlike chatbots that reset after each conversation, agents continue from their last checkpoint when you return.
Can I modify an agent’s task after it starts?
Yes. You can provide updated instructions, changed constraints, or new priorities at any point. The agent incorporates new information and adjusts its approach while maintaining awareness of previously completed work.
