Which AI handles long, multi-step agent work?
Last verified 2026-10-15Paid placement never changes our picks.
Short answer
As of October 2026, start with ChatGPT Work if you already pay for ChatGPT, Claude if you want scheduled tasks that run while your laptop is closed, and Manus if you want a standalone cloud agent with a clear credit table. The catch: no vendor states a maximum run time, only allowances, so test one real task first.
Top picks
Long research, documents and scheduled runs inside ChatGPT
- Free tier
- Unlimited text chats under abuse guardrails; limited uploads, images, voice, de…
- Starting price
- From $8
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, web, mobile
- Last verified
- 2026-10-10
Replaces the retired ChatGPT agent. OpenAI pages word plan access to Work differently; prices did not render on chatgpt.com.
Scheduled, unattended tasks across files and tools
- Free tier
- Chat, web search, file creation, code execution, memory; no Opus; 5 projects; 5…
- Starting price
- From $20
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, web, mobile
- Last verified
- 2026-10-10
Built by Anthropic, the maker of the model that drafted this page; held to the same standard. Cowork merged into Claude; scheduling from Pro.
A standalone cloud agent with a clear credit table
- Free tier
- 300 refresh credits per day on Manus 2.0 Lite; 1 concurrent task, 2 scheduled a…
- Starting price
- From $20
- Platforms
- Web, desktop, mobile
- Last verified
- 2026-10-12
From $20 a month for 4,000 credits; no free plan shown. Meta announced a deal to buy Manus in December 2025.
Background tasks across Gmail, Calendar, Drive and Docs
- Free tier
- Free with a Google Account; limited Nano Banana Pro; compute-based limits reset…
- Starting price
- From $4.99
- Platforms
- Web, Android, iOS, Windows
- Last verified
- 2026-10-10
Needs a Google AI subscription; Google's pages disagree on which plans and countries get Spark. Adults only.
Multi-model agent teams with a built-in browser
- Free tier
- Basic searches plus 3 Pro Searches per day; no advanced models or image generat…
- Starting price
- See pricing page
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Comet browser
- Last verified
- 2026-10-10
Free plan has no Computer credits, and credit amounts are not stated. Windows app control is still rolling out.
Long Microsoft 365 tasks that return finished files
- Free tier
- Limited free version, subject to capacity and limits; numbers not published
- Starting price
- From $9.99
- Platforms
- Windows, Mac, Microsoft 365 apps
- Last verified
- 2026-10-10
Business use needs a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence plus usage billed in Copilot Credits. Off by default for tenants.
Prices come from each tool's fact block. "See pricing page" means we have not confirmed the number on the official pricing page in the last 30 days, so we do not show one.
How to choose
- If you search for older names → ChatGPT agent is retired and its job moved to ChatGPT Work; Claude Cowork is now part of the Claude app (Anthropic's pricing page says so).
- If you want it to keep working while you are away → Claude (scheduled tasks run unattended, even with the laptop closed), Gemini Spark (keeps working when your devices are off) or Manus (runs in its own cloud).
- If the task needs a browser or desktop apps → ChatGPT Work (local files and desktop apps with your permission, in the desktop app) or Perplexity Computer (drives its Comet browser); Claude's computer use is still a research preview.
- If you need to predict cost → Manus (a published credit table and 20 concurrent tasks on every plan); ChatGPT and Claude meter five-hour and weekly windows, and Copilot Cowork bills credits by task size.
- If you use Google or Microsoft 365 at work → check eligibility first (Spark depends on plan, country and age; Copilot Cowork needs a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence or the consumer Premium plan).
How we checked
- 6 of 6 picks have a Toolsfine fact block.
- 6 of 6 picks had their pricing checked on the official site in the last 30 days.
- 1 of 1 models also suggested ChatGPT.Panel: Claude (2026-10-12).
- Verified on 2026-10-15.
Listed in other directories
| Tool | theresanaiforthat.com | futurepedia.io | toolify.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Work | Not checked | Listed | Not checked |
| Claude | Not checked | Listed | Not checked |
| Manus | Not checked | Listed | Not checked |
| Gemini Spark | Not checked | Listed | Not checked |
| Perplexity Computer | Not checked | Listed | Not checked |
| Copilot Cowork | Not checked | Listed | Not checked |
"Not checked" means we could not open that directory's page; it does not mean the tool is missing there.
Where sources disagree
- Fairness disclosure: Claude is built by Anthropic, the maker of the model that drafted this page; held to the same standard. Anthropic rows use the same fields and plain wording as the others, and ranks follow the reader's situation, not preference.
- ChatGPT Work plan access: chatgpt.com/pricing lists limited Work access on desktop for Free, a help article says Work on web and mobile is for eligible paid plans, and the download page names Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise.
- Gemini Spark eligibility: Three Google statements differ: Ultra and US only at launch, Pro and Ultra on the Spark page, and Ultra first on the subscriptions page. Check your plan and country.
- Manus ownership: Meta announced it was buying Manus in December 2025 and said Manus would keep selling subscriptions; we found no later vendor statement on completion or data terms.
Related answers
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- Which AI voice assistant is good for talking things through?
- Which AI agents can do computer tasks while keeping my files private?
Changelog
- 2026-10-15 · Picks, prices and sources re-checked
- 2026-10-15 · Page updated
- 2026-10-15 · First published
Last verified 2026-10-15 · next re-check 2027-01-13. Report an error
Researched with AI assistance and checked by our editors. AI can make mistakes and vendors change plans often — confirm prices and terms on the vendor's site before you buy.
Paid placement never changes our picks. Data: JSON