Manus AI, a Chinese AI agent platform that has gained significant attention in recent months, has launched two subscription plans, marking a significant milestone in its development. The platform, still in its beta phase, is now offering users a choice between two premium plans, starting at $39 per month, in a bid to provide more value to its users.

The two plans, priced at $39 and $199 per month, offer varying levels of access to Manus AI's capabilities. The cheaper plan provides 3,900 credits and allows users to run two tasks simultaneously, while the more expensive plan offers 19,900 credits, the ability to run five tasks simultaneously, and priority access during peak hours. Additionally, premium subscribers can purchase extra credits through top-up packs, although the prices for these were not immediately disclosed.

Despite the launch of these subscription plans, Manus AI has acknowledged that it is still working to scale its infrastructure and accommodate the high demand for its services. In a post on X, the company stated that it has had to temporarily limit access to its platform during this development phase. The company is also working on optimizing its current usage rates to provide better value for its users.

In addition to the subscription plans, Manus AI has also released an iOS app, expanding its reach to mobile users. The app is expected to provide users with greater flexibility and convenience in accessing the platform's AI-powered agentic tools. Furthermore, the company has upgraded the AI model powering its backend to Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet, a move that is likely to improve the accuracy and efficiency of its task completion capabilities.

Our tests of the Manus AI platform have revealed that while it shows promise, it falls short of some of its loftier marketing promises. Despite this, the platform's ability to complete tasks ranging from creating a web page for a wedding invitation to crafting a scoring sheet for a baseball game demonstrates its potential for widespread adoption.

The launch of Manus AI's subscription plans and platform upgrades marks an important step in the company's development, as it seeks to establish itself as a leading player in the AI agent platform market. As the company continues to refine its services and expand its capabilities, it will be interesting to see how it addresses the limitations of its beta phase and delivers on its promises to users.

In the broader context, the growth of AI agent platforms like Manus AI highlights the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in transforming the way we work and live. As AI technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more innovative applications and services emerge, with the potential to revolutionize industries and improve productivity.