# Vellum vs Manus > Personal AI assistant vs cloud-based general autonomous agent > Last updated: May 29, 2026 > Comparison: https://www.vellum.ai/compare-assistants/vellum-vs-manus ## Overview Vellum is a personal AI assistant that runs as a native Mac app on your machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams surfaces that share one memory. Manus is a cloud-based general autonomous agent from Butterfly Effect that runs multi-step tasks in sandbox virtual computers, accessed through a web app, desktop and mobile apps, Mail Manus, and a Slack integration on a credit-based subscription from a free tier up to $200/mo. ## The contenders ### Vellum Website: https://vellum.ai Vellum is a voice-first personal AI assistant that learns how you work and can improve itself around your habits. Its companion works alongside you in real time, or takes on longer tasks in the background. It follows you across devices and apps with one shared memory, and can run in Vellum Cloud or on your own machine. Why choose Vellum: - Model agnostic: Use any frontier AI model, open or proprietary, and switch anytime. - Truly yours: Give it a name and personality. It learns you, your work, and your tools. - Self-improving: Gets better the more you use it, with one memory across every device. - Private by design: Credentials stay secure, and you choose where your data lives, including self-hosting. - Built for busy business owners: Offload work and make more time for life. ### Manus Website: https://manus.im Manus is a cloud-based general autonomous AI agent from Butterfly Effect that runs multi-step tasks in sandbox virtual computers. Available on Free, Pro ($20 to $200/mo), and Team plans on a credit-based subscription, accessed through a web app, desktop and mobile apps, Mail Manus, and a Slack integration. Why choose Manus: - General autonomous task execution across research, slide generation, image and music, web development, and app building - Multi-agent sandbox architecture with up to 20 concurrent tasks and replayable workflow timelines - Free tier with 300 daily refresh credits, Pro from $20/mo on a credit-based consumption model - Built-in deliverables including AI slides, AI design, image and music generation, and a web app builder ## The scorecard ### channels Vellum: 9 surfaces, one memory iOS app with Home Screen widgets, native Mac app, web app, voice, email, Slack, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, and Discord, now an official channel with a setup wizard. Sent messages can be edited in place in Slack and Telegram. Every surface shares the same memory and identity. Vellum runs natively on Mac and iOS with Home Screen widgets, plus web app, voice, email, Slack, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, and Discord. Sent messages can be edited in place in Slack and Telegram. Every surface shares the same memory, so you can start a task on your Mac and pick it up on your phone or in a chat. Manus: Channels Web app, desktop app, mobile app, Mail Manus (email), and Slack integration. No native voice or Telegram surface. ### execution Vellum: One sentence to real output Build me a habit tracker gets you a working, interactive app in the conversation. Read this page uses the browser extension to read your open tabs and act on the page you are looking at. Call the dentist and reschedule places an actual phone call with its own voice. Manus: Asynchronous multi-hour deep research Spins up cloud sandbox browsers to conduct complex multi-step research, build full slide decks, and compile market reports over hours. Manus is built for asynchronous deep-work execution: you assign a large project, and it spends hours browsing hundreds of pages, executing code in a cloud sandbox, and generating finalized deliverables like documents and spreadsheets. ### hosting Vellum: On-device, managed cloud, or self-hosted Run on-device as a native Mac app, on Vellum's managed cloud, or self-host on your own VPS. Vellum gives you the full range: run the native Mac app entirely on your own hardware, use Vellum Cloud for managed uptime and cross-device sync, or self-host on your own VPS for full infrastructure control. Manus: Hosting Fully cloud-hosted by Manus in sandbox virtual computers. No self-host option. Tasks run in Manus's infrastructure. ### integrations Vellum: 50+ managed OAuth integrations Native agent skills plus 1-click integrations with 50+ services through managed OAuth, including native Calendly and Eventbrite. Your assistant acts in real services without you touching tokens or API keys. Vellum connects to 50+ services through managed OAuth: Google, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, Calendly, Eventbrite, and more. Your assistant acts in real services on your behalf without you handling tokens or API keys. Manus: Integrations & Skills Browser operator, file system, code execution, Slack, Mail Manus, and connectors for common research and productivity tools. ### memory Vellum: Structured memory that builds itself, everywhere Vellum builds a structured memory of your projects, people, and preferences automatically, across every surface. It sharpens with every conversation and correction, and there is nothing to configure: no files to curate, no engine to pick, no embedding provider to wire up. Vellum builds a structured memory graph of your projects, people, and preferences across every surface. It sharpens over time through use and explicit corrections, so each conversation picks up where the last left off. Manus: Memory Each task runs in its own sandbox virtual computer. Manus learns preferences but has no persistent memory across sessions. ### modularity Vellum: Adapts to you personally Builds its own skills, learns your tone, and adapts based on what you reward and correct. Install new skills from a growing library, or just ask and it figures out a way. Vellum adapts at the individual level: it learns your communication style, builds custom skills from your instructions, and updates its behavior based on your feedback. Each assistant is shaped by the specific person using it. Manus: Modularity Three agent tiers: Manus 1.6 Lite, 1.6, and 1.6 Max. Multi-agent sub-agents and model selection happen per subtask. ### open-source Vellum: Open source under MIT Open source under MIT license. Full codebase available on GitHub. Vellum is open source under the MIT license. The full codebase is on GitHub and can be self-hosted, audited, and extended. Manus: Open Source Proprietary. Closed-source SaaS from Butterfly Effect. Source code not available. ### pricing Vellum: Free Base, paid from $30/mo Free Base plan with free credits to start. Paid plans from $30/mo (Mighty), $100 (Super), and $200 (Ultra) with pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain on higher tiers. Vellum offers a free Base plan with credits to start. Paid plans run from $30/mo (Mighty) to $100 (Super) and $200 (Ultra) with pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and a personal assistant email and subdomain on higher tiers. Manus: Pricing Free with 300 daily credits. Pro from $20/mo (4,000 credits) up to $200/mo (40,000 credits). Credit burn varies by task. ### privacy Vellum: Local or cloud, always yours Run locally on Mac, in Vellum Cloud, or self-host. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path. Vellum gives you three deployment paths: native Mac app on your own hardware, Vellum Cloud with per-customer isolation, or self-hosted on your own infrastructure. On every path, Vellum never has access to your data. Manus: Privacy Cloud-hosted by Manus. Tasks and data processed inside sandbox virtual computers under Manus's data and provider policies. ### schedules Vellum: Built-in scheduling, always running Built-in scheduling for daily briefings, weekly reports, and hourly checks that just run on a cadence. Vellum has native scheduling for recurring tasks: daily briefings, weekly reports, hourly checks. Scheduled tasks run in the cloud whether or not you have a session open. Manus: Schedules Scheduled tasks supported: 2 on Free, 20 on Pro and Team. Manus runs them autonomously and persistently over time. ### security Vellum: Isolated credential vault Credentials live in an isolated vault and never enter the model layer, so prompt injection can't exfiltrate your keys. Every sensitive action asks permission with a risk badge before it runs, and guardian approvals land in one inbox. Vellum stores every connected service credential in an isolated vault that never touches the LLM inference layer. Prompt injection attacks cannot reach your API keys or OAuth tokens. Manus: Security Cloud sandbox virtual computers per task. Enterprise controls, SSO, and access management on the Team plan. ### setup Vellum: Sign up and start talking No terminal, no API keys, no daemon. Voice-first onboarding is the default: your first experience is speaking, not configuring. Free, no credit card, up in minutes. Vellum setup is sign up and start talking. Create an account and your first sentence gets real output. Voice is the default first experience. No terminal, no config files, no API keys, no infrastructure to provision. Manus: Setup Sign up to manus.im, get 300 daily credits, start tasks. No download required, desktop and mobile apps optional. ### storage Vellum: Storage Vellum Cloud: 3 GB RAM and 4 GB storage by default. Mac app runs on standard Mac hardware. Manus: Storage Cloud-hosted by Manus. No published minimum specs for Manus task storage or compute capacity. ### trust Vellum: Permissions you can see Every sensitive action asks first with a risk badge, guardian approvals land in one inbox, and you can export or delete your data at any time. The trust model is written down in the docs. Manus: Cloud sandbox isolation and inspection replay Virtual browser sandboxes with step-by-step video replay of agent actions. All task state, session cookies, and files are hosted in Manus cloud. Manus isolates all web interactions in remote virtual machines and offers complete session replay logs so you can audit every click and keystroke. Because all work occurs on Manus infrastructure, personal credentials and private session state live on remote servers. ## Where they split ### Which one is right for you? Manus is built for asynchronous multi-hour research and document creation. You assign a massive research objective and let its virtual browser grind in the background. Vellum is built for interactive daily momentum. It provides instant answers, operates in your live browser tabs, builds working interactive apps, and handles your personal communications in real time. ### Which setup fits you best? Manus operates entirely in remote cloud sandboxes accessed via a web dashboard, with asynchronous task notifications sent when runs complete. Vellum lives where you already work: a native Mac app, mobile apps on iOS and Android, plus direct voice and chat channels in Slack and Telegram. ### How do you want privacy and security handled? Manus executes browsing on remote virtual machines where session cookies and credentials reside on Manus servers during execution. Vellum uses local browser automation and credential isolation. Keys and passwords live in an isolated vault that models cannot inspect, and your browsing context never leaves your control. ## Lingering questions ### When should I choose Vellum over Manus? Choose Vellum if you want a persistent personal AI assistant that builds memory of your work and people over time, runs proactively in the background, and shows up across native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack with one shared memory. Vellum runs on a Free Base plan with Pro from $50/mo, while Manus uses a credit-based subscription from a free tier up to $200/mo. ### When does Manus make more sense than Vellum? Manus is a cloud-based general autonomous agent that runs multi-step tasks in sandbox virtual computers. If you primarily want to delegate one-off high-effort jobs like full research reports, slide decks, deployed websites, or generated images and music, Manus's sandbox architecture covers that workload well. ### How much do Vellum and Manus cost? Manus offers a Free tier with daily credits, Pro from $20/mo, and higher tiers up to $200/mo. Vellum includes free cloud hosting when you sign up. Paid plans upgrade your assistant's compute and storage: Mighty at $30/mo, Super at $100/mo (plus $10 platform fee), Ultra at $200/mo (plus $10 platform fee), and Custom. ### How does memory work in Vellum vs Manus? Vellum builds a structured, persistent memory of your work, people, and patterns automatically across every session, shared across native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack. Manus runs each task in its own sandbox virtual computer and learns preferences over repeated use, but there is no persistent personal memory layer that compounds across Manus sessions. ### What integrations do Vellum and Manus support? Vellum connects to 50+ services through managed OAuth with one-click setup, including Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, X, and Telegram. Manus operates through a browser operator that can drive arbitrary web apps, plus direct connectors for Slack, Mail Manus, and common research and productivity tools. Vellum's set is curated for personal-assistant workflows that carry context across surfaces. ### Does Manus work on iPhone or only desktop? Manus is available as a web app, a desktop app, a mobile app, Mail Manus (email), and a Slack integration. Vellum ships as a native Mac app, an iOS app, and a web app, with voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces, all sharing the same memory. ### Where does my data live with Vellum vs Manus? With Vellum, your data lives on Vellum Cloud with per-customer isolation, encryption at rest, configurable retention, and custom LLM credentials so model API keys stay under your control. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path, whether you run the native Mac app on your machine or use Vellum Cloud. Manus runs every task in a sandbox virtual computer in Manus's cloud, and data is processed under Manus's data and provider policies. ### Is Vellum or Manus better for non-technical users? Both target non-technical users. Vellum is built for every human, with a native Mac app, an iOS app, and a web app, plus voice, email, Telegram, and Slack, all syncing one persistent memory. Manus runs in a web app, desktop and mobile apps, and Slack, where users describe a goal and the sandbox agent delegates across sub-agents on a credit budget. Vellum is the broader fit for ongoing personal AI that follows you across surfaces and remembers what you're working on. ### Can I run Vellum or Manus on my own machine? Vellum runs as a native Mac app on your own machine, with iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces in sync. If you want continuous 24/7 background work without keeping your laptop open, Vellum Cloud handles it on the Pro plan from $50/mo with pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain. Manus is cloud-only and runs entirely in Manus's sandbox virtual computer infrastructure. There is no self-host option. ### Can I use Vellum and Manus at the same time? Yes. They serve different jobs. Some people use Vellum as their always-on personal assistant across surfaces and use Manus when they want a one-off long-running research or deliverable workflow returned as a finished output. Most people consolidate on one over time once they see how Vellum's persistent memory and multi-surface presence cover the day-to-day. ### What's the difference between Vellum's memory and Manus's sandbox virtual computers? Vellum's memory is structured, persistent, and assistant-managed: it builds up an understanding of you across every conversation, surface, and action, and that memory is the same whether you reach the assistant from Mac, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, or Slack. Manus runs each task inside an isolated sandbox virtual computer with sub-agents that plan, execute, and verify, then the workflow ends. Future tasks start fresh, without inherited context. --- Full comparison index: https://www.vellum.ai/compare-assistants Try Vellum: https://www.vellum.ai