The Credit System Explained

Manus AI operates on a credit-based system where different operations consume varying amounts of credits:

• Credits are the "currency" that powers your interactions with Manus
• Each subscription tier provides a monthly allocation of credits
• Credits are consumed based on the complexity and duration of tasks
• Unused credits may or may not roll over depending on your subscription plan

How Credits Are Consumed

Different aspects of Manus AI's operation consume credits at different rates:

1. Task Complexity: More complex tasks require more planning and execution steps, consuming more credits
2. Duration: Longer-running tasks use more credits than quick operations
3. Tool Usage: Tasks requiring extensive use of tools (like web browsing or data processing) consume more credits
4. Data Volume: Processing large amounts of data requires more computational resources and thus more credits
5. Iterations: Multiple revisions or refinements of a task will consume additional credits

Viewing Your Credit Usage

To monitor your credit consumption:

• Check your dashboard for your current credit balance
• Review the credit usage history to understand which tasks consume the most credits
• Look for the credit estimate before confirming complex tasks (when available)
• Set up credit usage alerts to notify you when you're approaching your limit

1. Plan Your Tasks Carefully

Thoughtful planning can significantly reduce credit consumption:

• Be specific and clear: Vague instructions lead to unnecessary steps and credit usage
• Break complex tasks into logical segments: This helps Manus work more efficiently
• Provide all necessary information upfront: Avoid back-and-forth clarifications
• Set clear parameters and constraints: Define scope to prevent Manus from exploring unnecessary avenues

"Research renewable energy and create a report."

"Create a 3-page report on solar and wind energy focusing on recent technological advances, cost efficiency, and implementation challenges. Include a comparison table and 2-3 key statistics for each technology."

2. Optimize Your Interaction Patterns

How you interact with Manus can impact credit usage:

• Use concise, clear language: Avoid unnecessary wordiness
• Provide examples of desired outputs: This reduces iterations
• Use structured formats for complex requests: Bullet points or numbered lists help Manus understand your needs more efficiently
• Batch related requests: Combine similar tasks rather than submitting them separately

3. Leverage Pre-processing and Preparation

Doing some work yourself before engaging Manus can save credits:

• Organize your data: Clean and structure data before asking Manus to analyze it
• Narrow down research topics: Provide specific areas to focus on rather than broad topics
• Prepare outlines: Give Manus a structure to follow rather than asking it to create one from scratch
• Collect necessary resources: Provide links, references, or files upfront

4. Choose the Right Tools and Approaches

Some approaches are more credit-efficient than others:

• Use appropriate complexity levels: Don't ask for complex analysis when simple processing would suffice
• Limit web searches when possible: If you already have information, provide it directly
• Consider file size and format: Optimize images and documents before uploading
• Use templates: For recurring tasks, create templates that Manus can follow

5. Optimize for Specific Task Types

Different types of tasks benefit from different optimization strategies:

1. Excessive Iterations

One of the biggest credit consumers is repeatedly refining outputs:

• Avoid perfectionism: Decide what "good enough" means before starting
• Provide clear acceptance criteria: Define when a task is complete
• Use staged approvals: Review and approve sections before moving forward
• Learn from patterns: Note what works well to improve future requests

2. Unnecessary Tool Usage

Some tools consume more credits than others:

• Limit web browsing: Only request web searches when necessary
• Avoid redundant data processing: Don't ask Manus to reanalyze data you've already processed
• Be selective with file generation: Only request files when needed
• Consider alternatives to credit-intensive operations: Some tasks might be more efficiently done manually

3. Scope Creep

Expanding the scope of tasks midway increases credit consumption:

• Define boundaries clearly: Establish what's in and out of scope
• Resist adding "just one more thing": Additional requirements consume additional credits
• Create separate tasks for new ideas: Keep tasks focused on specific outcomes
• Review and refine requirements before starting: Take time to ensure your request is complete

4. Inefficient Task Sequencing

The order of operations can impact credit efficiency:

• Handle prerequisites first: Complete foundational tasks before building on them
• Group similar operations: Batch similar tasks together
• Consider dependencies: Plan tasks to minimize waiting and context-switching
• Use progressive refinement: Start with broad strokes and refine only what's necessary

Track Your Credit Usage Patterns

To improve efficiency over time:

• Review your credit usage history regularly
• Identify your most credit-intensive activities
• Look for patterns in high-consumption tasks
• Compare similar tasks to identify efficiency opportunities

Develop Personal Best Practices

Create your own guidelines based on experience:

• Document successful approaches for different task types
• Create templates for recurring tasks
• Develop a personal style guide for interacting with Manus
• Share and learn from other users' experiences