Manus vs Genspark: A Comparative Review

Deadlines don’t care how many AI tools you have bookmarked. You need one that keeps up—fast when you’re swamped, sharp when the brief is vague, and disciplined enough not to wander into nonsense. That’s why comparing Manus and Genspark side by side makes sense.

Manus positions itself as the organised, research-heavy partner you can lean on. Genspark brings in its “Super Agents” for bursts of creativity and variety. On paper, they couldn’t be more different.

Over a week, the same seven tasks were assigned to both, ranging from idea generation to fact-checking, observing how each handles pressure. Some outcomes were expected, others surprising. By the end, the strengths and weaknesses of each tool became clear, along with the type of writer who’d benefit most from them.

What is Manus?

Manus is an autonomous AI agent platform launched in early 2025 by Singapore-based Monica (also known as Butterfly Effect). It handles multi-step, complex tasks from start to finish without constant user input. Instead of waiting for prompts at every step, Manus works in the background, coordinating multiple specialised sub-agents for planning, research, execution, and reporting.

It runs entirely in the cloud, so tasks continue even if you close your browser or log out. You can assign it jobs like compiling market research, analysing data, drafting articles, or building simple web tools, then return later to review a full breakdown of the process.

Manus uses a mix of large language models, including Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Alibaba’s Qwen, powering its reasoning and automation. It suits users who need more than conversational output—those who want AI to automate across tools, websites, and documents with transparency.

Core features at a glance

• Multi-Agent Workflow: Breaks tasks into smaller jobs, assigns them to specialised AI agents running in parallel for speed and efficiency.
• Asynchronous Cloud Execution: Tasks keep running even if the app is closed; results are saved for review anytime.
• Browser & Tool Automation: Uses the web like a human—tabs, forms, scraping—faster and without errors; can even handle CAPTCHAs.
• Transparent Workflows: Shows a step-by-step record of each agent’s actions, so you can trace results back to their source.
• GAIA Benchmark Domination: Scores 86.5% on Level 1, beating OpenAI’s DeepResearch (~74%) in GAIA tests.
• Multi-Modal & Multi-Task: Handles text, code, charts, and image generation within the same workflow—like a team of specialists, not a solo chatbot.

If your idea of AI help is a project teammate, Manus speaks your language.

What is Genspark?

Genspark launched in 2023, founded by former Baidu execs Eric Jing and Kay Zhu. It started as an AI-powered search engine in Palo Alto, aiming to cut through search noise with instant, clean answers by building custom “Sparkpages”—real-time synthesized summaries that avoid link farms and ad clutter.

It has since evolved into an agentic AI capable of executing real tasks—from planning and research to content and media generation—without coding. Its growth has been fast, reaching $10 million ARR soon after launch, backed by over $100 million in funding.

Key Features

• Sparkpages + AI Copilot: Each query creates a clean, consolidated Sparkpage with text, visuals, and summaries, plus an interactive copilot for follow-ups.
• Mixture-of-Agents System: Routes requests to the best fit among 8–9 models and 80+ tools, making it fast, nuanced, and scalable.
• Agentic Executions Beyond Text: Can call your dentist, build slide decks, or handle downloads—operating across text, voice, images, and files.
• No-Code, Multi-modal Power: Built on OpenAI’s GPT-4.1, Realtime API, and image models, supporting voice calls, videos, and presentations from plain language prompts.
• Web Automation with AI Drive: The Agentic Download feature fetches and categorizes files (PDFs, videos, images), storing them in AI Drive for querying or further processing.

Testing Manus vs Genspark

Both tools handled seven identical tasks blending content writing, research, data handling, and light automation. The goal was to assess not only output quality but also process transparency and adaptability.

Tests ran within one week on the latest public versions. Manus was used via its web dashboard; Genspark via its web interface and AI Copilot inside Sparkpages. No third-party plugins were involved, and default settings were kept.

Each task received a single prompt. Clarifications were answered, but no prompt rewriting was done to ease the tool’s job. This tested how well each AI adapts and self-directs independently.

Evaluation metrics:

• Speed: How quickly tasks started and completed.
• Accuracy: Factual correctness and completeness.
• Depth: Thoroughness without extra prompting.
• Usability: Smoothness of the workflow experience.
• Transparency: Clarity on how conclusions were reached.

The seven tasks were:

• Long-Form Blog Post Drafting – 1,500+ words with SEO structure.
• Fact-Checked Research Brief – Summarising five credible sources.
• Data Analysis & Visualization – CSV to charts and insights.
• Web Automation Task – Extracting info from multiple websites.
• Creative Writing Challenge – Short story with specific tone and style.
• Presentation Deck Creation – 8–10 slides with text and images.
• Multi-Step Project Execution – Research, writing, and file handling combined.

Task 1: Long-Form Blog Post Drafting

Prompt: “Write a 1,500+ word blog post on ‘The Future of Renewable Energy in Urban Areas’. Include an SEO-friendly structure with headings, subheadings, meta description, and three internal linking suggestions. Make it engaging and factually accurate, citing credible sources.”

Manus acted like a project manager: outlining, researching, drafting, then formatting. It paused after research to summarise findings and integrated them into the draft. The result was well-structured, well-sourced (citing studies and urban projects), and readable. Tone was professional, suggesting three relevant internal links beyond the brief. Completion time: ~2 minutes.

Genspark jumped straight into writing without showing planning. Delivered faster (under 3 minutes) with visually appealing formatting and image suggestions. However, content leaned on general statements, and internal links were generic rather than targeted. The opening paragraph was more creative and engaging, framing the topic with a scenario Manus didn’t attempt.

Verdict: Manus wins for depth and accuracy, providing near-publish-ready content. Genspark offers speed and visual engagement but requires fact-checking and citation additions.

Task 2: Fact-Checked Research Brief

Prompt: “Create a 600-word research brief on global adoption of electric buses. Include key statistics, government initiatives, challenges, and examples from three countries. Cite sources clearly with links.”

Manus scoped the request, planned coverage, and identified data sources before writing. It sourced info from credible sites like the International Energy Agency and government portals, with current 2024 stats. Structure was tight, covering executive summary, overview, case studies, challenges, and conclusion. Tone was dry—policy memo style. Completion: 2 minutes.

Genspark delivered faster (~1 minute), but sources mixed reputable and vague. Some stats were outdated (from 2020) without noting the year. Structure mixed country examples and global data, making skimming harder. Added a “future outlook” section for forward-thinking flair.

Verdict: Manus produced the reliable, verifiable brief. Genspark’s output is more narrative but needs fact-checking. For accuracy-first tasks, Manus is best.

Task 3: Data Analysis & Visualization

Prompt: “Upload a CSV of monthly energy consumption for 3 city districts (Jan 2022–Dec 2024). Clean data, identify trends and outliers, calculate year-over-year growth per district. Produce two visualizations: multi-line time series and bar chart comparing average monthly consumption by year. Provide a 250–300 word summary and export visuals as PNGs.”

Manus treated this like a research project. After CSV upload, it ran data-cleaning checks (missing values, date formats, units), previewed fixes, and asked for interpolation or deletion of missing months (interpolation chosen). Produced a Jupyter-style notebook summary with Python code (pandas + matplotlib) visible for reuse. Delivered clean charts with annotated peaks and confidence bands, plus a thorough insight summary linking an Aug 2023 outlier to a local news event. Provided a downloadable ZIP with PNGs and cleaned CSV. Duration: ~2 minutes.

Genspark offered a conversational workflow. Uploaded CSV to AI Drive, then requested analysis. Returned outputs in ~4 minutes with interactive SVG visualizations embedded in Sparkpage, colorful bar charts, and a 280-word narrative summary focused on story and takeaways. Cleaned CSV had missing values forward-filled silently. Visuals looked good but PNG exports lost interactivity and had axis label issues. No source for outlier explanation. Export options available but less transparent on cleaning steps and no code export.

Verdict: Manus is better for reproducible, traceable analysis with code and source links. Genspark provides fast, attractive visuals and deck-ready language but sacrifices auditability and some accuracy in preprocessing. For publishing reports or coding charts, Manus edges out. For quick client-ready slides, Genspark is convenient but requires manual cleanup.

Task 4: Creative Copywriting

Prompt: “Write a 250–300 word product description for an eco-friendly smart water bottle that tracks hydration, reminds users to drink, and syncs with phones. Make it persuasive but not cheesy. Tone: aspirational, aimed at health-conscious urban professionals. Include a short tagline.”

Manus asked clarifying questions on reading level and spelling. Delivered three tagline options with distinct emphases (“tech-forward,” “lifestyle,” “wellness-first”). The copy focused on problem-solving dehydration, weaving in environmental details subtly without preaching. Word count: 276, formatted with subheadings fit for e-commerce. Tone was clean, persuasive, and fact-based but safe. Time: ~4 minutes.

Genspark delivered a creative range immediately: minimalist luxury, story-driven, and punchy marketing copy. Taglines were bold, with one (“Hydration, Upgraded.”) instantly usable. Sensory appeals were stronger. However, it included an unfounded claim of solar power, which had to be removed. Time: under 3 minutes.

Verdict: Manus suits polished, brand-ready copy. Genspark is better for sparking ideas but requires fact-checking.

Task 5: Social Media Campaign Planning

Prompt: “Plan a 2-week social media campaign for a new plant-based protein bar. Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn. Audience: active adults 25–40 caring about nutrition and sustainability. Include campaign theme, content ideas per platform, posting schedule, and KPIs. Keep it clear and actionable.”

Manus defined a core theme, “Fuel Your Day, Sustainably,” with platform-specific content breakdowns. It built a detailed 14-day calendar with post descriptions, captions, hashtags, and optimal posting times. KPIs included reach, engagement, click-throughs, hashtag participation, and brand mentions. The plan was methodical and client-ready, though ideas were solid but not wildly original. Time: ~6 minutes.

Genspark suggested a campaign name, “Bite Into Better,” and framed rollout in three stages: Tease, Launch, Amplify. Instagram ideas included bold, color-heavy posts with trending audio and myth-busting “swipe to see” reveals. TikTok featured interactive polls, duet challenges, and playful skits. LinkedIn content focused on data-driven storytelling and company values.

Verdict: Manus delivers a structured, comprehensive plan ready to execute. Genspark offers more creative flair and fresh ideas, better for brainstorming but may need refinement for practicality.

Both Manus and Genspark bring unique strengths depending on your writing and workflow needs. Manus excels in depth, transparency, and reliability—ideal for detailed research and reproducible work. Genspark shines in speed, creativity, and visual presentation—great for ideation and quick content with flair.