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ChatGPT agent alternatives (and what replaced agent mode)

Q: Is ChatGPT agent worth it?

The old agent mode is gone. Its replacement, ChatGPT Work, comes with ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month, so if you already pay for Plus it costs nothing extra to try.

Q: What is a free alternative to ChatGPT agent?

Manus Free (300 credits a day), or the free open-source agents OpenClaw and Hermes, where you pay only for the AI model unless you pick a free one. ChatGPT Free also includes limited Work in the desktop app.

OpenAI retired ChatGPT agent. Here's what ChatGPT Work does instead, whether it's worth paying for, and six alternatives side by side.

By Loay Deeb, AI agent architect · Last checked 21 Oct 2026 · Every fact links to its source; anything we couldn't verify says unknown.

What happened. OpenAI's help center now says: "ChatGPT agent is no longer available. Use ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks and finished deliverables"4. Operator was folded into agent mode earlier and its website is gone4, and the ChatGPT Atlas browser, which ran agent mode inside your own browser, is marked deprecated15. So "is ChatGPT agent worth it?" now really means "is ChatGPT Work worth it, or is something else better?"

What ChatGPT Work does instead

Work is "an agent designed for longer, multi-step work and finished deliverables", next to Chat for quick questions and Codex for software3.
It can research, analyze, and create a document, spreadsheet, presentation, report or Site3.
It runs in the cloud on web and mobile. In the desktop app it can also use local files and desktop apps with your permission3.
Tasks can run once, on a schedule, or when something happens in a connected app, like a new Gmail message, a Slack message or GitHub pull request activity. Event triggers aren't on Free or Go3.
Usage works like Codex: an included allowance, then optional credits. OpenAI says Work usage "will vary by task"3. A fixed number of tasks per month: unknown.

For comparison, the old agent mode had fixed monthly limits: 40 messages on Plus and 400 on Pro4.

ChatGPT agent alternatives compared

Option	Price	Good at	Watch out for
ChatGPT Work (the official replacement)	Plus $20 a month1; limited Work on Free in the desktop app2	Research, analysis and finished documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports and Sites; schedules and Gmail, Slack or GitHub triggers on Plus and up3	Usage varies by task, not a fixed count3; for browser workflows OpenAI points to its cloud browser4
Manus	Free with 300 credits a day; Pro from $20 a month5	Research reports, slides and website deployment; up to 20 tasks at once on Pro5	Credits run out; Free is limited to the Lite model in Agent Mode5
Claude	Pro $20 a month, or $17 billed yearly6	Gmail, Calendar and Drive connectors; scheduled tasks on every paid plan7 8	Browsing through Claude in Chrome or the desktop app needs the desktop app open9
Grok Bot	Premium $30 a month10	Its own cloud computer; signs into your tools and runs routines on a schedule10	Not on the $8 Plus plan11
Gemini Agent	Google AI Ultra only12	Google's task agent	US and English only12
OpenClaw / Hermes Agent	Free software; you pay for the model13 14	Runs on your own computer and chats over WhatsApp, Telegram and more13 14	You handle setup and security

US list prices checked 21 Oct 2026 unless the source date says otherwise.

Is it worth it?

Already on ChatGPT Plus: yes, try Work first. It's included, and Plus includes the GPT-6 Astra model in Work, with limited Astra usage3.
You want a cheap agent for reports and slides: Manus Free gives 300 credits a day; Pro starts at $205.
You need it to work inside your own logged-in tools all day: Grok Bot is built for that, from $30 a month10.
You care most about email and documents: Claude at $20 a month, with approval before it sends anything by default7 6.

Whatever you pick, agents that read your email can be tricked by hidden instructions in web pages or emails. OpenAI warns that its safeguards "don't eliminate all risks"4. Connect only the apps a task needs.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is ChatGPT agent still available?

No. OpenAI's help center says ChatGPT agent is no longer available and points users to ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks4.

What replaced ChatGPT agent mode?

ChatGPT Work, an agent for longer, multi-step work and finished deliverables like documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports and Sites3. For browser workflows, OpenAI points to its cloud browser4.

Is ChatGPT agent worth it?

The old agent mode is gone4. Its replacement, ChatGPT Work, comes with ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month1 3, so if you already pay for Plus it costs nothing extra to try.

What is a free alternative to ChatGPT agent?

Manus Free (300 credits a day)5, or the free open-source agents OpenClaw and Hermes, where you pay only for the AI model unless you pick a free one13 14. ChatGPT Free also includes limited Work in the desktop app2.

Is ChatGPT Atlas still available?

OpenAI's Atlas launch post is now marked "Atlas has since been deprecated"15. OpenAI's release notes said Atlas would stop working on August 9, 2026, as browser-based agent features move into ChatGPT and Codex; use the ChatGPT desktop app or the Chrome extension instead16 17.

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Sources

Where these facts come from

We read each vendor's own pricing page, help center, docs or release notes. No review sites, no paid placement. Research and drafting were assisted by an AI agent (Grok Bot, one of the products covered); every fact was checked against the linked source.

What is ChatGPT Plus? (re-checked) help.openai.com/en/articles/6950777-what-is-chatgpt-plus · checked 21 Oct 2026
ChatGPT plans & pricing (re-checked) chatgpt.com/pricing · checked 21 Oct 2026
ChatGPT Work and Codex (OpenAI Help Center) help.openai.com/en/articles/20001275-chatgpt-work-and-codex · checked 21 Oct 2026
ChatGPT agent (OpenAI Help Center: "no longer available") help.openai.com/en/articles/11752874-chatgpt-agent · checked 21 Oct 2026
Manus Help Center: current membership pricing help.manus.im/en/articles/11711111-what-is-the-current-membership-pricing-for-manus · checked 21 Oct 2026
Claude pricing & plan comparison (re-checked) claude.com/pricing · checked 21 Oct 2026
Claude: use Google Workspace connectors (Gmail, Calendar, Drive) support.claude.com/en/articles/10166901-use-google-workspace-connectors · checked 21 Oct 2026
Schedule recurring tasks in Claude Cowork (Claude Help Center) support.claude.com/en/articles/13854387-schedule-recurring-tasks-in-claude-cowork · checked 20 Oct 2026
Use Claude Cowork on web, desktop, and mobile (Claude Help Center) support.claude.com/en/articles/15520349-use-claude-cowork-on-web-desktop-and-mobile · checked 20 Oct 2026
Grok Bot product page and FAQ (x.ai) x.ai/bot · checked 21 Oct 2026
Grok Bot on The X Subscription (docs.x.ai, updated 12 Oct 2026) docs.x.ai/x-subscription/grok-bot · checked 21 Oct 2026
Google AI plans (re-checked) one.google.com/about/google-ai-plans/ · checked 21 Oct 2026
OpenClaw homepage (re-checked) openclaw.ai/ · checked 21 Oct 2026
Hermes Agent homepage and Nous Portal plans (re-checked) hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/ · checked 21 Oct 2026
Introducing ChatGPT Atlas (OpenAI, now marked deprecated) openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-atlas/ · checked 21 Oct 2026
ChatGPT release notes (OpenAI Help Center: ChatGPT Work, 13 Jul 2026 entry; Retiring Atlas) help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes · checked 21 Oct 2026
Evolving Atlas into ChatGPT (OpenAI Help Center) help.openai.com/en/articles/20001371-evolving-atlas-into-chatgpt-for-browser-based-agentic-work · checked 21 Oct 2026