ChatGPT agent alternatives (and Operator alternatives)

OpenAI retired ChatGPT agent mode, which had already absorbed Operator. Here is what replaced it and which other agents can browse the web and finish multi-step work for you, compared from official pages checked Oct 22, 2026.

Short answer: ChatGPT agent is no longer available, per OpenAI Help, and Operator was folded into it before that. OpenAI now points to ChatGPT Work (8.5/10). Outside OpenAI, our top-rated alternative is Claude (Cowork) (8.5/10), which needs a paid Claude plan. For a free plan that refills every day, Manus (8.0/10) gives 300 credits a day. For an agent in a browser you use yourself, try Claude in Chrome (paid Claude plans) or the free Perplexity Comet browser. Developers can build their own with the MIT-licensed Browser Use.

Last updated Oct 23, 2026 · Facts checked Oct 22, 2026 · By VibeFinch · How we rate

How we researched this: every fact here comes from each product's official pages, checked Oct 22, 2026 (sources below). VibeFinch ratings are researched from official docs and pricing, not hands-on tests, and scores are never paid. Safety tip: agents that act in your browser or accounts can be misled by hidden instructions on web pages (prompt injection), so keep approvals on for anything that sends, buys or deletes. There are no affiliate links on this page. How we rate · Disclosure

What happened to ChatGPT agent and Operator?

ChatGPT agent is gone. OpenAI’s help article now opens with “ChatGPT agent is no longer available.” It points to ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks and finished deliverables, and to cloud browser in ChatGPT for supported browser workflows.
Operator was merged earlier. The same article says Operator functionality is now integrated into ChatGPT agent mode and the Operator website is no longer accessible.
ChatGPT Work is the replacement. OpenAI introduced it on July 9, 2026 as an agent that takes action across your apps and files and turns a goal into finished work. Per OpenAI Help, Work on web and mobile is for eligible paid plans, and its usage follows the same structure as Codex, so it varies by task. OpenAI’s launch post says the ChatGPT desktop app has Chat, Work and Codex on every plan, including Free.
Web tasks now run in a cloud browser. Cloud browser gives ChatGPT Work its own browser on a separate computer in the cloud. It is on paid plans excluding Free and Go, asks before visiting a new website by default, and asks for confirmation before consequential actions such as a booking or a payment.

ChatGPT agent alternatives compared

Agent	Type	What it does (per official page)	Free option	Paid pricing (per official page)
ChatGPT Work (rated 8.5/10)	OpenAI’s replacement (general-purpose agent)	Gathers information across your apps and files to create sheets, slides, docs and web apps; Scheduled Tasks; cloud browser for web tasks	Desktop app has Work on every plan, including Free; cloud browser excludes Free and Go	Included in paid ChatGPT plans; usage follows the Codex usage structure and varies by task
Claude (Cowork) (rated 8.5/10)	General-purpose agent (Claude Cowork)	Give it a goal and it works in the folders and tools you choose, opens a browser for web tasks and can run scheduled tasks unattended	No: Cowork is included from Pro	Pro $17/month billed annually ($200 up front) or $20 monthly; Max from $100/month
Manus (rated 8.0/10)	General-purpose agent	Agent Mode with Wide Research, slide generation, website deployment and scheduled automations	Free: 300 credits a day, 1 concurrent task, 2 scheduled automations; Agent Mode uses Manus 2.0 Lite	Pro from $20/month (4,000 credits a month), 17% off billed annually; Team from $20 per seat/month
Genspark (rated 7.5/10)	General-purpose agent / AI workspace	Super Agent plus AI Slides, AI Sheets, AI Docs and Deep Research in one workspace	Free: 100 credits a day up to a lifetime allowance, then the daily refill stops	Plus $24.99/month ($19.99/month billed annually) from 10,000 credits, plus a weekly Free Quota for Standard-mode tasks; Pro $249.99/month
Claude in Chrome (rated 8.0/10)	Browser agent (Chrome extension)	Reads the page you are signed in to, then clicks, types and fills forms across a group of tabs	No: not on the Free plan	Included on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise; Pro $17/month billed annually or $20 monthly
Perplexity Comet (rated 7.5/10)	Browser agent (AI browser)	Perplexity’s browser with a built-in assistant you can hand tasks to; Mac, Windows, iOS and Android	Yes: free to download	Optional Comet Plus $5/month for premium publisher content, included in Perplexity Pro and Max
Gemini (rated 8.0/10)	Assistant with a browser agent (Chrome auto browse)	Auto browse in Gemini in Chrome handles tasks such as booking appointments while you stay in control	The Gemini app has a free plan (with Deep Research); auto browse is not on Free	Auto browse is a preview for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S.; Ultra from $99.99/month
Browser Use (rated 8.0/10)	Browser agent (developer library + cloud)	Open-source library for AI browser agents, plus a hosted agent API and cloud browsers	Open source (MIT); a one-time $1 cloud credit for eligible signups, no card	Pay as you go, no subscription: browsers $0.02/hour; hosted agents at model price + 20%; credits never expire

Quick picks

Closest like-for-like replacement: ChatGPT Work. It is what OpenAI points former agent users to, and its cloud browser handles supported web tasks on paid plans.
Already pay for Claude: Claude (Cowork) takes a goal and returns finished work, and Claude in Chrome acts in your own Chrome tabs. Both come with Pro.
Want to start free: Manus’s 300 daily credits keep refilling, while Genspark’s 100 daily credits stop at a lifetime allowance. Perplexity Comet is a free browser.
Mostly slides, sheets, docs and research: Genspark Plus adds a weekly Free Quota for Standard-mode tasks before credits are used. See Manus vs Genspark.
Google user in the U.S.: Gemini auto browse in Chrome is in preview on Google AI Pro and Ultra.
Developer automating websites: Browser Use is MIT-licensed, and its cloud is pay-as-you-go with no subscription.

How to choose

Whose browser it uses: ChatGPT Work’s cloud browser keeps its own sessions and does not use your browser’s tabs, passwords or sign-ins. Claude in Chrome works with the logins you already have, which is more convenient and more sensitive.
How usage is metered: plan allowances (ChatGPT Work, Claude), credits (Manus, Genspark) or pay-as-you-go (Browser Use). Long tasks can use far more than short ones.
Approvals: ChatGPT asks before consequential actions in the cloud browser; Claude in Chrome stops before purchases and offers a site-by-site Permissions Mode; Cowork needs your approval before deleting anything. Keep approvals on for anything that sends, buys or deletes.
Sensitive accounts: Anthropic advises against using Claude in Chrome for banking, health records and anything with credentials you wouldn’t share, and OpenAI notes its safeguards don’t eliminate every risk. Start with low-risk tasks.

ChatGPT agent alternatives FAQ

Is ChatGPT agent still available?

No. OpenAI Help says ChatGPT agent is no longer available and points to ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks and finished deliverables, and to cloud browser in ChatGPT for supported browser workflows (checked Oct 22, 2026).

What happened to OpenAI Operator?

Per OpenAI Help, Operator functionality was integrated into ChatGPT agent mode and the Operator website is no longer accessible. ChatGPT agent itself has since been replaced by ChatGPT Work.

Is there a free alternative to ChatGPT agent?

Yes. Per their official pages: Manus has a free plan with 300 credits a day (Agent Mode uses Manus 2.0 Lite), Genspark gives 100 credits a day up to a lifetime allowance, Perplexity Comet is free to download, and Browser Use is open source under the MIT license. VibeFinch rates Manus 8.0/10, Genspark 7.5/10, Comet 7.5/10 and Browser Use 8.0/10.

Which alternative works in my own browser?

Claude in Chrome works in Chrome with the logins you already have (paid Claude plans), Perplexity Comet is a separate AI browser, and Gemini in Chrome auto browse is a preview for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S. ChatGPT Work’s cloud browser, by contrast, runs on a separate computer in the cloud and does not use your own browser’s sign-ins.

What is the best ChatGPT agent alternative?

Among the alternatives outside OpenAI, our top-rated pick is Claude (Cowork) (8.5/10). VibeFinch ratings are researched from official docs and pricing, not hands-on tests, and scores are never paid.

Compare more in best AI agents, browse browser agents and general-purpose agents, or build your own with an AI agent builder.

Sources

All facts below were taken from official pages, checked Oct 22, 2026. Plans and prices change often, so confirm on the official page before you buy.