Zero-Cost AI Agents: Manus AI to Local Agentic Seek

When Manus AI launched, it promised a new age of autonomous computing—AI agents that could browse, read, and execute tasks as if they were you. But that promise came with a price: $19/month for 1,900 credits. One simple chart could cost you 200 of them.

I believed I had no choice—until I found Agentic Seek, an open-source tool that replicates Manus AI’s core features. It runs entirely on your laptop, costs nothing, and doesn’t share your data. Here's how I made the switch, and how you can too.

The Manus AI Paywall Problem

Manus AI’s design is powerful. But it’s locked behind an unforgiving credit system:

• Build a chart? 200 credits gone.

• Create a simple web app? 900 credits—out of reach on the basic plan.

• Run daily tasks? Your quota vanishes fast.

In short: unless you're on a premium tier, you’re automating with handcuffs.

Meet Agentic Seek: The Open-Source Game-Changer

Agentic Seek is a fully local, open-source AI agent platform. It mimics Manus AI’s key capabilities—automating research, execution, and report generation—but without cost or cloud dependency.

• No subscriptions

• No credit systems

• No data tracking

• Runs entirely on your computer

It even supports an API mode that lets you plug in GPT‑4o or other providers if needed.

Why It Works Locally (Without Cloud or Credits)

Two setup modes:

1. Local Mode

Runs entirely on your device using models like deepseek-r1:32b via Ollama.

• Requires: Python 3.10, Docker

• Compatible with macOS, Windows, Linux

• Fully private: no cloud involved

2. API Mode

Use your own key to access GPT-4o, Hugging Face, or Together AI.

• Works on machines without GPUs

• Same interface, just offloads compute

You choose the level of control.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Fosowl/agenticSeek.git cd agenticSeek mv .env.example .env 

Create a Virtual Environment

python3 -m venv agentic_seek_env
source agentic_seek_env/bin/activate  

# Windows: agentic_seek_env\Scripts\activate 

Use Python 3.10

Install via pyenv or brew if needed.

Edit Configuration

Update config.ini for local or API mode:

[MAIN] 
is_local = True
provider_name = ollama
provider_model = deepseek-r1:32b
provider_server_address = http://127.0.0.1:11434
agent_name = Friday
work_dir = /Users/you/AIworkspace

Install Dependencies

# macOS/Linux
./install.sh

# Windows
./install.bat

Launch Services

# Backend
python3.10 api.py

# Frontend (in new terminal)
python3 cli.py

Visit localhost:3000 to begin.

Real-World Workflows in Action

These are real examples I ran, all offline:

• Parsed a folder of resumes → extracted skills

• Analyzed a GitHub project → matched candidates

• Pulled movies from 10 sources → saved in .txt format

• Planned a weekend in Tokyo:

  • Checked visa, weather, COVID info

  • Recommended hotels + restaurants

  • Generated a detailed 2-day itinerary

  • All saved neatly in Markdown and plain text

Time taken: 11 minutes
 User input: One sentence
 Cloud use: Zero

Benefits of Owning Your Toolkit

Using Agentic Seek means:

• Full data privacy

• No recurring payments

• Total control over features

• Expandable with open-source tools

If you're comfortable in a terminal, you’re 90% there already.

When Local May Not Be Enough

There are caveats:

• Setup time is higher than plug‑and‑play tools

• High-end models need decent GPUs (e.g., RTX 4090+)

• Some websites use captchas, needing manual intervention

• For ultra-heavy tasks, API mode is better suited

But the trade-off is worth it.

Tips & Tricks for Power Users

• Enable voice control:
  Set speak = true, listen = true in your config

• Combine local + API models for hybrid power

• For large models, allocate more Docker memory

Verdict: The AI Agent Revolution is Now

Manus AI showed us what’s possible. Agentic Seek lets you own that power.

If you care about:

✅ Privacy
 ✅ Open-source freedom
 ✅ Avoiding monthly costs
 ✅ Owning your tools

Then this is your next move.

FAQs

Do I need a GPU?
No, API mode works without one. For local mode, a strong GPU is recommended.

Is my data safe?
Yes—local mode keeps everything on your machine.

Can I switch between local and API?
Yes—just change your .env and config.ini settings.

Can non-coders use it?
It helps to be tech-comfortable, but the scripts simplify much of the setup.