Agent sandboxes / AgentComputer alternative

An AgentComputer alternative for a growing persistent Linux agent

AgentComputer offers cloud computers with browser access, SSH, commands, ports, and snapshots. It already supports file operations without starting a stopped Linux computer. Compare the scope of those files, explicit resize, and retained-storage billing with the needs of a user’s returning agent.

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Reviewed 2026-10-18 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When AgentComputer fits

AgentComputer fits teams that want managed computers with browser sharing, desktop access, SSH, and Linux command/file integrations. Its separate macOS option serves native desktop workflows, but the Linux API features are not all available on macOS.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 when the application requires durable whole-RootFS state and automatic online growth as an agent installs tools or accumulates artifacts. Compare its supported paused RootFS file interface with AgentComputer’s documented workspace-scoped stopped file operations.

Capabilities

AgentComputer and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeAgentComputerLinux computers support explicit stop/start and stopped workspace files. The cited API does not establish an unlimited active lifetime.View evidence ↗Sandbox0ttl and hard_ttl default to 0 (disabled). Configure idle pause and deletion policies for the same persistent sandbox identity; an idle running sandbox still accrues compute charges.Read documentation →
Persistent filesAgentComputerComputers have persistent storage and saved computer snapshots; exact retention terms and platform eligibility still matter.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSAgentComputerThe reviewed stopped file API is workspace-scoped; complete writable RootFS retention is not established by that endpoint alone.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Persistence extends beyond /workspace to paths such as /usr/local, /etc, and /home. Runtime tmpfs and virtual filesystems are excluded.Read documentation →
Release compute, keep stateAgentComputerComputer stop/start is exposed. No general RAM-continuity guarantee is established here.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateAgentComputerComputer snapshots exist, but the reviewed guide does not specify retained process memory.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Experimental memory checkpoints can preserve compatible process state. Use memory: true on both pause and resume on a compatible deployment. A filesystem checkpoint alone does not preserve running processes.Read documentation →

Online RootFS growth

On growth-enabled images, Sandbox0 automatically expands the writable RootFS as free space runs low, within a configured sparse logical ceiling up to 64 TiB. Agent processes keep running. Growth is enabled in the qualified Cloud region; confirm activation for other regions. Existing images and snapshots retain their captured storage geometry. The ceiling is logical capacity, not preallocated host disk.

AgentComputer exposes an explicit resize request and currently documented Linux storage sizing up to 250 GiB, subject to account limits and capacity. The reviewed API does not establish automatic online whole-RootFS expansion.

Files while compute is paused

Sandbox0's Files API reads persistent files without resuming compute. Filesystem-only pauses also permit edits; retained-memory pauses are read-only and reject mutations with 409. SSH, SFTP, file watching, and runtime-only mounts require running compute.

AgentComputer already supports stopped-compute file operations under /home/node/workspace without runtime charges. Sandbox0’s supported paused Files API covers persistent RootFS paths beyond a workspace; memory-paused mutations remain restricted.

See paused file operations →

Stopped file access is a real capability on both services

AgentComputer’s file-operation endpoint works on running or stopped Linux computers. Stopped operations do not launch the VM or accrue runtime, and cover reads, writes, directory operations, ranges, patching, and search under /home/node/workspace. That is a specific supported path boundary, rather than proof that every operating-system path is accessible offline.

Source 1 ↗

Resource resize and computer snapshots need their own checks

The Linux guide publishes size presets and custom RAM/storage ranges, and the API queues an explicit resize operation. It also creates snapshots that restore into new computers. Those APIs do not establish automatic online RootFS growth or a general promise to continue RAM and processes after stop or snapshot restore. Do not apply Linux resize, files, exec, or snapshot support to the separate macOS product.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Stopped storage has a different rate from running storage

AgentComputer publishes separate hot and cold storage meters alongside CPU time and RAM. A stopped machine may have no runtime charge while still retaining billed storage. Keep the vendor’s GB labels and verify resource accounting, snapshot retention, and platform eligibility before calculating an application-level cost.

Source 1 ↗

Pricing

Compare billing models, then price your workload

CPU allocation, memory, billing minimums, disk, plan fees, and supported workload differ. These meters are not equal-performance machine quotes. Confirm region, resource units, and included allowances before estimating a total.

AgentComputer

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-18

CPU time
$0.07 per CPU-hour
Rate source ↗
Memory
$0.04375 per GB-hour
Rate source ↗
Hot storage
$0.000683 per GB-hour while running
Rate source ↗
Cold storage
$0.000027 per GB-hour while stopped
Rate source ↗
Enterprise
Custom terms
Rate source ↗

The rate card describes actual resource usage. Confirm CPU accounting, storage capacity versus used-byte basis, snapshot charges, egress, and effective Linux/macOS eligibility instead of assuming equal performance or a universal machine total.

Check current AgentComputer pricing ↗

Sandbox0

$0.015/GiB-hour compute (billed by the second at approximately $0.000004167/GiB-second), plus $0.02/GiB-month of retained incremental RootFS and memory checkpoint data. Shared base images and platform recovery retention are excluded; paused sandboxes accrue storage charges only.

Compute / GiB-hour
$0.015
Retained data / GiB-month
$0.02
Paused compute
$0.00

A 4 GiB agent, 100 running hours

$6.00 compute

4 GiB × 100 hours, billed by the second. Keeping 20 GiB of billable incremental data for a full billing month adds $0.40. CPU is derived from memory by the platform; choose a tier that fits your workload.

Understand storage billing →

Before migrating from AgentComputer

  1. Inventory platform, persistent files, snapshots, explicit resource settings, and any browser-sharing or desktop requirements; export essential state.
  2. Rebuild system dependencies in a Sandbox0 template and port command/file, credentials, ports, and lifecycle integration.
  3. Validate installed-tool retention, growing RootFS data, paused path coverage, process requirements, and actual CPU/RAM plus hot/cold storage cost.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in AgentComputer replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. A shared sandbox category does not make SDKs, lifecycle semantics, or limits interchangeable.

Does keeping files also keep a running agent?

Filesystem state and volatile process state are separate. Sandbox0 requires explicit compatible memory checkpoints to preserve running processes; its default filesystem resume starts fresh processes.

Sources and review scope

The Boat team's Battleships directory is the discovery source. References below describe the product and plan discussed on this page. Check current availability, regional terms and billing units before migrating. Where the cited material does not establish a capability or price, the comparison identifies that uncertainty.

Battleships research record ↗www.agentcomputer.ai/docs/api ↗www.agentcomputer.ai/docs/computers ↗www.agentcomputer.ai/pricing ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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