Cloud infrastructure / AWS EC2 alternative

AWS EC2 alternative for persistent agent environments

EBS-backed EC2 instances already retain an entire writable operating-system disk through ordinary stop/start, including installed tools and configuration. Eligible instances can hibernate RAM, and Elastic Volumes can expand storage online. Compare the integration and operating responsibilities required for your agent lifecycle.

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Reviewed 2026-10-19 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When AWS EC2 fits

Choose EC2 for instance-family, OS, kernel, accelerator and AWS infrastructure flexibility. Its persistent EBS root volumes and eligible hibernation are real alternatives for a returning agent computer.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for an integrated isolated Linux runtime, low-space-triggered RootFS growth and supported paused-file operations. Check full-kernel dependencies against gVisor and retain needed AWS networking and service integrations.

Capabilities

AWS EC2 and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeAWS EC2EBS retention, ordinary stop/start and eligible hibernation have separate lifecycles. A retained disk does not guarantee uninterrupted execution or restart capacity.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 filesAWS EC2EBS root/data volumes persist through normal stop/start; instance-store data does not.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSAWS EC2An EBS root volume retains the installed operating system and user data.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 stateAWS EC2Eligible hibernation preserves execution; ordinary stop is filesystem-only.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateAWS EC2RAM is stored in the EBS root volume for configured compatible hibernation.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.

EC2 Elastic Volumes already permits online capacity increases on supported instances, followed by guest filesystem expansion. Sandbox0’s distinction is an integrated low-space-triggered whole-RootFS lifecycle, rather than an exclusive ability to persist or enlarge a system disk.

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.

Detached EBS volumes can be mounted through a separately managed helper instance in suitable stopped workflows. This uses external compute and filesystem orchestration rather than a native whole-RootFS file API; protect consistency with any retained memory state.

See paused file operations →

EBS root retention differs from instance-store data

EC2 stop/start applies to EBS-backed roots. EBS root and data volumes remain, while instance-store data is erased on stop. A restart can use a different host and public IPv4 address. Termination and volume deletion settings have separate consequences from stopping.

Source 1 ↗

Hibernation preserves memory on eligible machines

Configured hibernation saves RAM to the EBS root volume and resumes applications later. Stopped hibernated instances do not incur instance usage charges, while EBS storage, including saved RAM, remains billed. This is a qualified feature, not an automatic property of every instance/AMI.

Source 1 ↗

Online EBS growth is already supported

Elastic Volumes can increase capacity without detaching or restarting on compatible instances. After increasing the volume, extend the partition and filesystem as needed. This supports online growth; a managed low-free-space policy and the agent’s lifecycle/storage orchestration are separate responsibilities.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

A burstable VM rate needs its CPU-credit context

T3.small lists two vCPUs, 2 GiB memory and a 20% baseline per vCPU. Unlimited-mode surplus CPU credits can add charges beyond the base instance price. A burstable reference VM is not a fixed-throughput equivalent to every sandbox compute allocation.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

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.

AWS EC2

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

T3.small Linux/Unix, N. Virginia reference
$0.0209 per instance-hour
Published on-demand reference; 2 vCPU/2 GiB burstable class, with credit conditions.
Rate source ↗
T3 Unlimited surplus CPU credits, Linux
$0.05 per vCPU-hour
Charged under Unlimited credit rules; not the base instance tariff.
Rate source ↗
Stopped / hibernated instance usage
$0 while in the stopped state
EBS, saved RAM, addresses and other retained services can remain billable.
Rate source ↗

The T3 page’s reserved-instance columns include commitment/upfront conditions and are not substituted for on-demand rates. EBS, snapshots, network, public IPv4, software and other AWS services are separate. No equal-performance or universal savings claim follows from the reference shape.

Check current AWS EC2 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 AWS EC2

  1. Inventory root/data/instance-store disks, CPU credits, termination policies, AMI/kernel requirements and hibernation configuration.
  2. Export consistent filesystem state and port compatible tools to Sandbox0 while retaining necessary AWS services and specialized hosts.
  3. Test installed-system retention, online growth, memory continuity, paused files and the full instance/credits/EBS/network/model bill.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in AWS EC2 replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. These products serve different core workflows, so a change may require a different architecture.

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 ↗docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/Stop_Start.html ↗docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/Hibernate.html ↗docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs/latest/userguide/ebs-modify-volume.html ↗docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs/latest/userguide/recognize-expanded-volume-linux.html ↗aws.amazon.com/ec2/instance-types/t3/ ↗aws.amazon.com/ec2/pricing/on-demand/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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