CI and test infrastructure / Bitbucket Pipelines alternative

Bitbucket Pipelines alternative for persistent agent workers

Bitbucket Pipelines runs CI/CD steps from a repository configuration. Each step starts a separate Docker container, with explicit caches and artifacts for selected state. A reusable agent computer needs a different lifecycle for installed system tools, configuration and growing local files.

Start buildingCompare capabilities ↓

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

When Bitbucket Pipelines fits

Choose Bitbucket Pipelines when repository-integrated builds, deployment controls, code collaboration and Atlassian integration are central. Keep its pipeline and repository controls when moving only the agent execution layer.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for a returning Linux agent environment with durable whole RootFS and supported paused-file operations. You still need pipeline scheduling, repository permissions, artifact management and an integration for your worker model.

Capabilities

Bitbucket Pipelines and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeBitbucket PipelinesThe default step limit is 120 minutes, with max-time configurable from one to 720 minutes. Retained artifacts and caches have separate lifecycles.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 filesBitbucket PipelinesSelected caches and artifacts are supported; whole runtime disk retention is not established.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSBitbucket PipelinesCloud steps use separate containers rather than retaining a complete mutable machine.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 stateBitbucket PipelinesManual pipeline triggers do not establish VM checkpoint/resume.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateBitbucket PipelinesNo arbitrary process-memory snapshot is established.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.

Bigger step sizes provide more per-step resources. Caches, artifacts and Git LFS retain selected files; they do not establish online automatic growth of a complete durable agent RootFS.

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.

Artifacts and source files remain accessible through their services after execution, but that differs from reading or changing supported paths across a paused Linux RootFS.

See paused file operations →

A pipeline step is a container execution unit

Each configured step starts a separate Docker container. Caches and artifacts explicitly transfer selected files; they do not by themselves preserve all mutations to every system path or a running process. Shell-based self-hosted runners have a different host lifecycle.

Source 1 ↗

Size changes both resources and billed minutes

The price page counts a five-minute step on a 2× runner as ten build minutes. Step sizing can increase CPU, memory and volume capacity, but those allocations are per-step resources rather than a durable agent disk that automatically grows between tasks.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Step duration is configurable within a bound

The documented default maximum is 120 minutes, with max-time values from 1 to 720 minutes. Longer configured steps still terminate at their limit; stretching a build timeout does not establish a retained memory checkpoint or persistent machine identity.

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.

Bitbucket Pipelines

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Free
$0; up to 5 users
Includes 50 shared build minutes and 1 GB Git LFS storage.
Rate source ↗
Standard
$3.65 per user/month as displayed
Effective team size, billing period and usage allowances affect the quote.
Rate source ↗
Premium
$8 per user/month as displayed
Adds organizational and deployment controls.
Rate source ↗
Additional build minutes
$10/month per 1,000 minutes
Published add-on offer; size-weighted execution consumes the allowance faster.
Rate source ↗

Build minutes and Git LFS are workspace-shared. Git LFS storage is not retained execution-disk storage. The pricing page links upcoming usage-pricing changes; verify effective account terms and runner type before forecasting costs.

Check current Bitbucket Pipelines 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 Bitbucket Pipelines

  1. Inventory runner type, step sizes and timeouts, caches, artifacts, repositories and deployment permissions.
  2. Move compatible agent execution to Sandbox0 while retaining the pipeline and transferring required outputs explicitly.
  3. Verify package retention, growing files, paused operations and total user, weighted-minute, artifact and runtime costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Bitbucket Pipelines 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 ↗support.atlassian.com/bitbucket-cloud/docs/step-options/ ↗www.atlassian.com/software/bitbucket/pricing ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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