Cloud infrastructure / Civo Compute alternative

Civo Compute alternative for persistent agent workers

Civo Compute runs full virtual servers from a chosen disk image and instance size. Retaining that VM preserves the installed environment, but a stopped instance is still charged. Its Compute and Kubernetes node tables have different disk sizes even when their CPU/RAM prices look alike.

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

When Civo Compute fits

Choose Civo for full VM administration and its network, Kubernetes, GPU or other cloud services as needed. Keep Compute instance pricing separate from Kubernetes workers and independently managed volumes.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for compatible returning Linux workers with a durable growing complete RootFS, no paused compute charge and supported paused-file operations. Retain any cluster orchestration or Civo-specific application services.

Capabilities

Civo Compute and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeCivo ComputeNot established in this reviewSandbox0ttl 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 filesCivo ComputeData and resources remain allocated while a VM is retained, including stopped state.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSCivo ComputeA full VM boots its installed system from a disk image rather than retaining only a workspace.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 stateCivo ComputeStop/start is available but stopped compute remains billed; arbitrary memory-preserving release is unestablished.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateCivo ComputeThe instance resize/lifecycle API does not establish arbitrary RAM checkpoint recovery.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.

Civo provides a full VM disk and explicit larger-instance sizing. The reviewed contract does not establish a complete durable RootFS that expands automatically online when free space runs low.

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.

Independent storage resources and VM images are different from a native interface for reading and mutating files throughout a stopped Compute root disk. Ordinary guest file tools require a running environment.

See paused file operations →

A retained stopped instance is not free paused compute

Civo bills services hourly, rounding up to a full hour. A stopped instance or cluster still consumes reserved resources and is charged like an active one. Published monthly figures illustrate 730 hours rather than a monthly cap.

Source 1 ↗

Compute and Kubernetes tables differ

The Compute xSmall reference has 1 GB RAM, one core and 25 GB NVMe. The similarly priced Kubernetes Extra Small node lists 30 GB. Use the actual Compute shape, region availability and quota rather than importing a node specification into a VM quote.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Resizing is an explicit instance operation

The API supports upward instance resizing to an available size within quota. That is a deliberate size change, not evidence of automatic low-free-space growth or arbitrary execution checkpointing. Boot image and separate volumes also need their own retention and sizing choices.

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.

Civo Compute

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Compute xSmall reference
$0.007440 per instance-hour
1 core, 1 GB RAM and 25 GB NVMe; USD before applicable VAT.
Rate source ↗
Compute Small reference
$0.014881 per instance-hour
1 core, 2 GB RAM and 25 GB NVMe.
Rate source ↗
Retained stopped instance
Same hourly instance charge
Hours round up; advertised monthly values use 730 hours and are illustrative.
Rate source ↗

Verify region and actual available Compute size, included transfer terms, extra volumes, backups and other services. Do not treat the monthly illustration as a cap or use Kubernetes node disk sizes as Compute entitlements. No fixed-throughput equivalence or general cost-saving percentage is asserted.

Check current Civo Compute 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 Civo Compute

  1. Inventory Compute rather than Kubernetes shapes, region/quota, system and attached disks, and retained-instance charges.
  2. Copy consistent system/user state and configure compatible agent tools on Sandbox0 while retaining needed Civo integrations.
  3. Test installed-tool retention, growing outputs, supported paused files and full rounded-hour compute, storage and network costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Civo Compute 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 ↗www.civo.com/docs/account/billing ↗www.civo.com/pricing ↗www.civo.com/docs/compute/create-an-instance ↗www.civo.com/api/instances ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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