Cloud infrastructure / Contabo VPS alternative

Contabo alternative for persistent Linux agents

Contabo VPS provides a full KVM virtual server with persistent installed software and files. Core, Performance and Storage VPS have different storage and backup entitlements. For an agent that idles between tasks, compare the subscription term and upgrade process with the lifecycle you want for its returning computer.

Start buildingCompare capabilities ↓

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

When Contabo VPS fits

Choose Contabo for direct VM administration and a reserved VPS plan with substantial bundled resources. Match Core SSD, Performance NVMe and Storage VPS to workload needs; shared vCPU counts do not promise dedicated-core throughput.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for a compatible managed Linux agent runtime that pauses compute, grows its durable complete RootFS online and supports paused files. Check full-kernel dependencies and retain any VPS-specific networking or application services.

Capabilities

Contabo VPS and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeContabo VPSNot 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 filesContabo VPSThe VPS has an installed system disk, with supported disk snapshots and rescue mounts.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSContabo VPSSnapshots capture the VPS disk and Rescue can mount its OS partitions.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 stateContabo VPSStart/stop controls exist; a memory-preserving compute-free pause contract is not established.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateContabo VPSDocumented snapshots are disk images, not arbitrary 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.

Contabo already retains a full VPS disk and offers larger plans and selected storage extensions. Documented preservation upgrades can require a reboot; this differs from automatic online low-space growth of Sandbox0’s durable whole 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.

Rescue boots another live system into RAM to mount existing partitions and recover files. That uses guest compute and differs from native file operations throughout the original stopped RootFS without booting an environment.

See paused file operations →

Disk snapshots preserve a capture with retention limits

Core VPS snapshots capture the VPS disk and are retained for 30 days, with slots varying by plan. Performance VPS has different allowances; Storage VPS has no snapshots, Auto Backup or Storage Extension. A disk snapshot is not arbitrary RAM checkpointing or indefinite backup retention.

Source 1 ↗

A preservation upgrade can still reboot

The upgrade guide distinguishes a fresh setup, which erases current data, from Live Migration, which transfers it and requires a short reboot at completion. Availability depends on source/target configuration; storage-type changes can require reinstalling. No direct downgrade is offered.

Source 1 ↗

A headline monthly rate has a subscription term

The current Core VPS page advertises a first-24-month amount, and its terms describe displayed prices as effective monthly rates for a 24-month subscription. Account currency, taxes, selected region, setup and add-ons affect checkout. A subscription reservation is not an established compute-free stopped tariff.

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.

Contabo VPS

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Core Cloud VPS 4 advertised reference
From €4.40 per month for the first 24 months
Published effective 24-month subscription reference; 4 shared vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB SSD. Confirm final currency/tax/region/term.
Rate source ↗
Core Cloud VPS 8 advertised reference
From €11.20 per month for the first 24 months
8 shared vCPU/24 GB RAM; current storage variant and selected location must be checked.
Rate source ↗
Upgrade pricing
Remaining prepaid price difference, per day
No upgrade fee itself; migration method and plan choices affect the operation.
Rate source ↗

The page shows crossed-out reference figures and subscription offers; neither proves a guaranteed renewal tariff. Confirm the actual account invoice and checkout tax/currency instead of converting EUR figures to USD. Setup, location, backup/storage add-ons and fair-use transfer conditions can change total costs.

Check current Contabo VPS 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 Contabo VPS

  1. Inventory VPS family, SSD/NVMe variant, snapshots/retention, subscription/cancellation term and selected account price.
  2. Create a consistent current export before fresh setup or storage-type changes; configure compatible tools on Sandbox0 and retain needed services.
  3. Test installed-system retention, online growth, paused files and complete subscription, migration, backup, storage and network costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Contabo VPS 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.contabo.com/docs/servers-hosting/vps/ ↗help.contabo.com/en/support/solutions/articles/103000269700-how-to-make-changes-to-your-vps-or-vds-plan ↗contabo.com/en-us/vps/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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