Computer-use platforms / Cyberdesk Windows Automation alternative

Cyberdesk Windows automation alternative for persistent agents

Cyberdesk automates Windows applications through a driver on physical or virtual machines. Its workflow sessions reserve one desktop and preserve shared state across the runs in that session. This is an automation and scheduling service whose storage behavior also depends on the connected machine.

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

When Cyberdesk Windows Automation fits

Choose Cyberdesk for automating native Windows and legacy desktop applications with natural-language workflows, trajectory replay and run observability. Keep the required Windows application environment on suitable Windows infrastructure.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for the compatible Linux agent that prepares work and retains installed tools, configuration and files across tasks. Its growing durable RootFS and supported paused files address that runtime stage, while Windows automation remains a separate requirement.

Capabilities

Cyberdesk Windows Automation and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeCyberdesk Windows AutomationNot 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 filesCyberdesk Windows AutomationShared file/desktop state across runs within a reserved session is documented; durable retention after host lifecycle changes depends on the backend.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSCyberdesk Windows AutomationAn exclusive desktop workflow reservation does not establish a general whole writable OS retention contract.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 stateCyberdesk Windows AutomationReservation and shared running-desktop state do not establish memory-preserving compute release/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 stateCyberdesk Windows AutomationThe session API does not establish arbitrary process/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.

Cyberdesk’s shared session state belongs to the connected Windows machine. The workflow/session service does not itself establish automatic online low-space growth of that machine’s whole durable filesystem.

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.

Cyberdriver controls a running Windows desktop, including workflows and terminal actions. The cited service does not establish arbitrary file operations throughout a paused OS filesystem with guest compute remaining off.

See paused file operations →

A session reserves the same running desktop

Cyberdesk sessions provide exclusive access and deterministic sequencing on one machine, with shared files/desktop state across runs. A reservation is not a machine-memory checkpoint or a general storage/recovery guarantee after the underlying host is stopped, replaced or deleted.

Source 1 ↗

The primary meter is automation steps

New contracts use agentic-step and cached-step billing, with rates determined by contract. An agentic batch of tool calls counts as one step, while cached replay can count each tool call separately. Compare the real workflow mix and contract rates rather than treating a step as a fixed amount of CPU time.

Source 1 ↗

Failure outcomes affect charges

Under step-based billing, successful runs, user-task failures and cancellation can incur completed-step charges; infrastructure failures are not billed. Legacy run-based contracts use a different model. Confirm which billing regime and machine/backend responsibilities apply to the account.

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.

Cyberdesk Windows Automation

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Agentic automation usage
Contract rate per agentic step
The current primary model; batched tool calls in one agentic turn count as one step.
Rate source ↗
Cached trajectory usage
Contract rate per cached step
Cached batched calls can count separately per tool call.
Rate source ↗
Connected Windows environment
Confirm machine/hosting scope in the quote
Driver-based automation uses a physical or virtual Windows machine; determine who hosts and pays for it.
Rate source ↗

The public FAQ requests a custom plan rather than publishing numeric step rates. Include workflow volume, replay mix, applicable failure/retry rules and underlying machine costs. Do not apply legacy flat-run billing to a new step-based contract.

Check current Cyberdesk Windows Automation 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 Cyberdesk Windows Automation

  1. Inventory connected machines, reserved sessions, Windows apps, workflow/replay mix and the account’s step-based or legacy billing contract.
  2. Move compatible Linux preparation/agent stages and required data while keeping native Windows automation on its supported machine.
  3. Test cross-stage results, durable tools, growth, paused files and combined automation-step, machine and Linux runtime costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Cyberdesk Windows Automation 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.cyberdesk.io/concepts/sessions-and-chains.md ↗docs.cyberdesk.io/additional-details/usage-based-billing.md ↗www.cyberdesk.io/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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