Agent sandboxes / Dexto alternative

A Dexto sandbox alternative beyond a retained project workspace

Dexto’s current API creates named sandboxes inside Cloud projects, separate from the personal computer in its app. Pause stops compute charging while keeping the workspace; termination discards it. Use the current project-scoped contract when integrating an agent.

Start buildingCompare capabilities ↓

Reviewed 2026-10-18 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When Dexto fits

Dexto fits teams that want its broader agent, model, tool, project, approval, and artifact platform alongside sandbox execution. Its project/key scopes and idempotent lifecycle operations can simplify application orchestration.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 when the durable state includes system tools and configuration beyond /workspace, storage should grow online, and supported file operations should work during compute pauses. Supply any broader Dexto control-plane functionality your application needs.

Capabilities

Dexto and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeDextoNot 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 filesDextoWorkspace survives pause; termination loses it and subsequent start is empty.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSDextoThe reviewed retained-workspace contract does not establish full writable RootFS coverage.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 stateDextoPause stops runtime charges while retaining workspace; memory continuation 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 stateDextoNo RAM/process checkpoint guarantee is established by the reviewed named-sandbox API.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.

The current API offers one size and a retained workspace; it does not establish automatic online expansion of a complete persistent 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.

Dexto’s reviewed workspace file endpoints require a running sandbox. Sandbox0 supports persistent RootFS file operations while paused, with separate protections for memory-paused mutations.

See paused file operations →

The current project API is not the personal app computer

Dexto documents an October 2026 API change: creation now requires a name and size and no longer reaches the user’s personal Dexto computer. Named creation reuses the existing project resource, but that does not imply sharing a single machine across projects or user accounts.

Source 1 ↗

Pause retains workspace, while file operations require running compute

The API retains the workspace through pause but starts empty after termination. Its file endpoints are scoped to /workspace and require a running sandbox. Project file artifacts are independent: importing or exporting copies data, and exported storage has its own lifetime and bill.

Source 1 ↗

One current machine size has a published running rate

The current API offers large at 4 vCPU/8 GiB, while the services catalog prices sandbox compute at $0.414/hour. Runtime is charged per second against organization credits; credit shortages or spend limits can block start. Exported files and model/media services use separate meters.

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.

Dexto

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-18

Current sandbox compute
$0.414 per running hour
Current API size large: 4 vCPU and 8 GiB; runtime charged per second.
Rate source ↗
Paused sandbox runtime
Compute charging stops
Rate source ↗
Exported project files
Separate retained-file storage meter
Not included indefinitely in the runtime rate.
Rate source ↗

Use the current Cloud-project API and effective service catalog; the personal app computer is a separate product scope. Credits, project/key spend limits, file storage and model services affect the total.

Check current Dexto 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 Dexto

  1. Export workspace and independent project artifacts, recording sandbox names, project/key scopes, and the October 2026 contract change.
  2. Package compatible system tools and port lifecycle, executions, files, credentials, and service integrations.
  3. Validate system-state retention beyond workspace, online growth, paused file access, required process behavior, and runtime plus artifact/model charges.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Dexto replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. A shared sandbox category does not make SDKs, lifecycle semantics, or limits interchangeable.

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.dexto.ai/docs/platform/api/sandboxes/ ↗www.dexto.ai/docs/models/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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