Cloud infrastructure / Exoscale Compute alternative

Exoscale alternative for persistent Linux agent workers

Exoscale Compute already retains a whole VM root volume and stops compute charges when the instance is powered down. Retained disk and relevant licenses continue billing. Compare those existing capabilities with the automation, disk-growth behavior and file interface needed by a returning agent.

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

When Exoscale Compute fits

Choose Exoscale for VM administration, its regional cloud infrastructure and independently managed Block Storage. Its full boot volume and separate compute/storage bill can support stateful workers without continuous running-compute cost.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for the managed agent runtime interface, low-space-triggered online whole-RootFS growth and supported paused-file operations. Assess gVisor compatibility and keep specialized Exoscale integrations where necessary.

Capabilities

Exoscale Compute and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeExoscale 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 filesExoscale ComputePowered-off machines retain billable local volumes; deletion is a separate lifecycle.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSExoscale ComputeThe root volume holds the installed operating system on local SSD.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 stateExoscale ComputePower-off can retain disk without compute charges; arbitrary RAM retention 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 stateExoscale ComputeThe reviewed snapshot workflow captures disk data, not arbitrary running-memory state.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.

Exoscale already preserves a whole root volume through compute-free power-off. Explicit disk scaling requires a stopped instance, followed by boot-time Linux expansion when conditions permit; Sandbox0 integrates automatic online low-space growth while agent processes continue.

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.

Retained disks, snapshots and separately attached Block Storage can outlive active compute. Inspecting a guest filesystem through restore/mount workflows uses additional compute; the reviewed contract does not establish native whole-RootFS file reads and mutations while that guest stays stopped.

See paused file operations →

A stopped VM already separates compute from retained disk

Exoscale bills powered-off machines only for resources still in use, including their local storage volume and applicable software licenses. The root volume contains the installed OS; independently managed Block Storage is another storage lifecycle, not the only way to retain files through ordinary stop/start.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗Source 3 ↗

Scaling requires a stopped instance

The current scaling guide requires every scaling operation on a stopped instance. CPU/RAM and disk size are explicit choices, with disk ceilings by instance type and no disk shrink. Linux filesystems normally expand at boot if the root filesystem is not completely full; otherwise manual repair/expansion may be needed.

Source 1 ↗

Snapshots require filesystem consistency

The snapshot guide recommends flushing cached writes and avoiding changes during capture. A snapshot is a point-in-time disk copy, not a guarantee of retained running memory or later writes. Export and restore workflows have their own timing and operational requirements.

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.

Exoscale Compute

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Standard Tiny compute, USD catalog
$0.01458 per instance-hour
Published running_tiny meter; 1 core/1 GB reference. Root storage is separate.
Rate source ↗
Standard Small compute, USD catalog
$0.02333 per instance-hour
Published running_small meter; 2 cores/2 GB reference.
Rate source ↗
Standard local SSD retained storage
$0.00014 per GiB-hour
Pricing page defines the volume meter in GiB-hours; storage remains billed while powered down.
Rate source ↗
Powered-off compute
No compute charge
Retained disks, software licenses and other resources still need their applicable rates.
Rate source ↗

USD meter references are separate from the CHF/EUR catalog and are not currency conversions. Verify instance family, zone inventory, disk minimum/maximum and GiB-hour storage units. Root disk, snapshots, Block Storage, software, IP/network and other services belong in the total.

Check current Exoscale 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 Exoscale Compute

  1. Inventory instance family/zone, root versus Block Storage, disk ceilings, snapshots, software licenses and separate usage meters.
  2. Export consistent system/user data and run compatible tools on Sandbox0 while preserving required Exoscale services.
  3. Test installed-tool retention, online growth, supported paused files and total compute, retained disk, snapshots, licenses and network costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Exoscale 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.exoscale.com/pricing/ ↗community.exoscale.com/platform/billing/ ↗community.exoscale.com/product/compute/instances/overview/ ↗community.exoscale.com/product/compute/instances/how-to/instance-scaling/ ↗community.exoscale.com/product/compute/instances/how-to/snapshot/ ↗portal.exoscale.com/api/pricing/opencompute ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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