Application platforms / Google Cloud Run alternative

Google Cloud Run alternative for persistent agent state

Cloud Run offers services, jobs, worker pools and individually managed Instances. The newer Instances surface supports singleton workloads with explicit start/stop control, but stopping still destroys runtime-local files and unpersisted system state. Long-running compute and durable local machine state are separate requirements.

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

When Google Cloud Run fits

Choose Cloud Run for managed application containers, request/event integration and Google Cloud networking and IAM. Its resource types support different application patterns; retain the deployment and application platform capabilities you need.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for a returning Linux agent’s installed tools and complete durable growing RootFS. Keep or build the HTTP front end, event integrations, application scaling and external data services required by the application.

Capabilities

Google Cloud Run and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeGoogle Cloud RunNot 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 filesGoogle Cloud RunExternal services can retain data; local Instance storage is not persistent.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSGoogle Cloud RunStopping deletes runtime-local files and unpersisted system state.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 stateGoogle Cloud RunStart/stop is documented, but stop terminates runtime state rather than preserving arbitrary execution.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateGoogle Cloud RunNo arbitrary process-memory checkpoint contract is established in the reviewed interfaces.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.

Cloud Run supports several long-running compute patterns and external storage. It does not establish a complete local durable RootFS that automatically expands online; local runtime files still have the documented ephemeral lifecycle.

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.

Cloud Storage or other external data may remain available without a Cloud Run instance. That is separately stored application data rather than direct file operations throughout a paused whole RootFS.

See paused file operations →

A managed Instance is not a durable disk guarantee

Cloud Run Instances can be started, stopped and updated explicitly. The guide states they have no persistent disk storage; stop terminates the active container runtime and deletes in-memory files and unpersisted system state. Updates restart the instance, so essential files must use appropriate external storage.

Source 1 ↗

Runtime filesystem and external data have different lifecycles

The container runtime contract describes writable in-memory storage that consumes instance memory and does not persist when the instance stops. External storage mounts and data services can preserve selected data, but they do not retain every mutable system path or arbitrary process memory.

Source 1 ↗

Select a billing mode before comparing rates

Services offer request-based and instance-based billing with different CPU/memory rates and free allowances. Minimum instances can incur idle charges even without requests. Jobs, worker pools and individually managed Instances must be assessed under their own applicable terms rather than one universal service rate.

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.

Google Cloud Run

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Service request-based active CPU, Iowa
$0.000024 per vCPU-second
On-demand reference; billed-instance-time and free-tier rules apply.
Rate source ↗
Service request-based active memory, Iowa
$0.0000025 per GiB-second
Rate source ↗
Service instance-based CPU, Iowa
$0.000018 per vCPU-second
Different billing mode; do not mix with request-based allowances.
Rate source ↗
Service instance-based memory, Iowa
$0.000002 per GiB-second
Rate source ↗
Request-based service requests
$0.40 per million
Applicable included requests and regional terms remain separate.
Rate source ↗

Rates above describe selected us-central1 service billing modes, not every Cloud Run resource type. Idle minimums, startup/shutdown time, builds, image registry, network, models and external storage can affect the bill. A stopped Cloud Run Instance does not retain a whole local agent filesystem.

Check current Google Cloud Run 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 Google Cloud Run

  1. Identify services/jobs/worker pools/Instances, billing mode, minimums, local writes and external storage.
  2. Port compatible agent tools to Sandbox0 while preserving required request routing, event processing and data services.
  3. Test installed-system retention, growing outputs, paused files and the combined runtime, service, build, storage and network bill.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Google Cloud Run 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.cloud.google.com/run/docs/instances/create-and-manage-instances ↗docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs/container-contract ↗cloud.google.com/run/pricing ↗docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs/overview/what-is-cloud-run ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

Related comparisons

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