Browser platforms / Magnitude alternative

Magnitude alternative

The directory entry points to Magnitude’s browser-agent project, an open-source vision-first automation and testing framework. The current magnitude.dev homepage instead presents a local model-inference engine. Treat those as separate product surfaces when deciding what an agent needs to replace or continue using.

Start building Compare capabilities ↓

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

When Magnitude fits

The browser-agent framework fits developers who want natural-language browser actions, structured extraction and visual assertions inside their own application. The current Magnitude inference engine fits local model serving on suitable hardware; it does not by itself supply a hosted browser or durable Linux sandbox.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 when the framework needs a returning Linux environment with retained dependencies, configuration and growing output files. Use a suitable external model or separately qualified inference host, and test browser dependencies; Sandbox0 runtime pricing does not include model inference or promise accelerator support.

Capabilities

Magnitude and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Capability	Magnitude	Sandbox0
Environment and runtime lifetime	MagnitudeNot established in this review	Sandbox0ttl 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 files	MagnitudeThe framework relies on its execution host; it does not establish a hosted durable disk contract.View evidence ↗	Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFS	MagnitudeA browser-agent library does not itself retain a complete writable Linux RootFS.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 state	MagnitudeFramework automation and test assertions do not supply an arbitrary-machine checkpoint service.View evidence ↗	Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process state	MagnitudeArbitrary process-memory capture/restore is not established.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.

Magnitude’s browser-agent framework inherits the filesystem and lifecycle of the host you provide. Its local inference product is another software layer, not a managed growing RootFS. Sandbox0 retains compatible agent dependencies, system configuration and accumulated files around those components.

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.

The framework does not establish an API to inspect or modify a paused Linux RootFS. File availability depends on the chosen execution/storage host; browser assertions and local model caches are separate concerns.

See paused file operations →

The browser framework remains separately documented

The magnitudedev/browser-agent repository describes vision-based interaction, extraction and a browser test runner, under Apache-2.0. Its README links magnitude.run documentation. A changed homepage is not evidence that this repository has disappeared, nor that its browser framework is a hosted infrastructure offer.

Source 1 ↗

An agent framework still needs a model and execution host

The README requires a visually grounded model and shows the agent inside application code. That leaves model access, browser processes, durable artifacts and host lifecycle to the surrounding deployment. A library installation does not establish whole-machine persistence or compute-free pause/restore.

Source 1 ↗

Current local inference has a different cost boundary

The current magnitude.dev material describes an Apache-2.0 local inference engine and desktop app for hardware you provide, with no provider token charge for local inference. Model fit, licenses, memory and hardware remain separate considerations. Its vendor speed claims are not a performance benchmark for Sandbox0.

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.

Magnitude

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-18

Browser-agent software: Apache-2.0; no software usage fee listed; Model-provider usage, browser service and execution infrastructure are separate.; Rate source ↗
Current Magnitude local inference: Free software; no local provider-token charge; You supply hardware; this is the current inference product rather than managed browser hosting.; Rate source ↗
Operating cost: Model and infrastructure costs depend on your setup; No public hosted browser-hour or Linux resource rate is established for the framework.; Rate source ↗

Open-source software cost is different from the cost of models and an always-running host. A local engine removes a provider per-token bill for locally served inference, not electricity, hardware, memory limits or model-license obligations. Do not apply the current inference homepage’s claims to the browser-agent repository as if they were one hosted service.

Check current Magnitude 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 Magnitude

Determine whether the dependency is browser-agent, the test runner or the current local inference engine; preserve configuration, models and required artifacts separately.
Port compatible browser-agent code and dependencies to Sandbox0, selecting a supported model endpoint and validating the browser/display stack.
Verify actual automation outcomes, retained system packages, growing RootFS, paused file operations and model, browser and runtime costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Magnitude 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 ↗github.com/magnitudedev/browser-agent ↗magnitude.dev/ ↗magnitude.dev/llms.txt ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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