Cloud infrastructure / Scaleway Instances alternative

Scaleway Instances alternative for persistent Linux agents

Scaleway Instances already separate stopped compute from retained storage charges. Local disks can be kept or archived into snapshot storage for a later restart. Compare that real filesystem lifecycle, storage choices and expansion controls with the managed runtime interface needed by a returning agent.

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

When Scaleway Instances fits

Choose Scaleway for VM administration, European infrastructure and its wider networking, storage and application services. Its local-storage archive and independent Block Storage choices can already support retained system data while compute is stopped.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for a compatible Linux agent whose whole writable RootFS grows automatically online, with supported paused-file operations and explicit runtime lifecycle controls. Retain necessary Scaleway services and full-kernel workloads separately.

Capabilities

Scaleway Instances and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeScaleway InstancesNot 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 filesScaleway InstancesStopped instances can keep local disks or archive/restore them; Block Storage remains separate.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSScaleway InstancesRetained or archived local system storage can preserve the installed VM filesystem.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 stateScaleway InstancesStop/start can release compute while retaining supported disk state; 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 stateScaleway InstancesLocal-storage archive is a disk snapshot, not evidence of arbitrary process-memory preservation.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.

Scaleway already supports retained whole system disks and compute-free stopped states. Explicit local/Block Storage sizing and guest filesystem operations are distinct from Sandbox0’s integrated low-space-triggered online durable RootFS growth.

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 storage and snapshots can exist without Instance compute, but guest SSH/file tools and mounting data through another machine have separate compute workflows. The reviewed contract does not establish native file-level operations throughout the original stopped RootFS.

See paused file operations →

Stopped compute does not require deleting the system disk

The stopped state releases the hypervisor and stops compute billing. Keeping local storage retains its storage charge; archiving snapshots it into volume storage and restores it automatically on restart. Attached Block Storage and retained Flexible IPs also continue billing.

Source 1 ↗

Select local or network-attached storage deliberately

Instance storage options have distinct capacity, attachment and snapshot workflows. A stored boot disk can preserve installed software, while an independent data volume has its own lifecycle. Choose storage for both system and application state, and verify resizing and guest-filesystem steps for the selected configuration.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Hourly compute is only one part of the invoice

Instance compute is billed hourly. Flexible IPv4 and storage are separate resources and remain billable when compute is off. Savings-plan spend commitments and their eligible families differ from unconstrained on-demand usage.

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.

Scaleway Instances

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

DEV1-S published compute reference
€0.00898 per instance-hour
2 vCPU/2 GB reference; storage and flexible IPv4 are separate; before tax.
Rate source ↗
PLAY2-PICO published compute reference
€0.01428 per instance-hour
1 vCPU/2 GB reference; different family from DEV1.
Rate source ↗
Stopped Instance compute
No compute charge
Retained local/Block Storage, snapshots and Flexible IPs continue billing.
Rate source ↗

Approximate monthly values are illustrations of hourly rates, not evidence of a universal monthly cap. Check zone inventory, family/shared CPU characteristics, boot/storage class, public IP, snapshots and tax. Do not use a small STARDUST availability-dependent quote for all workloads.

Check current Scaleway Instances 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 Scaleway Instances

  1. Inventory Instance family/zone, local versus Block Storage boot/data, stop/archive behavior, IPs and savings commitments.
  2. Copy consistent system/user state into a compatible Sandbox0 environment while retaining necessary Scaleway integrations.
  3. Verify whole-system retention, growth, paused files and total active compute, retained disks, snapshots, IP and network charges.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Scaleway Instances 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.scaleway.com/en/docs/instances/reference-content/instance-states/ ↗www.scaleway.com/en/docs/instances/faq/ ↗www.scaleway.com/en/docs/instances/reference-content/understanding-instance-pricing/ ↗www.scaleway.com/en/pricing/virtual-instances/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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