Cloud infrastructure / UpCloud alternative

UpCloud alternative for persistent Linux agent state

UpCloud already puts the operating system on storage separated from the server, supports online storage expansion and offers Cloud Native compute billed only while started. Starter and Premium bundles have different included resources. Compare the exact plan and automation needed around each agent’s persistent machine.

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

When UpCloud fits

Choose UpCloud for full VM administration, attachable storage, hot resource changes and its cloud infrastructure services. Its separated OS disk and online resize are substantive capabilities; Cloud Native is the relevant plan when stopped-compute billing matters.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for a managed agent interface that integrates low-space-triggered whole-RootFS growth and supported paused-file access. Assess gVisor compatibility and retain required UpCloud network, database or other application services.

Capabilities

UpCloud and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeUpCloudNot 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 filesUpCloudThe OS disk exists independently of server compute and can be reattached.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSUpCloudStorage holds the installed operating system, not only a workspace path.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 stateUpCloudCloud Native stop/start retains separate disks without compute billing; 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 stateUpCloudStorage/template and hot resize docs do not establish arbitrary RAM checkpoint recovery.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.

UpCloud already provides independent full OS disks and online backing-volume expansion followed by guest partition/filesystem growth. Sandbox0 integrates low-space triggering, durable agent lifecycle and whole-RootFS expansion; online growth itself is not unique to Sandbox0.

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.

UpCloud can retain or reattach an OS disk without the original server, but inspecting files through another server still uses compute and mount orchestration. That differs from native read/write operations throughout a paused whole RootFS through a managed Files API.

See paused file operations →

Cloud Native already decouples compute from storage

Starter and Premium combine CPU, memory, storage and a public IPv4 address. Cloud Native includes CPU/RAM, with storage and public IPs separate, and bills compute only while started. Do not apply the bundled plan’s cost structure to stopped Cloud Native servers.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Hot storage growth still needs guest filesystem work

UpCloud can grow a storage device while its server runs. The backing volume becomes larger, then the partition and filesystem must be extended inside the guest. Hot CPU/RAM changes also depend on host resources and memory slots. These are explicit resize controls, rather than a low-space policy implemented for each agent.

Source 1 ↗

The operating system lives on an independent disk

The storage guide places the OS on a device separate from compute. It can be attached to another server or turned into a suitable template; detached storage remains billed. Deleting that disk permanently removes its data, so lifecycle deletion and backups remain deliberate operations.

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.

UpCloud

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Starter 1 CPU / 1 GB / 10 GB reference
€3 per capped billing month
Standard storage and IPv4 included; maximum five simultaneous entry-plan deployments per customer.
Rate source ↗
Premium 1 CPU / 1 GB / 25 GB reference
€5 per capped billing month
MaxIOPS storage and IPv4 included.
Rate source ↗
Cloud Native 1 CPU / 4 GB reference
€12 per capped billing month
Compute only; required disk and public IPs billed separately; stopped compute not charged.
Rate source ↗

Current plans charge each starting hour, capped at 28 days per month, and exclude applicable local taxes. Older Developer/General Purpose tables are marked discontinued. Check region, included storage class, extra disks/IPs, backups and the Fair Transfer Policy; these EUR references are not USD conversions or equal-throughput comparisons.

Check current UpCloud 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 UpCloud

  1. Identify Starter/Premium/Cloud Native, OS/data disks, hot-resize eligibility, retained storage and public-IP charges.
  2. Export consistent installed-system and user state and configure compatible tools on Sandbox0, retaining needed UpCloud services.
  3. Test low-space-triggered growth, persisted tools, supported paused files and the full active compute, disk, IP, backup and network bill.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in UpCloud 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 ↗upcloud.com/docs/products/cloud-servers/configurations/ ↗upcloud.com/docs/guides/cloud-server-plans/ ↗upcloud.com/docs/products/cloud-servers/resizing/ ↗upcloud.com/docs/guides/managing-storage-devices/ ↗upcloud.com/pricing/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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