Apify AI Code Sandbox vs Docker Sandboxes

Apify AI Code Sandbox bills memory only, at $0.20 per GiB-hour. Docker Sandboxes costs $0.07 per vCPU-hour. Apify AI Code Sandbox runs containers and has no session limit. Docker Sandboxes runs microVMs and limits a session to 24 hours.

Updated Oct 23, 2026

Apify AI Code Sandbox

Apify Actor that runs AI-generated code in an isolated container, with MCP, REST API and shell access.

Isolation: Container
Free tier: $5 of usage every month
Max session: No limit

Visit site Apify AI Code Sandbox profile

Docker Sandboxes

Cloud microVM sandboxes for coding agents, run by Docker.

Isolation: MicroVM
Free tier: $25 credit, one time
Max session: 24 hours

Visit site Docker Sandboxes profile

What is different

10 fields differ. The rest are the same or not listed.

Field

Apify AI Code Sandbox

Docker Sandboxes

vCPU, per hour: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Included; Docker Sandboxes: $0.07
RAM, per GiB-hour: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $0.20; Docker Sandboxes: Included
Storage: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Disk in the run is part of the compute price. The workspace backup goes to a key-value store at $1 per 1,000 GB-hours, plus reads and writes. Data transfer out $0.20 per GB; Docker Sandboxes: Free
Free tier: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $5 of usage every month; Docker Sandboxes: $25 credit, one time
Paid plan from: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $19 / month; Docker Sandboxes: Pay as you go
Billing: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Memory only; Docker Sandboxes: Bundled machine time
Max session: Apify AI Code Sandbox: No limit; Docker Sandboxes: 24 hours
Concurrent sandboxes: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Up to 256; Docker Sandboxes: Up to 10
Isolation: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Container; Docker Sandboxes: MicroVM
SDKs: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Python, JavaScript / TypeScript; Docker Sandboxes: JavaScript / TypeScript

Full comparison

18 fields, at each provider's list price

Apify AI Code Sandboxapify.com/pricing

Docker Sandboxesdocker.com/products/docker-sandboxesdocker.com

Pricing

vCPU, per hour: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Included; Docker Sandboxes: $0.07
RAM, per GiB-hour: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $0.20; Docker Sandboxes: Included
Storage: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Disk in the run is part of the compute price. The workspace backup goes to a key-value store at $1 per 1,000 GB-hours, plus reads and writes. Data transfer out $0.20 per GB; Docker Sandboxes: Free
Free tier: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $5 of usage every month; Docker Sandboxes: $25 credit, one time
Paid plan from: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $19 / month; Docker Sandboxes: Pay as you go
Billing: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Memory only; Docker Sandboxes: Bundled machine time

Limits

Max session: Apify AI Code Sandbox: No limit; Docker Sandboxes: 24 hours
Idle stop: Apify AI Code Sandbox: After 15 minutes; Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Largest sandbox: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Not listed; Docker Sandboxes: 16 vCPU · 32 GiB
Concurrent sandboxes: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Up to 256; Docker Sandboxes: Up to 10

Platform

Isolation: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Container; Docker Sandboxes: MicroVM
GPU: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Not listed; Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Snapshots: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Not listed; Docker Sandboxes:
Pause and resume: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Not listed; Docker Sandboxes:

Developer

SDKs: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Python, JavaScript / TypeScript; Docker Sandboxes: JavaScript / TypeScript
Integrations: Apify AI Code Sandbox: MCP, Claude Code; Docker Sandboxes: MCP, Claude Code

Trust

License: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Not listed; Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
BYOC: Apify AI Code Sandbox: Not listed; Docker Sandboxes: Not listed

Hourly cost

One sandbox running for one hour

Size

Apify AI Code Sandbox

Docker Sandboxes

1 vCPU · 2 GiB: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $0.400; Docker Sandboxes: $0.070
2 vCPU · 4 GiB: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $0.800; Docker Sandboxes: $0.140
4 vCPU · 8 GiB: Apify AI Code Sandbox: $1.600; Docker Sandboxes: $0.280

Compute only, at list rates.

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Which one fits

Based on the fields above

Apify AI Code Sandbox fits when

A session must run longer than 24 hours.
You want one rate for memory, with CPU included.

Docker Sandboxes fits when

You want to pay only for usage, with no plan fee.
You want each sandbox in its own microVM.
You want the lower list price: $0.140 against $0.800 an hour for 2 vCPU and 4 GiB.
You want the larger free credit: $25 against $5.

More comparisons

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Apify AI Code Sandbox

Docker Sandboxes

What is different

Full comparison

Pricing

Limits

Platform

Developer

Trust

Hourly cost

Which one fits

Apify AI Code Sandbox fits when

Docker Sandboxes fits when

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