Docker Sandboxes vs Modal

Docker Sandboxes costs $0.07 per vCPU-hour and Modal costs $0.070956 per vCPU-hour. Docker Sandboxes runs microVMs. Modal runs gVisor, offers GPUs and limits a session to 24 hours.

Updated

Docker Sandboxes

Isolation
MicroVM
Free tier
One-time promotional credit for cloud compute
Max session
Not listed

Modal

Isolation
gVisor
Free tier
$30 credit every month
Max session
24 hours

What is different

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

Docker Sandboxes
Modal
vCPU, per hour
Docker Sandboxes: $0.07
Modal: $0.070956
RAM, per GiB-hour
Docker Sandboxes: Included
Modal: $0.024012
Free tier
Docker Sandboxes: One-time promotional credit for cloud compute
Modal: $30 credit every month
Billing
Docker Sandboxes: Bundled machine time
Modal: Per second
Isolation
Docker Sandboxes: MicroVM
Modal: gVisor
SDKs
Docker Sandboxes: JavaScript / TypeScript
Modal: Python, JavaScript / TypeScript, Go
Integrations
Docker Sandboxes: MCP
Modal: Claude Agent SDK

Full comparison

18 fields, at each provider's list price

Pricing

vCPU, per hour
Docker Sandboxes: $0.07
Modal: $0.070956
RAM, per GiB-hour
Docker Sandboxes: Included
Modal: $0.024012
Storage
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Modal: Not listed
Free tier
Docker Sandboxes: One-time promotional credit for cloud compute
Modal: $30 credit every month
Paid plan from
Docker Sandboxes: Pay as you go
Modal: Pay as you go
Billing
Docker Sandboxes: Bundled machine time
Modal: Per second

Limits

Max session
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Modal: 24 hours
Idle stop
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Modal: Not listed
Largest sandbox
Docker Sandboxes: 16 vCPU · 32 GiB
Modal: Not listed
Concurrent sandboxes
Docker Sandboxes: Up to 10
Modal: Not listed

Platform

Isolation
Docker Sandboxes: MicroVM
Modal: gVisor
GPU
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Modal:
Snapshots
Docker Sandboxes:
Modal:
Pause and resume
Docker Sandboxes:
Modal: Not listed

Developer

SDKs
Docker Sandboxes: JavaScript / TypeScript
Modal: Python, JavaScript / TypeScript, Go
Integrations
Docker Sandboxes: MCP
Modal: Claude Agent SDK

Trust

License
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Modal: Not listed
BYOC
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Modal: Not listed

Hourly cost

One sandbox running for one hour

Docker Sandboxes
Modal
1 vCPU · 2 GiB
Docker Sandboxes: $0.070
Modal: $0.119
2 vCPU · 4 GiB
Docker Sandboxes: $0.140
Modal: $0.238
4 vCPU · 8 GiB
Docker Sandboxes: $0.280
Modal: $0.476

Compute only, at list rates.

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Which one fits

Based on the fields above

Docker Sandboxes fits when

  • You want each sandbox in its own microVM.
  • You use MCP.
  • You want the lower list price: $0.140 against $0.238 an hour for 2 vCPU and 4 GiB.
  • You need pause and resume.

Modal fits when

  • You need GPUs.
  • You use the Claude Agent SDK.
  • You need a desktop in the sandbox.
  • You need SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA and GDPR.

More comparisons

See all comparisons

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