Docker Sandboxes vs Zipbox

Docker Sandboxes costs $0.07 per vCPU-hour and Zipbox costs $0.00685 per vCPU-hour. Docker Sandboxes runs microVMs and limits a session to 24 hours. Zipbox runs Firecracker microVMs and has no session limit.

Updated

Docker Sandboxes

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

Zipbox

Isolation
Firecracker microVM
Free tier
$25 credit after a one-time $5 top-up
Max session
No limit

What is different

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

Docker Sandboxes
Zipbox
vCPU, per hour
Docker Sandboxes: $0.07
Zipbox: $0.00685
Free tier
Docker Sandboxes: $25 credit, one time
Zipbox: $25 credit after a one-time $5 top-up
Max session
Docker Sandboxes: 24 hours
Zipbox: No limit
Largest sandbox
Docker Sandboxes: 16 vCPU · 32 GiB
Zipbox: 6 vCPU · 16 GiB
Isolation
Docker Sandboxes: MicroVM
Zipbox: Firecracker microVM
Snapshots
Docker Sandboxes:
Zipbox: No
Pause and resume
Docker Sandboxes:
Zipbox: No
SDKs
Docker Sandboxes: JavaScript / TypeScript
Zipbox: TypeScript, Python, Go, Rust
Integrations
Docker Sandboxes: MCP, Claude Code
Zipbox: MCP, Claude Code, Claude Agent SDK, OpenAI Agents SDK, Vercel AI SDK, LangChain

Full comparison

18 fields, at each provider's list price

Pricing

vCPU, per hour
Docker Sandboxes: $0.07
Zipbox: $0.00685
RAM, per GiB-hour
Docker Sandboxes: Included
Zipbox: Included
Storage
Docker Sandboxes: Free
Zipbox: Free
Free tier
Docker Sandboxes: $25 credit, one time
Zipbox: $25 credit after a one-time $5 top-up
Paid plan from
Docker Sandboxes: Pay as you go
Zipbox: Pay as you go
Billing
Docker Sandboxes: Bundled machine time
Zipbox: Bundled machine time

Limits

Max session
Docker Sandboxes: 24 hours
Zipbox: No limit
Idle stop
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Zipbox: Not listed
Largest sandbox
Docker Sandboxes: 16 vCPU · 32 GiB
Zipbox: 6 vCPU · 16 GiB
Concurrent sandboxes
Docker Sandboxes: Up to 10
Zipbox: Not listed

Platform

Isolation
Docker Sandboxes: MicroVM
Zipbox: Firecracker microVM
GPU
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Zipbox: Not listed
Snapshots
Docker Sandboxes:
Zipbox: No
Pause and resume
Docker Sandboxes:
Zipbox: No

Developer

SDKs
Docker Sandboxes: JavaScript / TypeScript
Zipbox: TypeScript, Python, Go, Rust
Integrations
Docker Sandboxes: MCP, Claude Code
Zipbox: MCP, Claude Code, Claude Agent SDK, OpenAI Agents SDK, Vercel AI SDK, LangChain

Trust

License
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Zipbox: Not listed
BYOC
Docker Sandboxes: Not listed
Zipbox: Not listed

Hourly cost

One sandbox running for one hour

Docker Sandboxes
Zipbox
1 vCPU · 2 GiB
Docker Sandboxes: $0.070
Zipbox: $0.007
2 vCPU · 4 GiB
Docker Sandboxes: $0.140
Zipbox: $0.014
4 vCPU · 8 GiB
Docker Sandboxes: $0.280
Zipbox: $0.027

Compute only, at list rates.

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Which one fits

Based on the fields above

Docker Sandboxes fits when

  • You need snapshots.
  • You need pause and resume.
  • You need a sandbox larger than 6 vCPU · 16 GiB.
  • You need SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and GDPR.

Zipbox fits when

  • A session must run longer than 24 hours.
  • You use the Claude Agent SDK, the OpenAI Agents SDK, the Vercel AI SDK or LangChain.
  • You want the lower list price: $0.014 against $0.140 an hour for 2 vCPU and 4 GiB.
  • You need a desktop in the sandbox.

More comparisons

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