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Sandboxer vs Buddy Sandboxes

Buddy Sandboxes are persistent Ubuntu machines (1 CPU/2 GB up to 12 CPU/24 GB, 50 GB disk) with passwordless sudo, Docker and public tunnel endpoints, tied into Buddy's CI product. Unlike Sandboxer, stopping one ends running processes (disk persists). Pick Buddy if you already use Buddy pipelines; pick Sandboxer for pause/resume of live processes and prompt-driven agents.

Checked against Buddy Sandboxes' public docs on October 24, 2026. Sources are linked in the table and listed below.

At a glance

Sandboxer and Buddy Sandboxes compared
CapabilitySandboxerBuddy Sandboxes
IsolationmicroVM
Cloud Hypervisor, its own kernel
Isolated Linux machine (technology not stated)
Docs say it behaves like a virtual machine, not a throwaway container; hypervisor not named.
Full Linux with root
Ubuntu 24.04, sudo, systemd
The buddy user has passwordless sudo.
Docker inside
Preinstalled
Docker preinstalled; you can run Docker inside it.
Nested virtualization (/dev/kvm)
Not stated on the official pages checked.
Pause and resume with memory
Running processes come back
Disk persists but memory does not: running processes are terminated when the Sandbox stops.
Fork a sandbox
Copy-on-write disk copy that boots fresh
partial
Snapshots of the filesystem can back any number of new Sandboxes; no memory or process state.
HTTPS URL per port
Private with a token, or public
HTTP, TCP and TLS endpoints forward to a port in the Sandbox; Basic/Buddy auth apply to HTTP endpoints only; IP allowlist on all.
Longest sessionNo limit on paid plans
Auto-stop is up to 30 days or off
no limit by default
A Sandbox has no timeout unless you set one.
BillingPer second, flat rate per size
Stopped sandboxes are free
usage-based; sandbox-specific rates not published on the pricing page
Pro plan lists pay-as-you-go from $0.00024 per CPU-minute / GB-minute (general, not sandbox-specific).
GPUs
Not stated on the official pages checked.
Self-host or open source
Not stated on the official pages checked.
RegionsUS East (Virginia) and EU Central (Finland)EU, US, AS (endpoint regions)
Region is selectable per endpoint; compute region not stated.

= not documented publicly.

Where Buddy Sandboxes is strong

  • Persistent disk with 50 GB and Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 choices, sized up to 12 CPU / 24 GB.
  • Public endpoints over HTTP, TCP and TLS with built-in auth options.
  • Filesystem snapshots that can seed many new Sandboxes.
  • Integrated with Buddy pipelines, CLI (bdy), TypeScript SDK and REST API.

Where Sandboxer differs

  • Buddy Sandboxes lose running processes on stop, while Sandboxer resume brings processes back.
  • Nested virtualization is not documented for Buddy; Sandboxer exposes /dev/kvm.
  • Buddy Sandboxes are driven through the bdy CLI, a TypeScript SDK and a REST API and are reachable over SSH; Sandboxer adds a prompt API for preinstalled coding agents.
  • Buddy sandbox compute rates are not published separately from its general plan pricing.

Pick Buddy Sandboxes if

  • You already run CI/CD in Buddy and want sandboxes inside the same pipelines.
  • You need TCP or TLS endpoints, or HTTP endpoints with Basic or Buddy-account authentication and IP allowlists.
  • You want a free tier to start (the Free plan is EUR 0 per month with a $1 monthly usage credit).

Pick Sandboxer if

  • Sandboxer gives each sandbox a full Ubuntu 24.04 VM with root, systemd and Docker preinstalled.
  • Sandboxer stop/resume keeps memory and running processes.
  • Sandboxer exposes any port as an HTTPS URL and bundles Claude Code, Codex and other coding agents.

Sources

Products change. If something here is out of date, email hello@sandboxer.com and we'll fix it. Buddy Sandboxes is a trademark of its owner. Sandboxer is an independent product and is not affiliated with Buddy Sandboxes.

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