Sandbox guide

Provider · checked 2026-10-28

E2B

Firecracker microVMs and templates for agent code, sold per running second.

e2b.dev12 providersSources linked

E2B sells isolated sandboxes for agents: a Linux VM created on demand from a template, driven through Python and JavaScript SDKs. It is infrastructure for a product rather than a finished assistant.

Templates define what a sandbox starts with, including images built from Docker images, and the code-interpreter and desktop products run inside the sandbox.

At a glance

Who it is forDevelopers integrating code execution, data analysis or computer use into an agent product.
IsolationFirecracker microVM with its own kernel, not a container. The default template user is user, not root; root can be set in a template. Docker is documented, but kernel features are not unlimited: the sandbox kernel does not ship xt_owner.
SizesSized by vCPU and RAM: up to 8 vCPU, 8 GiB memory on Hobby and Pro, and 10 or 20 GiB of included disk. No GPU on any plan. Regions: US (GCP), US West (AWS), EU and APAC.

How it bills

ModelPer-second usage against a credit balance; Pro adds a monthly plan fee.
Meter$0.000014 per vCPU-second and $0.0000045 per GiB-second of allocated resources while running. Paused and killed sandboxes are not billed.
While stoppedNothing for compute. Volumes and snapshots are separate objects with their own storage.
Plan feeHobby has no fee; Pro is $150 a month plus usage; Enterprise has a $3,000 monthly minimum.
MinimumNo published per-sandbox minimum. Hobby starts with a one-time $100 credit and no card.

How E2B lets you try before paying is on Trials and free tiers.

Where it stands out

  • Snapshots capture memory and filesystem, and the source keeps running.
  • Fork up to 20 sandboxes from a running VM, with a documented pause.
  • Templates can start from any Docker image.
  • Secrets can be injected outside the VM by an egress proxy.
  • SOC 2 Type II and a HIPAA BAA path.

Using it without writing code

DashboardA console exists for support and API keys, but the documented path is SDKs, a CLI and API keys.
Without codeNo documented no-code path. Examples are SDK calls, terminals and templates; the desktop SDK still needs code to drive it.
SignupNo credit card to start, and a one-time $100 credit. When a workspace without a payment method runs out, every project in it is blocked shortly afterwards.
Docs and supportExtensive docs with per-page Markdown. Support is through the console. SOC 2 Type II is reported, and a HIPAA BAA can be requested.

Caveats and contradictions

Shown as the research found them. A contradiction means the provider's own pages disagree; an open question means the answer is not published.

  1. 01

    The default timeout destroys the sandbox Open question

    Every sandbox has a timeout defaulting to five minutes, and onTimeout: 'kill' is the default. Pausing instead is opt-in.

  2. 02

    The default sandbox size is stated two ways Contradiction

    The pricing page says the default is 2 vCPU / 4 GiB; the billing docs say 2 vCPU / 512 MiB. Both are current provider statements.

  3. 03

    Volumes are in private beta Open question

    Volumes persist across sandboxes but file locking can hang, metadata caching is disabled and snapshots are not supported.

  4. 04

    No static egress IP on any plan Open question

    There are no dedicated or static egress addresses, including Enterprise; a customer-operated proxy is the documented workaround.

  5. 05

    Public URLs have no authentication by default Open question

    A sandbox's public URLs are reachable by anyone who knows them.

Sources

The three shared workloads

List-price illustrations, not quotes

A · 1,000 short tasks

$27.60, or nothing against the Hobby credit

2 vCPU / 4 GiB, deleted after each task

  • Compute166.67 h × (2 × $0.0504 + 4 × $0.0162)$27.60
  • Against an unused $100 Hobby credit the cash due is $0, leaving $72.40 of credit.
  • On Pro the same usage is $150 of plan fee plus $27.60.

B · One always-on box

$241.78 of compute, not a feasible all-in quote

4 vCPU / 8 GiB / 50 GiB, 730 h

  • Compute730 × (4 × $0.0504 + 8 × $0.0162)$241.78
  • Pro's continuous-runtime limit is 24 hours, so an uninterrupted 730-hour session is not possible.
  • 50 GiB exceeds the 20 GiB of included Pro disk, so a custom quote is needed.

This workload cannot be bought as specified: it breaks both the session limit and the disk allowance.

C · Three hours a day

$164.90 including the Pro plan fee

2 vCPU / 4 GiB, 90 running hours, 630 paused hours

  • Compute90 × (2 × $0.0504 + 4 × $0.0162)$14.90
  • Pro plan feemonthly$150.00
  • Paused time has no compute charge, and pause/resume resets the continuous-runtime clock.
  • Assumes each daily session is explicitly paused rather than left running.