box

Product Introduction

1. Definition: box is a cloud-based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) product purpose-built for AI agents. It delivers instant, persistent Ubuntu Linux virtual machines (VMs) with full root access, SSH capability, Docker support, and a 60fps virtual desktop, all orchestrated through a lightweight CLI and HTTP API. Each VM receives a dedicated IPv4 address and is billed per second, making it a cost-effective sandbox for agentic platforms and software factories.
2. Core Value Proposition: box exists to provide the simplest and cheapest cloud computers for agents, enabling developers and platforms to run hundreds or thousands of concurrent, long-running agent instances at roughly 10x lower cost than existing alternatives (E2B, Daytona, Modal). By combining instant provisioning, persistent snapshots, and per-second billing, box removes the financial and operational barriers to scaling AI agent workloads.

Main Features

1. Instant CLI Provisioning and Agent-First Workflow: The box new command spins up a 4 vCPU / 8 GB Ubuntu VM in approximately 2 seconds. The CLI is designed for both human and programmatic use, outputting stable JSONL when the --json flag is passed. This allows CI/CD pipelines, orchestrators, and agent frameworks to create and manage boxes without manual interaction. The same CLI also supports box ssh, box scp, and box prompt (which runs Claude Code or Codex inside the box).
2. Persistent Snapshots and Disk-Level Forking: When a user runs box stop, the entire VM state—including files, installed packages, enabled systemd services—is snapshotted and billing is paused. box fork creates an instant clone of any snapshot at the disk level, enabling rapid parallel execution from a known baseline. This feature is essential for agentic workflows that require stateful resumption or scaling identical environments.
3. Full Ubuntu Environment with Pre-installed DevTools: Every box comes pre-configured with Docker, VS Code, Chrome, Ghostty terminal, GitHub CLI, Rust, Node.js, Bun, and other common development tools. Unlike ephemeral sandboxes that restrict installations, box gives full administrative rights, so agents can install any package, start services, or mount volumes. This makes it suitable for running any agent framework (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode) without compatibility issues.
4. Virtual Desktop at 60fps: The box desktop command serves a high-performance remote desktop session, allowing agents (or human developers) to interact with GUI applications, browsers, and development environments. This is particularly useful for debugging visual outputs, browser automation, or running agent-based web testing.
5. Per-Second Billing with Transparent Pricing: Billing is purely per-second for active boxes (non-stopped). A flat $20 per month minimum converts into 2 million VM-seconds (approximately 555 hours) of 4 vCPU / 8 GB compute. This simplicity—no hidden per-storage, per-IP, or per-egress fees—makes box 10x cheaper than E2B, Daytona, or Modal for equivalent configurations. Users can run up to 1,000 concurrent boxes under a self-serve plan, with higher limits available on request.

Problems Solved

1. High Cost of Running AI Agent Workloads: Traditional serverless sandboxes (E2B, Modal) charge $0.10–$0.50 per hour for similar specs. box at $0.036/hr reduces infrastructure bills by an order of magnitude, enabling startups and individual developers to run more agents or extend agent lifetimes without breaking budgets.
2. Complexity of Managing Stateful Agent Environments: Many sandboxes are ephemeral—they destroy the VM once a task completes, forcing agents to rebuild state. box addresses this with persistent snapshots and box fork, allowing agents to pause, resume, and clone environments effortlessly. This reduces latency and simplifies state management for long-running or multi-step agent tasks.
3. Lack of Full Linux Root Access in Docker-Only Sandboxes: Competing solutions often confine agents to containerized environments without root privileges or the ability to run system services. box provides a full Ubuntu VM with admin rights, enabling agents to install custom kernels, manage Docker-in-Docker, run systemd services, and interact with hardware-level features.
4. Target Audience: AI engineers building agentic platforms, software factories that automate code generation and testing, and developers using agent frameworks like Claude Code, Codex, or OpenCode. Also, teams that need to provision isolated test environments for CI/CD or penetration testing.
5. Use Cases: Running multiple Claude Code agents in parallel to analyze a large codebase; hosting a persistent AI coding assistant that maintains state across user sessions; executing security scans inside isolated VMs; spinning up developer sandboxes for learning or prototyping without local setup.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation from Competitors: Compared to E2B, Daytona, and Modal, box is 10x cheaper and offers persistent VMs rather than ephemeral containers. Unlike GitHub Codespaces or Vercel Sandbox, box provides full root access, dedicated IPv4, and a virtual desktop. The per-second billing model with a flat $20 floor eliminates surprise costs, and the same-day founder support ensures rapid issue resolution.
2. Key Innovation: The combination of box fork (instant disk-level cloning from snapshots) and the agent-first CLI (box new in 2 seconds) creates a unique workflow for parallel agent execution. Agents can start from a common snapshot, diverge independently, and later share results—all managed through a single CLI or REST API. Additionally, the box prompt command integrates directly with leading agent frameworks, reducing the integration overhead for developers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What makes box cheaper than E2B or Daytona?
   box charges $0.036 per hour for a 4 vCPU / 8 GB VM, while E2B and Daytona typically cost $0.10–$0.50 per hour for similar resources. The $20/month minimum buys 555 hours of compute, and you are not billed when boxes are stopped. There are no per-storage or egress fees, making box significantly more affordable for long-running or high-concurrency agent workloads.

2. Can I use box to run Claude Code or other AI agents?
   Yes. box is designed for AI agents. The box prompt command directly launches Claude Code or Codex inside the box, and all agents can access the VM via SSH. Pre-installed tools (Docker, GitHub CLI, Node.js) support a wide range of agent workflows.

3. How does box handle data privacy and region compliance?
   All boxes currently run in EU data centers (Germany, Finland, France). Your files, snapshots, and processes stay within that region. box does not access or monitor your data beyond what is needed to operate the service. You can also create “no-env” boxes that inherit none of your account secrets, isolating them from your broader infrastructure.

4. What happens when I stop a box?
   Stopping a box snapshots the entire VM state (files, packages, running services) and immediately pauses billing. When you restart the box (using box start or box ssh), it resumes from that snapshot in a few seconds. Hand-run processes need a restart, but systemd services and installed software persist.

5. Can I scale to more than 100 boxes?
   Yes. The self-serve plan allows up to 1,200 active boxes per account. If you need more, you can contact box’s founders for custom limits—typically with same-day support. The per-second billing model means you only pay for what you use, regardless of the number of boxes.