Comparison
Agent Cloud vs E2B: full VMs vs microVM sandboxes.
E2B is the most established player in AI agent sandboxes, offering Firecracker microVMs optimized for short-lived code execution. Agent Cloud takes a different approach: full Linux VMs that agents can self-provision through a simple REST API, with no human signup required.
Both serve AI agents. The right choice depends on what your agent needs to do.
Side-by-side comparison
| Capability | E2B | Agent Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | Firecracker microVMs (lightweight, fast boot) | Full Linux VMs (any language, any tool, SSH access) |
| Primary use case | Code execution sandboxes for AI agents | Self-provisioned compute for any agent workload |
| Signup model | Human creates account via dashboard, gets API key | Agent calls POST /v1/agent/signup, gets API key instantly |
| Agent self-provisioning | Agent can use the API after human setup | Agent handles the entire flow: signup, key, VM, lifecycle |
| Execution model | Short-lived sandboxes (seconds to minutes) | Persistent VMs (minutes to days, upgradeable) |
| System access | Sandboxed — filesystem and process isolation | Full root, SSH, install anything, open ports |
| SDK | Python and TypeScript SDKs required | REST API only — any HTTP client works |
| Open source | Yes (core sandbox runtime) | No (API service) |
| Enterprise focus | Yes — claims 88% of Fortune 100 signed up | No — focused on individual developers and small teams |
| Free tier | Limited sandbox minutes | 1 micro VM for 72 hours, no card required |
| Billing | Usage-based (per sandbox minute) | Simple plans, human-approved Stripe checkout |
When E2B is the better choice
E2B fits well when:
- You need fast, ephemeral code execution. Firecracker microVMs boot in milliseconds. If your agent runs short code snippets and discards the environment, E2B is purpose-built for this.
- You want an SDK-first workflow. E2B's Python and TypeScript SDKs provide a high-level abstraction over sandbox management. Less flexibility, but less boilerplate for common patterns.
- Enterprise compliance matters. E2B positions itself for enterprise buyers with SOC 2 and dedicated infrastructure options.
- You're building a coding agent. E2B's sandbox is optimized for the "run untrusted code" pattern — the most common agent sandbox use case.
When Agent Cloud is the better choice
Agent Cloud fits well when:
- The agent needs to provision its own account. E2B requires a human to sign up and create API keys. Agent Cloud lets the agent handle the entire journey — from zero to running VM — without any human setup.
- You need a full Linux environment. Installing system packages, running multiple processes, compiling code, mounting storage, running servers — these need more than a code sandbox.
- Workloads run for hours, not seconds. Agent research jobs, data pipelines, multi-step orchestration, and development environments benefit from persistent VMs that survive beyond a single execution.
- You want zero SDK dependency. Agent Cloud is a REST API. Any agent that can make HTTP requests can use it — no Python or TypeScript SDK required.
- You want simple, predictable pricing. No per-sandbox-minute billing. A free sandbox tier and simple paid plans.
The key difference: who creates the account?
With E2B, a human developer signs up, configures the project, and hands API keys to the agent. The agent operates within human-provisioned boundaries.
With Agent Cloud, the agent is the customer. It discovers the product, creates its own account, receives its own API key, and provisions its own infrastructure. The human only appears when billing approval is needed.
This isn't just a UX difference — it's a fundamentally different trust model. Agent Cloud puts trust at the quota layer instead of the signup layer, which means agents can start working immediately while still being safely sandboxed.
They can work together
E2B and Agent Cloud solve different problems. Use E2B for fast, ephemeral code execution within an agent's reasoning loop. Use Agent Cloud when the agent needs persistent, full-featured compute that it provisions and manages itself.
Try the Agent Cloud quickstart to see how an agent self-provisions a VM in four API calls.