Side by side
microsandbox vs Sandlock
Both stand on sandbox software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
microsandbox offers a local-first microVM runtime with separate kernels and configurable network egress for untrusted workloads. The free plan has tight sandbox and resource limits; paid plans start at $49 a month, while cloud access is in private beta.
Visit microsandbox
Choose Sandlock if you need a free Linux sandbox with policy controls and several integration interfaces. It can also fit self-hosted commercial deployments that need the HTTP API or Scheduler and included engineering support. Look elsewhere if you need a hosted or shared-tenant commercial service, or security guarantees covering kernel vulnerabilities or hardware side channels.
Visit SandlockThe facts
| microsandbox | Sandlock | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Builder: $49 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 4 | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | microsandbox.dev | sandlock.io |
| On sandbox software | #9 of 26 | #13 of 26 |
microsandbox: what it does well
- Each sandbox has its own Linux kernel and network boundary
- Local runtime needs no daemon, root service, or account
- Supports five language SDKs, CLI, and MCP workflows
- Open source under Apache 2.0
- Egress can be allowlisted or disabled
What to know first
- Cloud is in private beta and requires an access request
- Free plan allows up to three sandboxes
- Free plan has no overage rates
Sandlock: what it does well
- Free Apache-2.0 plan has no caps, telemetry, or registration.
- Controls filesystem, network, system calls, and resource use.
- Runs as an ordinary user without root or a hypervisor.
- Includes CLI, Python, Rust, Go, OCI, and MCP interfaces.
- Credentials can be attached after HTTP access checks.
What to know first
- Requires Linux; full protection set defaults to Linux 6.12 or later.
- Shares the host kernel; kernel vulnerabilities and hardware side channels are outside its guarantees.
- Commercial API and Scheduler are self-hosted licensed software.
- Commercial license prices are based on fleet size or node count.
Alternatives to microsandbox Alternatives to Sandlock The whole list