--- title: "Docker Sandboxes Alternative for Coding Agents | intentic" description: "Compare Docker Sandboxes vs intentic: microVM isolation, pricing, Linux and Windows support, Claude Code setup, parallel agents and a browser review workspace." url: "https://intentic.dev/compare/docker-sandboxes/" updated: "2026-10-06" --- [Comparisons](https://intentic.dev/compare/) Agent sandboxes · isolation, then workflow # Docker Sandboxes vs intentic: isolation or a full workspace? Compare Docker Sandboxes pricing, microVM isolation, Linux and Windows support, Claude Code setup and review. Both run coding agents in a sandbox you control. Docker Sandboxes runs coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex, Copilot and Gemini in microVMs on your machine or in Docker's cloud, managed with the standalone sbx CLI. *Docker Sandboxes ·[www.docker.com](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-sandboxes/)* [Try intentic free](https://app.intentic.dev)[See how intentic works](https://intentic.dev/features/) The short answer Choose Docker Sandboxes when the main job is containing an agent: a microVM per sandbox, outbound traffic blocked by default and credentials kept outside the VM. Choose intentic when you also want a browser workspace to plan, watch, review and land the work. Both run agents in a sandbox on your hardware. Docker's isolation goes further; intentic adds the workflow around the run. ## Docker Sandboxes vs intentic: at a glance ▸ marks Docker Sandboxes's strengths (2 rows) Both put agents in a sandbox · Both run Claude Code, Codex and other agents in an isolated environment instead of directly on your host. Local use is free in both; model charges are separate. | Dimension | intentic | Docker Sandboxes | | --- | --- | --- | | Isolation | Docker container sandbox; a git worktree per conversation | ▸MicroVM per sandbox with its own kernel and Docker engine | | Network and secrets | Keys stay in your sandbox; you choose the connected services | ▸Outbound traffic denied by default; a host proxy injects credentials | | Interface | Browser workspace with a board, editor, terminal and diffs | sbx CLI, terminal dashboard and SSH for editors | | Review | Plan approval and file-by-file review before landing | git diff or fetch from the host | | Licence and price | MIT; free to self-host | Proprietary; free CLI and local use, paid cloud | | Platforms | Any browser; sandbox on a supported Docker host | Apple Silicon macOS 14+, Windows 11, Ubuntu 24.04+ with KVM | ## The main differences 01 ### MicroVM or container Each Docker sandbox is a microVM with its own kernel and its own Docker engine, and outbound traffic is blocked unless a rule allows it. intentic's sandbox is a Docker container on your host. 02 ### Terminal dashboard or browser workspace sbx opens a terminal dashboard, editors connect over SSH, and you review with git on the host. intentic gives you a board of every agent, plan approval, file-by-file diffs and a terminal in the browser, reachable from another device. 03 ### Local, cloud and pricing The sbx CLI and local sandboxes are free, including for commercial work. Cloud sandboxes are experimental, pay-as-you-go from $0.07 an hour, and expire after an hour by default. intentic is free on your hardware; an optional hosted sandbox is billed monthly. ## When to choose Docker Sandboxes Pick Docker Sandboxes if containment comes first: a microVM per agent, deny-by-default networking and credentials that never enter the VM. Its free local tier makes it easy to try, and reviewing in git and your editor may be all you need. ## Docker Sandboxes: common questions ### What are Docker Sandboxes? Docker's tool for running coding agents in isolated microVMs, on your machine or in Docker's cloud. You manage them with the standalone sbx CLI, which does not need Docker Desktop. An earlier experimental release used a docker sandbox command inside Docker Desktop. ### Are Docker Sandboxes free? The sbx CLI and local sandboxes are free, including for commercial use. Cloud sandboxes are pay-as-you-go, and organisation-wide governance needs a separate paid subscription. intentic is free to self-host, with an optional paid hosted sandbox. ### How do I run Claude Code in a Docker sandbox? Install sbx, sign in to Docker, start a sandbox with the Claude Code agent, then log in with an API key or your Claude subscription. Docker skips Claude Code's permission prompts by default. In intentic, Claude Code starts in plan mode. ### Do Docker Sandboxes work on Linux and Windows? Linux support targets Ubuntu 24.04 or later with KVM, and Docker does not support Ubuntu derivatives. Windows needs Windows 11 with the Windows Hypervisor Platform; macOS needs Apple Silicon on Sonoma or later. intentic needs a supported Docker host. ### Is there a Docker Sandboxes alternative with a web UI? Local Docker sandboxes have a terminal dashboard and SSH access for editors; Docker's cloud console offers a web terminal. For a browser workspace on your own machine, compare intentic or the self-hosted Agentor. Both use ordinary Docker containers rather than microVMs. ### Docker sandbox vs devcontainer: what is the difference? A dev container describes a development environment, usually a container sharing the host kernel. A Docker sandbox is a microVM built to contain an agent, with its own kernel, network rules and credential proxy. intentic's sandbox is a container whose Dockerfile changes need your approval. ### Can Docker Sandboxes run agents in parallel? Yes. Run several named sandboxes, or one clone-mode sandbox where Claude Code runs several agents. A host git worktree per sandbox also works, but the agent then has no Git access. intentic gives each conversation its own worktree inside one sandbox. ## Sources and last checked date Product facts were checked against these official sources on 6 October 2026. Prices and features can change. [Report a mistake](https://github.com/intentic/intentic/issues). - [Docker Sandboxes · www.docker.com](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-sandboxes/) - [Overview · docs.docker.com](https://docs.docker.com/ai/sandboxes/) - [Install and requirements · docs.docker.com](https://docs.docker.com/ai/sandboxes/install/) - [Isolation · docs.docker.com](https://docs.docker.com/ai/sandboxes/security/isolation/) - [Git workflows · docs.docker.com](https://docs.docker.com/ai/sandboxes/workflows/git/) - [Cloud sandboxes · docs.docker.com](https://docs.docker.com/ai/sandboxes/cloud/) - [FAQ and pricing · docs.docker.com](https://docs.docker.com/ai/sandboxes/faq/) - [Licence · github.com](https://github.com/docker/sbx-releases) [Next comparison intentic vs Agentor → Two MIT, self-hosted alternatives to Claude Code on the web: compare containers, remote access and review.](https://intentic.dev/compare/agentor/) [Try intentic free](https://app.intentic.dev)[All comparisons](https://intentic.dev/compare/)