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microsandbox vs northflank

reviewed

microsandbox gives you an open-source runtime for local apps and employee devices. Northflank supplies a managed platform for CPU and GPU sandboxes on its cloud or your connected infrastructure. [1][2][22][26]

Northflank’s current docs distinguish microVM isolation for CPU workloads from gVisor for GPU workloads on its cloud. BYOC runtime selection is explicit: installing the runtimes alone does not sandbox a workload. [1][2]

microsandbox uses a microVM for every sandbox. you can embed it locally, deploy managed settings with Jamf or Intune, or request access to microsandbox cloud. [20][22][24]

microsandbox
local + cloud
northflank
managed sandbox platform
runtime ownership
apache 2.0 runtime and SDKs [26]
managed platform; supports customer-cloud deployments [1][2]
local execution
macOS · Linux · Windows [26]
sandboxes run on Northflank cloud or a connected cluster [1]
isolation
microVM with separate guest kernel [24]
cloud CPU: microVM · cloud GPU: gVisor; BYOC selects runtime class [1][2]
integration
rust · typescript · python · go · ruby · CLI [25][26]
JavaScript and Python SDKs; service API and platform tooling [1]
GPU
CPU sandboxes
managed GPU workloads [1]
employee devices
Jamf or Intune-managed settings; local administrators can replace the policy or runtime [22]
BYOC manages cluster infrastructure [2]
cloud
local runtime · microsandbox cloud (private beta, access by request) [20]
managed cloud and documented customer-cloud deployment [1][2]
pricing
free local runtime · cloud free tier and paid plans [27]
pay-as-you-go resource billing and enterprise plans [3]
pick microsandbox

choose microsandbox when

  • execution must happen on an employee laptop without a cluster or cloud account. [23][26]
  • you want local full snapshots and branches through the runtime SDK. [21]
  • you need the runtime source under Apache-2.0. [26]
pick northflank

choose northflank when

  • you need managed GPU capacity and cluster operations. [1]
  • you want to connect your own cloud infrastructure to Northflank. [2]

01

employee devices and BYOC solve different jobs

Northflank deploys workloads to a cluster in its cloud or yours. its BYOC setup requires sandbox runtimes, compatible nodes, and a selected runtime class. [2] microsandbox runs directly on the employee device and can apply protected administrator settings without a cluster. [22]

microsandbox also offers managed cloud in private beta. private infrastructure deployments are evaluated separately; they are not the same self-service BYOC offering as Northflank’s. [20]

employee-device deploymentprivate deployment

02

checkpoint the local agent

microsandbox can save local disk state or a full checkpoint of disk, memory, and running processes. restore independent children to retry or explore another approach. hosted cloud currently supports disk snapshots from stopped persistent sandboxes. [21]

snapshot guide

common questions

does Northflank use VMs or gVisor?

on Northflank cloud, CPU sandboxes use microVMs and GPU sandboxes use gVisor. in BYOC, runtime selection is configured through cluster defaults or workload tags. [1][2]

can Northflank run in my cloud?

yes. its BYOC documentation covers installing sandbox runtimes and selecting compatible nodes in your cloud infrastructure. [2]

which runs on employee laptops?

microsandbox runs its microVM runtime on macOS, Linux, and Windows, with administrator settings deployable through Jamf or Intune. [22][26] Northflank’s sandbox API targets cloud or connected cluster infrastructure. [1][2]

primary sources

  1. [1] Northflank sandbox quickstart and cloud isolation · last verified 2026-09-26
  2. [2] BYOC runtime selection and infrastructure requirements · last verified 2026-09-26
  3. [3] Northflank pricing · last verified 2026-09-26
  4. [20] microsandbox cloud availability and backend compatibility · last verified 2026-09-26
  5. [21] microsandbox disk snapshots, full checkpoints, and local branching · last verified 2026-09-26
  6. [22] microsandbox managed deployment with Jamf and Intune · last verified 2026-09-26
  7. [23] microsandbox offline provisioning of runtime dependencies and images · last verified 2026-09-26
  8. [24] microsandbox microVM isolation · last verified 2026-09-26
  9. [25] microsandbox runtime, CLI, images, and language SDKs · last verified 2026-09-26
  10. [26] microsandbox source, Apache-2.0 license, and supported host platforms · last verified 2026-09-26
  11. [27] microsandbox cloud plans and usage pricing · last verified 2026-09-26

run it locally.

put the boundary on your own machine before you choose anything else.

run it locally