Docker Sandboxes vs Sandlock

Docker Sandboxes8.3Visit Sandlock7.3Visit

Higher score Docker Sandboxes #3 in Sandbox Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Docker

vs

Sandlock #5 in Sandbox Software 7.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Sandlock

• Docker Sandboxes fits best

  Developers building secure agent workspaces

• Sandlock fits best

  Linux teams needing granular policy controls

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Side by side

Feature	Docker Sandboxes 8.3/10 Visit ↗	Sandlock 7.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.3	7.3
Ranking	#3 in Sandbox Software	#5 in Sandbox Software
Best for	Developers building secure agent workspaces	Linux teams needing granular policy controls
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux
Support	Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Docker Sandboxes 3/3 · Sandlock 3/3
Persistent storage	✓	✓
Network controls	✓	✓
API or CLI access	✓	✓
Specs
Isolation method	Not published	Not published
Concurrent environments	Not published	Not published
Deployment	Both	Self_hosted
Our review
Pros	Separate kernel and Docker daemon for each sandbox Network, filesystem, credential, and workspace isolation controls Free CLI with support for major coding agents	Filesystem, network, syscall, and resource controls Open source with CLI, Python, Rust, and Go SDKs OCI runtime supports containerd, CRI-O, and Kubernetes
Cons	Organization governance is a separate paid subscription Cloud persistent volumes are distinct from local sandbox environments Focused on agent workspaces rather than general-purpose sandboxing	Core platform coverage is Linux-only HTTP API and Scheduler pricing depends on fleet size or node count Fleet deployment features are split across commercial components
Our verdict	Docker Sandboxes runs AI coding agents inside isolated microVM environments. Each sandbox has its own filesystem, Docker daemon, and network, allowing agents to install packages, build containers, modify code, and run services without… Read the review →	Sandlock is a Linux process sandbox for running untrusted code, aimed at teams that need policy-level control over filesystems, network access, system calls, and resource usage. Its core product is Apache-2.0 licensed and available through… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Docker Sandboxes — where it wins

  • Separate kernel and Docker daemon for each sandbox
  • Network, filesystem, credential, and workspace isolation controls
  • Free CLI with support for major coding agents

  Where it doesn't

  • Organization governance is a separate paid subscription
  • Cloud persistent volumes are distinct from local sandbox environments
  • Focused on agent workspaces rather than general-purpose sandboxing

• Sandlock — where it wins

  • Filesystem, network, syscall, and resource controls
  • Open source with CLI, Python, Rust, and Go SDKs
  • OCI runtime supports containerd, CRI-O, and Kubernetes

  Where it doesn't

  • Core platform coverage is Linux-only
  • HTTP API and Scheduler pricing depends on fleet size or node count
  • Fleet deployment features are split across commercial components

• Docker Sandboxes8.3/10 · Free plan

  A focused sandbox for running coding agents with isolation, policies, and persistent state.

  Visit DockerFull verdict →
• Sandlock7.3/10 · Free plan

  A deep, open-source Linux sandbox for teams that need granular policy controls.

  Visit SandlockFull verdict →