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It's a split decision.
Choose CodeSandbox when the core requirement is a hosted API for isolated execution, especially for untrusted code, parallel sandboxes, snapshots, or VM-backed development. Choose StackBlitz when developers need to build and launch web apps in a browser, with Node.js and development environments running in the tab. Their free tiers suit different work: CodeSandbox caps VM credits and concurrency; StackBlitz caps uploads on public projects. Compare production limits, data export, and migration paths with each vendor before standardizing.
01Side by side
| CodeSandbox | StackBlitz | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Workspace tiers plus VM-credit usage. | Monthly subscriptions; Teams billed per user. |
| Free tier | 40 VM-credit hours; five members; 10 concurrent VMs. | Unlimited public projects; 1MB uploads per project. |
| API and SDKs | Sandbox API; full SDK access on Scale. | WebContainer API on Enterprise; browser-based Node.js. |
| Integrations | Programmatic sandbox APIs; no named third-party integrations. | Private GitHub repositories and private NPM registries on Teams. |
| Deployment model | Hosted isolated VMs; Enterprise on-premise or private managed cloud. | Browser compute; Enterprise self-hosted, on-premise, or VPC. |
| Platforms | Web. | Web. |
| Limits and scaling | Free: 10 concurrent VMs; Scale: 100–250. | Personal: 1MB uploads per project; Teams: up to 10 users. |
| Runtime | Sandbox APIs run different types of code. | WebContainers run Node.js in the browser. |
CodeSandbox Choose CodeSandbox if
- Choose CodeSandbox if you need isolated execution for untrusted code.
- Choose CodeSandbox if your product provisions VM-backed sandboxes through an API.
- Choose CodeSandbox if snapshots and configurable hibernation fit your workflow.
StackBlitz Choose StackBlitz if
- Choose StackBlitz if developers build and launch web apps in-browser.
- Choose StackBlitz if you need Node.js development environments in the browser tab.
- Choose StackBlitz if private GitHub and NPM access matters to your team.
02Pricing at real usage
CodeSandbox’s Build plan is free for up to five members, with 40 VM-credit hours (400 credits) monthly, 10 concurrent VMs, and VMs up to 4 vCPUs and 8 GiB RAM. Pro is $12 per workspace monthly, or $9 with annual billing, and starts at 100 VM-credit hours; on-demand credits cost $0.15–$0.18 per hour. Scale is $170 monthly or $119 annually per workspace, with 10,000 hourly SDK requests and 100–250 concurrent VMs.
StackBlitz Personal is free, with unlimited public projects and 1MB file uploads per project. Pro costs $25 monthly or $18 with annual billing. Teams costs $60 per user monthly, or $55 with annual billing, for teams up to 10. CodeSandbox costs rise with workspace tier and VM use; StackBlitz charges for Pro features or each Teams seat. Enterprise pricing is custom for both.
03API, SDKs and integration
CodeSandbox is a hosted sandbox API: create isolated development environments programmatically, run code, and use snapshots to resume work. The homepage says the API can run different types of code and positions the service for AI agents, evaluations, development environments, and CI/CD. Scale includes full CodeSandbox SDK access and 10,000 hourly SDK requests. CodeSandbox does not name SDK languages; confirm supported runtimes, request limits, and lifecycle operations for your integration.
StackBlitz takes a browser-first route. WebContainers run Node.js and boot full development environments inside the browser tab; Bolt turns text into apps. Enterprise lists the WebContainer API. Teams adds access to organization private GitHub repositories and private NPM registries; Enterprise lists GitLab, Bitbucket, and GitHub Enterprise support. StackBlitz’s product pages do not name a CLI. Treat it as an in-browser development stack, not a hosted arbitrary-code execution API.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source licence for these products, so do not assume you can fork either runtime. CodeSandbox Enterprise offers on-premise and private managed-cloud options; its standard product is a hosted sandbox API. StackBlitz’s Enterprise & Self-hosted plan lists self-hosted, on-premise, and VPC options, alongside dedicated support.
The migration risks differ. CodeSandbox centers on API-created environments, VM configurations, and snapshots; confirm how you can export code, environment definitions, and snapshot state. StackBlitz centers on browser projects and WebContainers, with GitHub access on Teams and GitLab, Bitbucket, and GitHub Enterprise support on Enterprise. The vendors do not publish data-export guarantees on these pages. Before committing, verify repository portability, secrets handling, and whether workspaces or snapshots can move across plans or out of the service.
Questions people ask
Which is better for AI coding agents?
CodeSandbox is the closer fit when an agent needs an isolated environment to run code, work in parallel, or resume from a snapshot. StackBlitz fits workflows that generate and launch web apps in a browser through Bolt. The choice depends on whether your agent needs sandbox execution or browser-based app building.
Can either product run untrusted code?
CodeSandbox explicitly describes isolated environments for safely running untrusted code. StackBlitz says WebContainers run compute inside the browser, but that is not the same as a stated API for isolating arbitrary untrusted code. Ask StackBlitz about your threat model before using it for that purpose.
Does StackBlitz run code on hosted VMs?
StackBlitz says WebContainers run Node.js and development environments inside the browser tab, with compute occurring in the browser. CodeSandbox instead offers a hosted API for isolated sandboxes and VM-backed environments. These architectures suit different requirements for execution location and isolation.
Which product is cheaper?
Both have free plans, but their limits differ: CodeSandbox includes VM-credit hours and concurrent-VM limits, while StackBlitz Personal limits uploads to 1MB per public project. Paid entry plans start at $9 per month for CodeSandbox Pro with annual billing and $18 for StackBlitz Pro with annual billing. Compare usage and seat needs.