Compare / E2B vs Daytona
E2B vs Daytona for AI agents
Pick E2B for fast starts: its median was 264 ms versus Daytona's 819 ms in our 12 October 2026 test. Pick Daytona for GPUs or Windows. Lizard Sandboxes fit CPU work at $0.0162/h for 2 vCPU / 4 GiB, before the Pro fee, as of 21 October 2026.
Which should you pick?
E2B
Pick it if you need memory pause, a Code Interpreter SDK or an open-source runtime. E2B Embed supports self-hosting on a single machine.
Daytona
Pick it if you need Windows, GPUs or Ruby, Go or Java SDKs. GPU sandboxes are deleted on stop; memory pause needs Linux VM or Windows sandboxes.
Lizard
Pick it if you want lower compute rates and memory pause with ready templates. You can remove the session deadline, but the VM stops after 596 hours.
The differences that matter
E2B returned the first result sooner
In our 12 October 2026 test, E2B had a 264 ms median; Daytona had 819 ms. We timed 300 starts per provider from one US East runner, from before the create call until a Python command returned.
Equal compute rates, different plan costs
As of 21 October 2026, both cost $0.1656/h for 2 vCPU / 4 GiB before plan fees, storage and network. E2B Pro adds $150/month; Hobby has no fee. Daytona lists no monthly fee; its tiers depend on verification and top-ups.
Memory pause depends on the runtime
E2B uses Firecracker microVMs and keeps files and memory on pause by default, at no charge. Daytona containers share the host kernel and stop with files only; Linux VM and Windows sandboxes keep memory on pause and bill disk only.
Self-hosting or GPUs and Windows
E2B Embed lets you self-host on a single machine, but E2B has no GPUs. Daytona offers GPUs and Windows; it archived its core repo in June 2026. Daytona can manage hosting in your cloud on Enterprise, by request.
E2B vs Daytona vs Lizard
Figures come from E2B and Daytona docs and pricing pages and from ours; we last checked them on 21 October 2026. E2B pricing · Daytona pricing
| Compared by | E2B | Daytona | Lizard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isolation | Firecracker microVM; own kernel per sandbox | Containers by default: shared kernel; Linux VM/Windows: own kernel | Firecracker microVM; own kernel per sandbox |
| Start time (our test) | 264 ms median, 736 ms p99 | 819 ms median, 2,332 ms p99 | 228 ms median, 477 ms p99 |
| Price, 2 vCPU / 4 GiB | $0.1656/h | $0.1656/h | $0.0162/h, disk and egress included |
| Largest size | Hobby: 8 vCPU / 8 GiB; Pro: 8+ vCPU / 8+ GiB via support; Enterprise: custom | Container/Linux VM: 4 vCPU/8 GiB; Windows defaults: up to 4 vCPU/16 GiB; GPUs: larger | Large: 8 vCPU / 16 GiB / 50 GB disk; no custom sizes |
| Idle and paused billing | Per second on allocated CPU/RAM; idle running billed; paused free; disk included | Idle: billed; stopped containers/paused VMs: disk only; archived containers: free | Idle: billed per second by size; paused: free; attached volumes billed separately |
| Longest session | Hobby: 1 hour; Pro: 24 hours; Enterprise: custom; pause/resume resets clock | No max; idle containers stop in 15 min unless auto-stop is 0; Linux VM and Windows pause in 1hr | Default: 5 min; optional deadline; VM stops after 596 hours |
| Sandboxes at once | Hobby: 20; Pro: 100; add-on sales paused, ask support; Enterprise: 1,100+ | Not published; shared CPU, memory and disk limits by tier | Trial: 5; Pro: 100, paused excluded; Enterprise: no fixed limit |
| Pause and resume | Files and memory by default; free, no time limit; files-only mode by request | Linux VM/Windows: files + memory; containers: stop keeps files only; no GPU pause | Files, memory, processes, ID and ports kept; free pause; remaining lifetime kept |
| Snapshots and forks | Files and memory; forks; files-only mode by request | Containers: stopped, files only; Linux VM/Windows: live memory snapshots and forks | Files + running memory; many restores from one snapshot; no separate fork command |
| Custom images | Registry images and Dockerfiles; no multi-stage Dockerfiles | Dockerfile builds: containers/GPUs only; Linux VM/Windows: existing VM snapshots | Ready templates or private snapshots; no Dockerfile or registry-image builds |
| GPUs | None; CPU-only on all plans | Up to 8; deleted on stop; no free credits; spot: Tier 2+, may stop without warning | None |
| Self-hosting | E2B Embed: single machine; managed hosting in your cloud: Enterprise only | Core repo archived, unmaintained; managed hosting in your cloud: Enterprise, by request | Managed service only; platform not open source |
| SDKs | JavaScript/TypeScript, Python; Code Interpreter and Desktop SDKs; CLI; REST API | Python, TypeScript, Ruby, Go, Java; CLI; REST API; MCP server | Lizard SDK: TypeScript, Python; Lizard CLI; REST API; Lizard MCP |
| Regions | US; US West via support; EU/Asia-Pacific: Pro and above, via support | US, Europe; GPU location: contact support; dedicated regions: via sales | US East (Virginia), EU West (Limburg); same price in both |
When E2B or Daytona is the better choice
E2B is the better fit for an open-source runtime or single-machine self-hosting with E2B Embed. Daytona adds Windows, GPUs that are deleted on stop and Ruby, Go and Java SDKs. Both accept custom images from Dockerfiles; E2B excludes multi-stage builds, and Daytona limits these builds to containers and GPUs. Both publish SOC 2 Type II reports. E2B adds EU and Asia-Pacific on Pro and above via support. Lizard has no GPUs, Windows or self-hosting and uses ready templates or private snapshots, with TypeScript and Python SDKs.
Start a sandbox and run code
Frequently asked questions
E2B had the lower median in our 12 October 2026 test: 264 ms versus 819 ms. We sell Lizard Sandboxes; see the linked benchmark for settings and data.
They tie on compute: $0.1656/h for 2 vCPU / 4 GiB as of 21 October 2026, before plan fees, storage and network. E2B Hobby has no monthly fee; Pro adds $150/month plus usage. Daytona lists no monthly fee; tiers depend on verification and top-ups.
Daytona does; E2B does not, on any plan. Daytona GPU sandboxes are Linux containers that it deletes on stop; free credits do not apply. Spot GPU use requires Tier 2 or above.
E2B Embed supports a single machine under Apache-2.0. Daytona archived its core repo in June 2026; that code remains available as-is without support. Both offer managed hosting in your cloud on Enterprise; Daytona requires approval.
Lizard Sandboxes cost $0.0162/h for 2 vCPU / 4 GiB as of 21 October 2026; Pro costs $19/month with $19 of usage included. They keep memory on pause at no charge. Pick E2B for single-machine self-hosting, or Daytona for Windows and GPUs that are deleted on stop; Lizard offers neither.
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