SmolVM

What is SmolVM?

SmolVM is described by its authors as a secure and persistent computer for AI agents. It provides an isolated machine in which an agent can run, so work that involves a browser, files or commands does not touch your host. Repository topics mention agent runtime, AI sandbox, browser agents, browser-use and computer-use, which shows the main use cases. The word persistent suggests an agent's environment can last across tasks rather than being thrown away each time. The code is under the Apache-2.0 license and documentation is at celesto.ai. The pages we read are short, so supported platforms, SDKs and limits are not stated here and should be checked in the docs.

Use cases

• Run browser agents in isolation
• Give an agent a persistent computer
• Test computer-use agents safely
• Sandbox code written by an AI agent

Who it's for

• AI agent developers
• Platform engineers
• Python developers

Why use SmolVM

• Protects the host by running agents in a separate machine.
• Lets agents keep their state, because the computer is persistent.
• Fits browser and computer-use agents that need a full environment.
• Is open source, so you can inspect how the isolation works.

SmolVM features

• Secure sandboxed computer for agents
• Persistent environment
• Suited to browser-use and computer-use agents
• Open-source under Apache-2.0
• Documentation at celesto.ai

How to get started with SmolVM

1. Open the SmolVM documentation at celesto.ai.
2. Install SmolVM following the guide for your platform.
3. Start a sandboxed computer and connect your agent to it.
4. Run browser or computer-use tasks inside it and review the results.

SmolVM limitations

• Platform support and SDK details are not on the pages we read
• Self-hosted: you run it yourself

SmolVM pricing

SmolVM is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

SmolVM alternatives

The main SmolVM alternatives listed on Debuly are E2B, CubeSandbox, forkd, Sandbox Runtime, Agent Governance Toolkit and agent-browser. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   Agent Governance Toolkit

   Microsoft's open-source toolkit for enforcing policy, identity, sandboxing and audit records on autonomous AI agents before they reach production.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agents
   Open sourceVisit Agent Governance Toolkit (official site)
2. 

   agent-browser

   Native Rust command-line browser automation tool built for AI agents, with compact accessibility snapshots and 50+ commands.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   Open sourceVisit agent-browser (official site)
3. 

   CubeSandbox

   Self-hosted MicroVM sandbox service for AI agents, with fast starts, hardware isolation and E2B SDK compatibility.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   Open sourceVisit CubeSandbox (official site)
4. 

   E2B

   Cloud sandboxes where AI agents run code safely, with Python and JavaScript SDKs and per-second usage billing.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   FreemiumVisit E2B (official site)
5. 

   forkd

   Open-source Firecracker microVM runtime that forks many agent sandboxes from a warmed parent snapshot and can branch a running VM.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   Open sourceVisit forkd (official site)
6. 

   Sandbox Runtime

   Anthropic's open-source srt tool that limits file and network access for any process at the OS level, with no container needed.

   Developer platformsCodingAutomation and agents
   Open sourceVisit Sandbox Runtime (official site)

SmolVM FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from celesto.ai · fetched 24 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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