ArcBox
Runs AI agents on isolated machines with their own kernel, filesystem and network.
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About ArcBox
ArcBox is listed in our sandboxes & code execution category and is aimed at builders. Runs AI agents on isolated machines with their own kernel, filesystem and network. Pricing, as the maker states it: Open source. Maturity: Active. We last checked the official link on 2026-10-16.
What is ArcBox?
ArcBox is a fast, open-source container and VM runtime for macOS, written from scratch in Rust, with drop-in Docker support and agent sandboxes.
It positions itself as an open-source (MIT/Apache-2.0) alternative to Docker Desktop and OrbStack. Our listing notes it runs agents on isolated machines with their own kernel, filesystem and network.
Sources: the official README and our directory listing, checked 2026-10-18. Official site: arcbox.dev.
Who is ArcBox for?
Mac developers who want fast containers and isolated sandboxes for agents.
ArcBox at a glance
- Open source: Yes (Apache License 2.0)
- GitHub: arcboxlabs/arcbox · 4,237 stars (as of Oct 21, 2026)
Key features
- Container and VM runtime for macOS
- Drop-in Docker
- Agent sandboxes
- MIT/Apache-2.0
ArcBox FAQ
What is ArcBox?
ArcBox is a fast, open-source container and VM runtime for macOS, written from scratch in Rust, with drop-in Docker support and agent sandboxes.
Who is ArcBox for?
Mac developers who want fast containers and isolated sandboxes for agents.
Is ArcBox free?
ArcBox's pricing, as the maker states it: Open source. Open-source tools are free to use, though you may still pay for model API usage or a hosted plan. Check the official site for current plans.
Is ArcBox open source?
Yes. ArcBox is released under the Apache License 2.0, according to its GitHub repository.
What are alternatives to ArcBox?
Similar tools include smolvm, agentOS, Agent Sandbox (Kubernetes), BoxLite, nono and Perplexity SPACE.
ArcBox ratings and reviews
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ArcBox alternatives
Other sandboxes & code execution tools in our directory. See all sandboxes & code execution tools →
smolvm
Portable, branchable virtual machine for running agents safely on your computer.
agentOS
A lightweight operating system for agents from Rivet that runs coding agents and their tools inside fast WebAssembly sandboxes with a file system, processes and networking, so you can spin up thousands cheaply.
Agent Sandbox (Kubernetes)
A Kubernetes project that adds a Sandbox resource for running isolated, stateful agent workloads such as code execution and browsers, with warm pools and fast startup on your own cluster.
BoxLite
Embeddable micro-VM for running AI agents.
nono
Zero-trust sandboxing for agent runtimes.
Perplexity SPACE
Perplexity's open-source sandbox platform that runs each agent task in its own Firecracker microVM, with credentials and network access controlled from outside.
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