Celesto vs Tensorlake
Celesto vs Tensorlake: both run agents in microVM-class sandboxes with a desktop and Chrome, but Celesto costs 74% less per running hour on the same CPU and memory and hosts an MCP server, while Tensorlake suspends with memory intact, filters egress by domain, offers real SSH, and runs in your own AWS account.
Pick by what the agent needs: a lower hourly price, an included disk, or MCP control favors Celesto; memory snapshots, domain egress rules, GPUs, or bring-your-own-cloud favor Tensorlake.
- Same 2 vCPU · 4 GB sandbox
- $0.030 vs $0.200
- Per running hour at Tensorlake's pay-as-you-go rates. 74% or more less on every matched size.
- Disk included
- 20–100 GB
- In Celesto's hourly price. Tensorlake bills disk per GB-hour.
- MCP server
- Hosted
- Celesto's MCP server creates sandboxes and runs commands. Tensorlake ships a coding-agent skill instead.
Disk included and a hosted MCP server, on microVM isolation.
A dot marks whoever has the edge on that line.
Isolation and access
- Isolation model
- Its own KVM virtual machine and kernel
- Firecracker or Cloud Hypervisor microVMs; gVisor for GPUs
- Cold boot
- Under 2 seconds
- Hundreds of milliseconds, per its docs(Tensorlake has the edge)
- Shell access
- Browser terminal, or celesto computer ssh with no SSH keys
- Standard SSH, scp, rsync, and VS Code Remote-SSH(Tensorlake has the edge)
- Docker inside
- Supported
- Supported on the systemd image
Browser and desktop
- Desktop view
- Live desktop on the browser templates, read-only or with control
- XFCE with TigerVNC image and a desktop-control SDK
- Browser over CDP
- Built-in Chromium at a CDP URL(Celesto has the edge)
- Chrome preinstalled; reach CDP through a CLI tunnel
State and storage
- Snapshot and resume
- Stop and start keep disk and packages; processes end
- Suspend and memory snapshots keep processes; auto-resume on traffic(Tensorlake has the edge)
- Disk per sandbox
- 20 to 100 GB by size, included(Celesto has the edge)
- 10 to 100 GiB, billed per GB-hour
- Persistent workspace
- CelestoFS, not limited by disk size
- Versioned Cloud Volumes, mountable on several sandboxes
Network and tools
- Egress control
- Internet on or off (TypeScript SDK)
- Off, or allow and deny lists by domain, IP, or CIDR(Tensorlake has the edge)
- Public preview URLs
- Up to 4 public HTTPS ports per sandbox
- Exposed ports, authenticated by default
- MCP
- Hosted MCP server that creates sandboxes and runs commands(Celesto has the edge)
- No MCP server; a skill for coding agents
- SDKs and API
- Python, TypeScript, CLI, and a REST API
- Python, TypeScript, CLI, and a REST API
Price and limits
- 2 vCPU · 4 GB, per hour
- $0.030(Celesto has the edge)
- $0.200
- GPUs
- No GPU sizes
- By request(Tensorlake has the edge)
- Running at once
- Up to 10
- 100 on Usage Credits, 1,000 on Pro(Tensorlake has the edge)
- Run in your own cloud
- Apache-2.0 microVM package runs sandboxes locally
- Executors in your AWS account(Tensorlake has the edge)
Celesto has the edge Tensorlake has the edge
74% less per hour on every matched size.
Each Celesto size next to the same CPU and memory on Tensorlake, or its nearest size, per hour.
| Hardware | Tensorlake | Celesto |
|---|---|---|
| 1 vCPU · 2 GB | $0.100/hour | $0.015/hourMicro, 20 GB disk included |
| 2 vCPU · 4 GB | $0.200/hour | $0.030/hourStandard, 30 GB disk included |
| 2 vCPU · 8 GB | $0.260/hour | $0.040/hourMemory, 40 GB disk included |
| 4 vCPU · 16 GB | $0.520/hour | $0.080/hourLarge, 60 GB disk included |
| 8 vCPU · 32 GB | $0.624/hourPro plan rate; Usage Credits stops at 4 vCPU | $0.160/hourXL, 100 GB disk included |
Tensorlake prices are its Usage Credits rates per hour with the CPU fully busy; it bills active CPU where metering is available, and disk separately. Its Pro plan ($250 a month) lowers the rates to $0.042 per core-hour and $0.009 per GB-hour. Celesto prices include the root disk.
Lower hourly cost and MCP control favor Celesto.
Choose Celesto if
- You want to pay 74% less per running hour with the disk included
- Your agent drives a browser through a CDP URL without a tunnel
- Claude Code, Cursor, or another MCP client should create and drive sandboxes
- You need 8 vCPU or 32 GB without a $250 monthly plan
Choose Tensorlake if
- You need suspend and snapshots that keep memory and running processes
- You need egress allow and deny lists by domain, IP, or CIDR
- You need GPUs or more than 10 sandboxes at once
- You want sandboxes to run in your own AWS account
- Your workflow depends on standard SSH, scp, and rsync
Questions.
Is Celesto cheaper than Tensorlake?
Yes, on list price. On Tensorlake's pay-as-you-go Usage Credits, 2 vCPU and 4 GB costs $0.200 an hour with the CPU busy, plus disk. Celesto Standard has the same CPU and memory for $0.030 an hour with a 30 GB disk included. Tensorlake's Pro plan, $250 a month, lowers its rates to $0.042 per core-hour and $0.009 per GB-hour, which is $0.120 an hour for that size, still four times Celesto's price. Tensorlake bills active CPU where it can meter it, so idle sandboxes may cost less there.
Does Celesto suspend sandboxes with memory like Tensorlake?
No. Celesto keeps the disk, installed packages, and CelestoFS workspace across stop and start, but running processes end. Tensorlake suspends named sandboxes with memory and processes intact, takes memory snapshots, and can resume a sandbox automatically when traffic reaches an exposed port.
Can my agent use a browser in Celesto or Tensorlake?
Both include a desktop and Chrome. Celesto's browser-agent template returns a CDP URL from computer.browser() for Playwright or Puppeteer, plus a live desktop view. Tensorlake preinstalls Chrome, reaches CDP through its tl sbx tunnel command, and offers an XFCE desktop over VNC.
Can I SSH into Celesto and Tensorlake sandboxes?
Tensorlake supports standard SSH, scp, rsync, and VS Code Remote-SSH. Celesto gives you an interactive shell with celesto computer ssh over a secure WebSocket, with no SSH keys or open port 22, plus a terminal in the browser console.
What is a good Tensorlake alternative for AI agents?
Celesto is a Tensorlake alternative when you want a lower hourly price with the disk included: each sandbox is its own virtual machine with a terminal, desktop view, CDP browser, public preview URLs, Docker, and a 20 to 100 GB disk that survives stops, from $0.015 per hour, and a hosted MCP server. New accounts get a one-time $5 credit with no card.
Start with $5 in credits. No card required.
Tensorlake details from its public pricing and documentation, as of October 17, 2026: Pricing · Billing · Sandboxes · Computer use · Chrome over CDP · Self-hosted compute. Celesto details come from the current sandbox catalog and feature list. Prices are list rates, not measured performance. Tensorlake is a trademark of its owner; Celesto is not affiliated with it.