[ SHORT ANSWER ]
Vercel Sandbox is the right tool for executing untrusted or AI-generated code in isolation, particularly if your app already deploys on Vercel — ephemeral microVMs with no persistent identity are exactly what you want for that. Choose 1Claw Cloud Runtimes when the agent persists, holds an identity, and needs credentials and outbound calls governed by policy. Runtimes require Pro.
The two solve opposite halves of the same worry. Vercel Sandbox contains what generated code can do to your infrastructure. 1Claw contains what an agent can do with your credentials and funds. A product that generates and runs code on behalf of users plausibly needs both.
Tier note: the 1Claw capability compared here requires Pro ($29/mo). See pricing.
[ COMPARISON ]
1Claw vs Vercel Sandbox
Capability by capability. A dash means partial or qualified support — read the note.
[ WHEN TO USE ]
Which one is right for you
Most of these are not either/or. Where the competitor is the better answer, we say so.
Use Vercel Sandbox when
- You are running AI-generated or user-supplied code and need isolation.
- Your app is on Vercel and you want the native path.
- The execution is ephemeral with nothing to persist.
Use 1Claw when
- The agent persists and needs an identity and credentials.
- You need outbound calls made server-side under policy.
- The agent signs transactions or holds funds.
[ MIGRATION ]
Moving over in three steps
Most teams keep Vercel Sandbox for what it is good at and add 1Claw for the agent layer.
- 1Keep Vercel Sandbox for untrusted code execution.
- 2Register the orchestrating agent in 1Claw with a scoped vault policy.
- 3Move its outbound API calls to Execution Intents so credentials never reach the sandbox.
[ FAQ ]
Common questions
Do I need both?
If you generate and run code on behalf of users, plausibly yes — they address different risks. If you only run trusted agent code, one is enough.
Can code inside a sandbox reach 1Claw?
It can if you give it an agent key, but the safer pattern is to keep credentials out of the sandbox entirely and have the orchestrating agent make privileged calls through Execution Intents.
Is there a free 1Claw runtime?
No. Cloud Runtimes start at Pro ($29/mo).
[ RELATED ]
Other comparisons
[ FREE TIER ] 3 vaults · 50 secrets · 2 agents · 100 signatures/mo
Give agents access, not copies
Store the credential once, scope it per agent, and let the agent act without ever holding it.