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CodeSandbox vs Dagger: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of CodeSandbox and Dagger. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Dagger starts at $50/mo, making it $120/mo cheaper than CodeSandbox ($170/mo). CodeSandbox offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

CodeSandbox vs Dagger: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureCodeSandboxDagger
Starting Price$170/mo$50/mo
Number of Plans33
Free TierYesYes
Pricing Modelper-seatopen-source
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Dagger is the more affordable option, starting at $50/mo compared to CodeSandbox's $170/mo. Both are Dev Tools with 6 combined pricing plans and 28 features compared.

Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget. CodeSandbox uses per-seat pricing while Dagger uses open-source pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Dev Tools needs.

Pricing Plans
CodeSandbox
CodeSandbox
Try it free
Tier 1
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 5 members
  • 40 hours of monthly VM credits
  • Unlimited Browser & VM Sandboxes
  • CodeSandbox SDK lite
  • Private Sandboxes
  • VM specs up to 4 vCPUs + 8 GiB RAM
  • VS Code extension
Start with Free
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Observability for one
  • Community Support
Start with Free
Tier 2
Build
$170/month
$170 / year
Includes
  • 20 members
  • 160 hours of monthly VM credits
  • Access to on-demand VM credits priced at $0.15 per hour
  • 1,000 new Sandboxes an hour
  • 250 concurrent VMs
  • 10,000 hourly requests
  • CodeSandbox SDK
  • More VM tiers
Start with Build
Team
$50/monthCheapest
$4 / year
Includes
  • Observability and module sharing for up to 10 users
  • Email Support
Start with Team
Tier 3
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Unlimited members
  • Up to 50% off bulk VM credit packs
  • Create as many Sandboxes as you need
  • Bespoke concurrent VMs
  • Hourly request limits tailored to your requirements
  • VM specs up to 64 vCPUs + 128 GiB RAM
  • Dedicated support
  • SOC 2 Type II compliance
Start with Enterprise
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Enterprise-level confidence and support for teams running Dagger at scale
Start with Enterprise

Swipe to compare plans →

CodeSandbox

Cloud development environments for rapid web prototyping

View all CodeSandbox plans

Dagger

Programmable CI/CD engine running pipelines in containers

View all Dagger plans

Which Should You Choose?

Choose CodeSandbox if:

  • You prefer CodeSandbox's free tier features—5 members, 40 hours of monthly VM credits
  • You want more features built-in—CodeSandbox offers 18 additional features across its plans
  • You want CodeSandbox's approach to incremental feature unlocking across its 3 pricing tiers

Choose Dagger if:

  • You want lower per-user costs—Dagger starts at $50/mo, saving $120/mo compared to CodeSandbox at $170/mo
  • You prefer Dagger's free tier features—Observability for one, Community Support
  • You prefer Dagger's open-source model with its 3-tier structure

Both CodeSandbox and Dagger offer free plans [1], eliminating cost barriers for evaluation. This means you can test both tools thoroughly with your actual workflows before any financial commitment. The free tiers differ in scope: CodeSandbox includes 7 features, while Dagger includes 2 features. Evaluate which free tier matches your evaluation needs before deciding to upgrade. Your best approach is to activate both free trials and evaluate which tool's workflow, integrations, and user experience align better with your team's needs before committing to paid plans.

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Frequently Asked Questions: CodeSandbox vs Dagger

Which is cheaper, CodeSandbox or Dagger?
As of March 2026, Dagger starts at a lower price point. CodeSandbox starts at $170/mo while Dagger starts at $50/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does CodeSandbox have vs Dagger?
CodeSandbox offers 3 pricing plans, while Dagger offers 3 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does CodeSandbox or Dagger offer a free plan?
Yes, both CodeSandbox and Dagger offer free plans. Compare the feature limits of each free tier to see which better fits your use case before upgrading.
Can I save money by paying annually for CodeSandbox or Dagger?
Both CodeSandbox and Dagger offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
Does CodeSandbox or Dagger offer custom enterprise pricing?
Yes, both CodeSandbox and Dagger offer custom enterprise pricing tiers with quote-based pricing. Contact each vendor for a tailored quote.
What pricing models do CodeSandbox and Dagger use?
CodeSandbox uses a per-seat pricing model, while Dagger uses open-source pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.
How do CodeSandbox and Dagger compare for Dev Tools?
Both CodeSandbox and Dagger are Dev Tools. CodeSandbox offers 3 plans starting at $170/mo, while Dagger offers 3 plans starting at $50/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Dev Tools needs.

Sources

  1. CodeSandbox Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. Dagger Official PricingVendor pricing page

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