E2B vs Sprites dev: comparing AI code execution sandboxes in 2026

In 2026, E2B, Sprites (by Fly.io), and Northflank represent three distinct platforms for executing untrusted or AI-generated code through microVM-based isolation, each optimized for different use cases. E2B specializes in providing session-scoped, ephemeral Linux microVM sandboxes for AI agent code execution, managed via Python or JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs, and is specifically tailored for environments requiring a clean slate with each run. In contrast, Sprites offers persistent, hardware-isolated Linux microVMs that maintain their filesystem state indefinitely, hibernating when idle, making them suitable for long-lived, stateful environments that require persistence. Northflank goes further by supporting both ephemeral and persistent environments with microVM isolation technologies such as Kata Containers, Firecracker, and gVisor, making it versatile for running a broad range of workloads including CPU and GPU tasks, while offering the flexibility of managed cloud or self-hosted deployment across various infrastructures.