Top Fly.io Sprites alternatives for secure AI code execution and sandboxed environments
Blog post from Northflank
Fly.io Sprites are stateful sandbox environments launched in January 2026, designed for individual developers using Claude Code to execute untrusted code. Built on Firecracker microVMs, Sprites offer persistent storage, fast creation times, and scale-to-zero features, but are limited to CPU-only workloads and lack support for OCI container images and GPU sandboxes. While Sprites are suitable for individual developers, for those needing production-grade features such as GPU support, BYOC deployment, and multi-region availability, alternatives like Northflank, E2B.dev, Modal, Daytona.io, and Vercel Sandbox are explored. Northflank emerges as a leading alternative, offering microVM isolation, broad container support, GPU-enabled sandboxes, and enterprise features, providing a comprehensive platform for production-scale AI applications. Northflank's predictable pricing and infrastructure flexibility make it a compelling choice over Sprites for teams requiring more robust and scalable solutions.