Serverless functions · AWS vs Google Cloud
AWS Lambda MicroVMs vs Agent Sandbox on GKE
AWS Lambda MicroVMs map partly to Agent Sandbox on GKE, which isolates untrusted or AI-generated code using GKE Sandbox (gVisor) on your cluster.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Lambda MicroVMs | Agent Sandbox on GKE |
| Lifecycle | Launched June 2026. Available in 14 Regions as of Oct 22, 2026, on Arm64. | Generally available |
| What it is | Stateful Firecracker sandboxes for running user- or AI-generated code. Each has its own HTTPS endpoint (HTTP/2, gRPC, WebSockets), suspend and resume, and sessions of up to 8 hours. | Isolated environments (gVisor-based GKE Sandbox) for executing untrusted or AI-generated code on GKE, at no extra charge beyond GKE resources. |
| Pricing model | Billed for MicroVM resources while running, at a lower rate while suspended. See the Lambda pricing page. | No extra charge for Agent Sandbox; GKE pricing applies to the cluster resources. |
| Docs | AWS Lambda MicroVMs docs | Agent Sandbox on GKE docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Lambda MicroVMs pricing | — |
Key differences
- You run Agent Sandbox on your own GKE cluster; Lambda MicroVMs are fully serverless.
- Agent Runtime's code execution on Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform is a managed alternative for agent use cases.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Billed for MicroVM resources while running, at a lower rate while suspended. See the Lambda pricing page. AWS Lambda MicroVMs pricing →
- GCP
- No extra charge for Agent Sandbox; GKE pricing applies to the cluster resources.
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Azure Container Apps dynamic sessions. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of AWS Lambda MicroVMs?
AWS Lambda MicroVMs map partly to Agent Sandbox on GKE, which isolates untrusted or AI-generated code using GKE Sandbox (gVisor) on your cluster.
How does pricing compare between AWS Lambda MicroVMs and Agent Sandbox on GKE?
AWS: Billed for MicroVM resources while running, at a lower rate while suspended. See the Lambda pricing page. Google Cloud: No extra charge for Agent Sandbox; GKE pricing applies to the cluster resources. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Container Apps dynamic sessions (partial match). AWS Lambda MicroVMs map to Azure Container Apps dynamic sessions.