Gibil vs Claude Code Cloud Sessions
Anthropic's built-in cloud compute vs your own machine. When the free option isn't enough.
Claude Code ships with managed cloud sessions — included in your subscription, no setup required. For many workflows that's all you need. This page explains where the limits are and when Gibil picks up from there.
Note: Gibil isn't Claude Code-specific. It works with any MCP-compatible agent. This page focuses on the Claude Code comparison since cloud sessions are an Anthropic feature.
What Claude Code cloud sessions give you
Anthropic's cloud sessions (available via --remote flag or from the web interface) provide:
- 4 vCPU, 16 GB RAM, 30 GB disk
- Docker and docker-compose pre-installed
- PostgreSQL, Redis, Node.js, Python, Go, Rust pre-installed
- Environment caching (your setup script runs once, snapshot reused)
- GitHub integration
- Monitoring from mobile
And it's included in your Claude Code subscription ($20-200/month). No extra compute cost.
Anthropic explicitly says: "For workloads beyond these limits, use Remote Control to run Claude Code on your own hardware." Gibil is that hardware.
Comparison
| Gibil | Claude Code Cloud Sessions | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~$0.03/hr (or BYOH at Hetzner rates) | Included in subscription |
| CPU | Up to 48 vCPU | 4 vCPU |
| RAM | Up to 192 GB | 16 GB |
| Disk | Up to 960 GB NVMe | 30 GB |
| Session quota | No quota — your TTL | Shared with your subscription usage |
| Parallel agents | Unlimited (your infra) | 5-25/day cap (plan-dependent) |
| Infrastructure owner | You (BYOH) or Gibil | Anthropic |
| Code leaves your machine | Only to your Hetzner account | Yes, to Anthropic-managed VMs |
| SSH access | Yes, first-class | Partial (--teleport flag) |
| MCP-native | Yes | Partial |
| Custom services | Full — .gibil.yml defines your stack | Setup scripts only, no service management |
| Session duration | No cap | Quota-limited |
When Anthropic's cloud sessions are enough
- Your project fits in 4 vCPU / 16 GB / 30 GB
- Your stack is pre-installed (Node, Python, Postgres, Redis)
- You don't need to run parallel sessions simultaneously
- You're comfortable with code running on Anthropic infrastructure
When you need Gibil
Resource ceiling. 4 vCPU and 16 GB is tight for complex stacks — full-stack app + Postgres + Redis + Elasticsearch + running tests pushes against these limits. Gibil has no ceiling: pick the Hetzner instance that matches your workload.
Compliance and data sovereignty. If your code is proprietary, regulated, or subject to NDAs, running it on Anthropic-managed VMs may not be acceptable. With BYOH, your code runs in your own Hetzner account and never touches Gibil's or Anthropic's infrastructure.
Parallel agent sessions. Running multiple Claude Code sessions simultaneously? Anthropic's daily cap (5-25 Routines per day depending on plan) runs out fast. Gibil has no cap — spin up as many VMs as your Hetzner account allows.
Long sessions. Claude Code cloud sessions share quota with your normal Claude usage. An intensive build-test loop can drain your monthly allocation. Gibil's compute is separate from your Claude subscription.
Custom service stacks. .gibil.yml lets you declare the exact services your project needs — any Docker image, any version, any configuration. Anthropic's cloud sessions give you a curated set of pre-installed services and setup scripts, but you can't swap them out.
Real SSH. Gibil gives you a real SSH session — port-forward, debug tools, any terminal workflow. Anthropic's --teleport flag provides partial SSH access but it's not first-class.
The honest take
If your project runs on 4 vCPU / 16 GB and you're fine with Anthropic's infrastructure, their cloud sessions are the simpler choice — they're already paid for.
Gibil is for when you hit the ceiling: more compute, more sessions, your infrastructure, your rules. And unlike cloud sessions, Gibil works with any agent — not just Claude Code.
Next steps
- Gibil vs Codespaces — GitHub's developer workstation
- Quick Start — try Gibil in 5 minutes