Gibil vs Claude Code Cloud Sessions
Anthropic's managed VM vs the box you control. When the included option isn't enough.
Claude Code ships with managed cloud sessions: a 4 vCPU / 16 GB / 30 GB Ubuntu VM with Docker, Postgres, Redis, and a full toolchain pre-installed, included in your Claude subscription (Anthropic docs). For a lot of workloads that's all you need. This page explains where the managed-VM model hits its limits and when reaching for your own box makes sense.
Note: Gibil isn't Claude-specific. It works with any MCP-compatible agent. This page focuses on Claude Code because the cloud sessions are an Anthropic product worth comparing against.
What Anthropic's cloud sessions give you
Available via --remote or the web interface:
- 4 vCPU, 16 GB RAM, 30 GB disk (Anthropic notes the ceilings "may change over time")
- Docker + dockerd + compose pre-installed
- PostgreSQL 16, Redis 7, Node, Python, Ruby, PHP, Go, Rust, OpenJDK pre-installed
- Environment caching (your setup script runs once, snapshot reused)
- GitHub integration, mobile monitoring
Included in the Claude subscription. No extra compute cost.
Anthropic explicitly says: "For workloads beyond these limits, use Remote Control to run Claude Code on your own hardware." Note that "Remote Control" runs Claude Code on a machine you already own (typically your laptop) and exposes it to claude.ai. It's not "user-supplied cloud infrastructure." Gibil is one option for the cloud hardware those workloads can run on instead.
Same shape (managed VM), different control
Both Anthropic cloud sessions and Gibil hand you a managed Linux VM with Docker and a stack pre-installed. The interesting differences are about ceiling, control, and lock-in.
| Gibil | Claude Code Cloud Sessions | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~$0.008/hr (Hetzner cax11) | 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 |
| Lifetime | TTL 15m–30d, extendable | Quota-limited; daily Routines cap shown in claude.ai |
| Parallel sessions | Unlimited (your infra) | Daily Routines cap, per-tier figure not published |
| Infrastructure owner | You (BYOC) or Gibil-managed | Anthropic |
| Code leaves your machine | Only to your own cloud account (Hetzner or Vultr) | Yes, to Anthropic-managed VMs |
| Agent compatibility | Any MCP-compatible agent | Claude Code only |
| SSH access | Yes, first-class | Partial via teleport |
| Custom services | Full; .gibil.yml defines your stack | Setup scripts only |
Pricing snapshot: 2026-05-05. Anthropic's cloud sessions are bundled in the Claude subscription rather than billed separately, so a direct hourly comparison isn't apples-to-apples. The interesting axes here are the resource ceiling and where the code lives.
When Anthropic's cloud sessions are enough
- Your project fits in 4 vCPU / 16 GB / 30 GB
- Your stack matches what's pre-installed
- You only use Claude Code
- You don't need parallel sessions beyond the Routines cap
- You're comfortable with code running on Anthropic infrastructure
When you need Gibil
Resource ceiling. 4 vCPU and 16 GB is tight for full-stack apps with services + tests running simultaneously. Gibil scales to whatever Hetzner offers (up to 48 vCPU / 192 GB).
Compliance and data sovereignty. If your code is proprietary, regulated, or under NDA, running it on Anthropic-managed VMs may not be acceptable. With BYOC, your code stays in your own account (Hetzner + Vultr today; AWS/GCP/DO/Fly on the roadmap).
Parallel sessions. Multiple agents at once? The Routines daily cap is shared across your subscription. Gibil has no cap.
Agent flexibility. Use Cursor, Claude Code, aider, codex, or custom agents, all pointing at the same Gibil substrate via MCP. Cloud sessions are Claude Code only.
Long-lived sessions. A 30-day dev box with a TTL extend is a normal Gibil pattern. Cloud sessions are designed around shorter quotas.
Real SSH. Port-forward, debug tools, any terminal workflow. Cloud sessions only expose partial SSH.
The honest take
If your workload fits in 4 vCPU / 16 GB and you're fine with Anthropic's infrastructure, the cloud sessions are simpler. They're already paid for.
Gibil is the box you reach for when you hit the ceiling, need agent flexibility, or need the code to stay on your own infra.
Next steps
- Gibil vs E2B: microvm-shaped sandbox
- Gibil vs Daytona: container-shaped sandbox
- Quick Start: try Gibil in 5 minutes
New to Vultr? Get $300 in free credits — Referral link — Gibil gets a kickback that helps fund development.