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AWS Bedrock AgentCore

Answer in brief

AWS’s managed agent platform: a Code Interpreter tool for running agent-generated code and a Runtime that hosts each agent session in its own microVM. The natural default for AWS-centric teams; less attractive if you want portability or a provider-neutral SDK.

By the Agent Sandboxes editors · Updated

Overview

Amazon Bedrock AgentCore is AWS’s set of managed building blocks for production agents. Two pieces matter for sandboxing: the Code Interpreter tool, which runs Python, JavaScript, TypeScript and shell commands for an agent, and the Runtime, which hosts the agent itself with each user session in a dedicated microVM.

Its distinguishing features are long sessions (up to 8 hours), consumption-based CPU billing that does not charge for I/O wait such as waiting on model responses, and native IAM, VPC and regional controls. It is model- and framework-agnostic and supports MCP and A2A.

Notable

  • Code Interpreter sessions can run up to 8 hours — long for a hosted code interpreter.
  • CPU is not billed while the agent waits on I/O, such as LLM responses.

AWS Bedrock AgentCore specifications

AttributeDetails
IsolationRuntime: a dedicated microVM per user session with isolated CPU, memory and filesystem, sanitized after the session. Code Interpreter: documented as a containerized environment within AgentCore
DeploymentCloud provider service
Open sourceNo
SDKs and interfacesPython (AgentCore SDK), AWS SDKs, AWS CLI
Cold start (vendor claim)No numeric claim; Runtime v2 restores from snapshots for consistent cold starts
Max session lengthCode Interpreter: 15 min default, up to 8 hours. Runtime microVMs: up to 8 hours, stop after 15 min idle
PersistenceState persists between executions within a session; Runtime can persist filesystem across stop/resume (managed session storage in preview). Large files via S3
GPUNot for Code Interpreter or Runtime microVMs; the separate Runtime “Instances” compute type supports GPUs
NetworkingCode Interpreter network modes: Sandbox (isolated) or Public; VPC connectivity supported
PricingCode Interpreter: $0.0895 per vCPU-hour + $0.00945 per GB-hour, billed per second; CPU billed on actual consumption (not during I/O wait), memory on peak
Free tierNo product-specific free tier; general AWS new-customer credits apply
ComplianceHIPAA eligible per AWS FAQ; further attestations described as in progress
Regions15 AWS Regions across North America, South America, Europe and Asia Pacific

Facts from AWS Bedrock AgentCore’s public documentation, verified November 8, 2026. Performance numbers are vendor claims.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

  • You are already on AWS and want IAM, VPC and CloudTrail integration
  • You need long-running sessions (up to 8 hours)
  • You want consumption-based CPU billing that skips I/O wait

Trade-offs

  • AWS-only; no self-hosting or other clouds
  • Code Interpreter isolation is documented only as “containerized”
  • No GPU in Code Interpreter or Runtime microVMs

Best for: Teams already on AWS that need IAM- and VPC-integrated code execution for agents.

Where AWS Bedrock AgentCore ranks

How AWS Bedrock AgentCore compares

SandboxIsolationOpen sourceSelf-host / BYOCCold start (vendor)Max sessionSnapshots / pauseGPUSDKs
AWS Bedrock AgentCoreMicroVM (Runtime)NoNo / NoNot documentedUp to 8 hNot documented / Not documentedNoPython (AgentCore SDK), AWS SDKs, AWS CLI
Azure Container Apps dynamic sessionsHyper-V VMNoNo / NoSub-second (pooled)220 s / execNo / NoNoREST API, Azure CLI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel
Google Agent Platform Code ExecutiongVisorNoNo / No<1 s (warm)14-day stateNo / Not documentedNoPython (Agent Platform SDK), REST API
E2BFirecracker microVMYesYes / YesNot documented1 h / 24 h (Pro)Yes / YesNoPython, JavaScript/TypeScript
Modal SandboxesgVisor or VMNoNo / Not documented<1 sUp to 24 hYes / YesYesPython, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go

Head-to-head: AWS Bedrock AgentCore vs E2B

Frequently asked questions

What is AWS Bedrock AgentCore?
AWS’s managed agent platform: a Code Interpreter tool for running agent-generated code and a Runtime that hosts each agent session in its own microVM. The natural default for AWS-centric teams; less attractive if you want portability or a provider-neutral SDK.
How does AWS Bedrock AgentCore isolate code?
AWS Bedrock AgentCore documents its isolation as: Runtime: a dedicated microVM per user session with isolated CPU, memory and filesystem, sanitized after the session. Code Interpreter: documented as a containerized environment within AgentCore.
Is AWS Bedrock AgentCore open source?
No, AWS Bedrock AgentCore is not open source.
How much does AWS Bedrock AgentCore cost?
Code Interpreter: $0.0895 per vCPU-hour + $0.00945 per GB-hour, billed per second; CPU billed on actual consumption (not during I/O wait), memory on peak Check the official pricing page for current rates.
What are the best AWS Bedrock AgentCore alternatives?

Sources

  1. docs.aws.amazon.com/bedrock-agentcore/latest/devguide/code-interpreter-tool.html
  2. docs.aws.amazon.com/bedrock-agentcore/latest/devguide/code-interpreter-resource-session-management.html
  3. docs.aws.amazon.com/bedrock-agentcore/latest/devguide/runtime-how-it-works.html
  4. aws.amazon.com/bedrock/agentcore/pricing/
  5. aws.amazon.com/bedrock/agentcore/faqs/

Cite this page

Agent Sandboxes. (2026). AWS Bedrock AgentCore. agentsandboxes.org. Last reviewed November 8, 2026. https://agentsandboxes.org/sandboxes/aws-agentcore/

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