Run agents on the plan you already pay for
Cursor's cloud agents meter every run at API rates. A box runs Claude Code or Codex on your own Claude or ChatGPT plan. Its Docker stack stays up between runs, for a flat $5 to $24 a month.
From $5 a month · Docker and sudo included · Cancel from the dashboard any time
| Them | Cursor background agents | detachbox |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Model usage at API rates, drawn from your Cursor plan | A flat $5, $12 or $24 a month per box |
| Models | The models in Cursor's catalogue | Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Gemini CLI on your own accounts |
| The machine | An isolated cloud VM per agent | Your box, with its files and containers, always on |
| docker compose | Configured with a snapshot or a Dockerfile in environment.json | Preinstalled; your compose file runs as on your laptop |
| Terminal and SSH | The agent's VM, opened from the Cursor editor | A full terminal with tmux tabs, plus SSH |
| All subscription limits in one view | No | Yes |
Vendor prices and limits from each vendor's own pages, checked 28 September 2026.
When it is the better pick
Cursor's agents fit a team that lives in the Cursor editor and launches runs from it. A box fits when you want your own Claude or Codex plan, a stack that stays up and a terminal you can walk into.
Questions about this
Can I keep using Cursor with a box?
Yes. The box is a Linux machine you reach over SSH with your keys, so an editor that works over SSH can connect. The agents on the box keep running after the editor closes.
What does a long agent run cost me?
On your own subscription, the model cost is the plan you already pay. The box is a flat $5 to $24 a month. At API rates, every hour adds to the bill.
Do I need a Cursor plan for detachbox?
No. The box runs the agents' own CLIs on your Claude and ChatGPT subscriptions.
Other comparisons
- lid closedvs your laptopThe laptop stops the agent when the lid closes. The box keeps going.
- €5.49 + an eveningvs a DIY VPSA bare VPS is cheap until you count the evening of setup.
- $0.18 an hourvs GitHub CodespacesCodespaces stops when idle. An agent job needs a machine that stays on.
- €6vs TerminalboxBoth stay on. One runs Docker, ten tabs and a limits board for less.
- $0 extravs cloud agentsCloud agents start fresh each task. A box remembers everything.
- $20–$200vs DevinDevin is its own agent on its own plans. A box runs the agents you already use.
Run agents on the plan you already pay for
Start a box, hand the agent the job and close the tab. Come back to finished work.
Start my boxCharged when the box starts · Cancel from the dashboard; the box runs to the end of the paid month