kitio.aiOpenAI Codex vs E2B
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. OpenAI Codex has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $150 for E2B.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Cloud coding tasks
- Codex CLI
- IDE extension
- Desktop app
- Automatic PR review
- Isolated cloud sandboxes
- Python and JS SDKs
- Per-second billing
- Desktop sandboxes
- Self-hosting option
| Feature | OpenAI Codex | E2B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | OpenAI's coding agent in the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app | Secure cloud sandboxes for running AI-generated code |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $8/mo | $150/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | OpenAI | E2B |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
OpenAI Codex has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $150 for E2B.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
6 plans
Free
Free
- Limited Codex usage
- Via ChatGPT account
Go
$8/mo
- ChatGPT Go plan
- More Codex usage than Free
Plus
$20/mo
- ChatGPT Plus plan
- Codex in CLI, IDE and cloud
Pro
$100/mo
- Starting price; $200 and $500 tiers
- Highest Codex limits
Business
$25/mo
- Per user
- Shared workspace and admin controls
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Enterprise security
- Flexible usage
3 plans
Hobby
Free
- $100 one-time usage credit
- Sessions up to 1 hour
- 20 concurrent sandboxes
Pro
$150/mo
- Plus usage billed per second
- Sessions up to 24 hours
- 100 concurrent sandboxes (up to 1,100)
Enterprise
From $3,000/mo
- Custom compute
- Contact sales
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
OpenAI Codex
- Included in ChatGPT plans
- Runs many tasks in parallel
- Open-source CLI
- Token-based limits are hard to predict
- Free tier usage is small
E2B
- Great SDK experience
- Strong isolation
- Free credits to start
- No GPU sandboxes
- Pro plan has a monthly fee
Which one should you choose?
Choose OpenAI Codex if you want:
- Included in ChatGPT plans
- Runs many tasks in parallel
- Open-source CLI
Watch out: token-based limits are hard to predict.
Choose E2B if you want:
- Great SDK experience
- Strong isolation
- Free credits to start
Watch out: no gpu sandboxes.
OpenAI Codex vs E2B FAQ
What is the difference between OpenAI Codex and E2B?
OpenAI Codex: OpenAI's coding agent in the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app. E2B: Secure cloud sandboxes for running AI-generated code. Both are coding tools.
Is OpenAI Codex or E2B cheaper?
OpenAI Codex has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $150 for E2B.
Do OpenAI Codex and E2B have free plans?
OpenAI Codex: Yes. E2B: Yes.
Who makes OpenAI Codex?
OpenAI Codex is made by OpenAI, based in United States.
Who makes E2B?
E2B is made by E2B, based in United States.
Which should I choose, OpenAI Codex or E2B?
Choose OpenAI Codex if you value included in chatgpt plans and runs many tasks in parallel. Choose E2B if you value great sdk experience and strong isolation.